Is VoIP the ?Next Big Thing? in Telecommunications?

VoIP or Voice Over Internet Protocol has been simmering for the past few years. This year the market has heated up. Many large businesses have jumped on the VoIP bandwagon and have realized savings of 50-percent or more off their phone bills. VoIP providers are competing to add to or replace large PBX systems for the corporations and add web conferencing capabilities plus wireless VoIP (wVoIP) over LAN's as well.

Hospitals and other large, fragmented workforces are discovering the value of using wireless VoIP phones to converse with one another quickly and efficiently while in different wings, floors or buildings of a large facility. This kind of wireless VoIP setup can have huge cost savings over cell phones and is more efficient that using pagers.

While business VoIP has caught on in the corporate landscape, residential VoIP is still trying to take hold. This is largely because of a couple of current disadvantages of VoIP. First, not all current VoIP systems have power backups. When the power goes out in a residence, the landline is still operational. Since VoIP works over a high-speed Internet connection, which requires power, if the power goes down, so does the VoIP connection. This will be of concern to many concerned about emergency situations. The good news is that many VoIP hardware providers are starting to deliver systems with power backup to address just this issue.

The second drawback of residential VoIP is that not all current VoIP service providers offer full, 24-7 emergency 911 service. After hour calls in Florida, may be mistakenly rerouted to Idaho for instance. This is also about to change. The Federal Communications Commission has mandated that all phone service providers offer e911 service as standard. According to the FCC, "All interconnected VoIP providers must automatically provide E9-1-1 services to all customers as a standard, mandatory feature without customers having to specifically request this service. VoIP providers may not allow their customers the option to "opt-out" of E9-1-1 service."

Clearly, though, residential VoIP is heading towards direct competition with the local phone companies' coveted landlines. A couple of years ago at a meeting in SBC's Publishing division, one of the executive managers cried, "Landlines, we need to stop losing landlines!" This was in response to cell phone companies taking away market share from the local Baby Bells. Now that VoIP is on the radar, the executive management teams for the local and long-distance phone companies must be huddling in their back offices, trying to figure out how they will stop the bleeding in the years to come.

With VoIP costing far less that traditional local and long-distance phone service and overcoming the last of the residential hurdles, one can be sure that consumers will soon be taking notice. Many will also start wearing t-shirt like "VoIP VIP" and "Got VoIP?" to herald in the new era in telecommunications.

Copyright ? 2005 VoIP Service Providers3

VoIP Service Providers - Marvin Bellnick writes for VoIP Service Providers, a company dedicated to publishing the latest happenings in the Voice Over IP industry.

Trust in God

Ecclesiasts 5:18 Then I realized that it is good and proper for a man to eat and drink, and to find satisfaction in his toilsome labor under the sun during the few days of life God has given him-for this is his lot. 19 Moreover, when God gives any man wealth and possessions, and enables him to enjoy them, to accept his lot and be happy in his work-this is a gift of God. 20 He seldom reflects on the days of his life, because God keeps him occupied with gladness of heart.

Finding your life's purpose is a gift from God. Imagine being HAPPY on your job. Imagine jumping up each morning before the alarm clock rings because you are excited about your day--excited about your work.

That's exactly how you will feel once you discover God's purpose for your life.

Do you realize that 90% of the people who get up each morning to go to work, HATE the work that they do? Imagine that. You spend more time on your job than you do with your family. Wouldn't it only make sense that you spend the majority of your time doing something that you love to do?

The only thing that is stopping you from a life of happiness and prosperity is your unwillingness TO ACCEPT YOUR LOT IN LIFE.

You are here for a reason.

You have talents and abilities that were given to you as gifts from God. Your lack of willingness to accept these gifts and to use them in the way God intended you to use them, is causing you pain, heartache and hatred in your life.

Why aren't you using those gifts?

Don't you hate it when you take time, go shopping, and pick out what you believe is the perfect gift for your friend, spouse or loved one, and then they just take the gift and throw it on the side? Doesn't that make you angry?

Well, that is how you are making God feel when you take His gifts to you--your talents and abilities--and simply toss them on the side while you work on a job that brings you no satisfaction.

If you ask a person who hates their job, why they continue to work there, the answers are always the same:

I need the money. Bills got to be paid. I'm afraid to leave, the economy is bad. I'm just lucky to have a job.

Do you realize that the mere fact that you have those beliefs is what is holding in on that job?

You are allowing fear to keep you from accepting and using the gifts that God has given to you.

Fear, that without that job, you will be without money. Fear, that without that job, you won't be able to pay your bills. Fear, that if you left that job, you won't be able to find any means to support yourself. Fear, that if you quit your job, you will be homeless, without food and in debt.

Fear is causing you to live an unhappy life.

Here's my question to you. I know you are a Christian and that you believe in God, so "wad up with all dat fear?" (For those who are unfamiliar with Ebonics (smile) wad up means "what's up" and dat = "that".)

Fear doesn't come from God. The bible tells us that God hasn't given us the spirit of fear. And if you truly, I mean TRULY, believe in God, you know that He will provide all of your needs and that there is never anything to fear.

Ok, Ok, I hear what you are thinking (did I tell you that I can read minds he he he). You are saying to yourself, "that sounds good on paper, but fear is real."

I know it's real. It's one of the strongest emotions that we possess.

But the key to conquering your fears is to put ALL of your trust in God.

And the key to putting all of your trust in God is developing a strong relationship with Him.

That's all He generally wants from us--for us to acknowledge Him in everything that we do. He wants us to know that our talents and gifts come from Him. He wants us to use our talents and abilities, our gifts, to serve His people in some capacity.

The thing that you must understand is that once you start living your life with purpose, using the talents and gifts that you possess in the way they were designed to be used--to serve others-- you will not have to worry about money ever again. Once you learn how to develop a relationship with God where you lean on Him and depend on Him to meet all of your needs--He will.

Once you accept this and apply it to your life, you will find out that life is easy and quite effortless. Just by living a more spiritual life, things will become easy for you. Where you once struggled to make ends meet, ends will be meeting like a (oh, forgive me for that one). People will come into your life who are willing to help you get to the next level. You will start attracting all kinds of so called miracles into your life. Brillant ideas will come to you when you least expect it. You will see and feel God's hands orchestrating your life. You will be able to sit back and let him take the driver's seat because you have been doing it wrong for so long. Now, you understand that He is in charge--not you. And once He is in charge you feel safe and secure with no worries or fears.

I just want to tell you this story real quick. I moved out of my parents house my senior year in college and lived by myself from the age of 21 to 32. I lived alone and each night, I would lay in bed tossing and turning for hours until I feel asleep. Every sound I heard would cause me to jump up. I was fearful, at night, of being alone. I did it because I had to do it but I rarely got a good nights sleep.

After I met my husband, who is a rather big guy, falling to sleep at night was easy and simple. I just laid down and within a minute or two I would be asleep. Why? Because I felt safe. The fear that I had experienced for so many years, was simply gone. Because I didn't have to worry about the sounds that I heard at night--that's what he is here for. If something went "bump" in the night, I didn't hear it, he did, and he would take care of it.

That's how you should put your trust in God.

Discover your passions and your talents. Think of a way that you can use your talents to serve God's people. And trust that you can do it and that by doing it God will take care of the rest. He will bring you prosperity and happiness because you are living the life He intended for you to live.

Fear FREE!

Dawn Fields is a Motivational Speaker, Author and Life Coach who teaches how to discover God's purpose for your life and incorporate it into a lucrative career. Visit her web site at http://www.dawnfields.com and sign up for Your Life's Purpose newsletter by sending a blank email to dawn@dawnfields.com with SUBSCRIBE in the subject line. Tune in Thursdays at 9 p.m. EST to Your Life's Purpose Interactive Internet Radio Show at http://www.dawnfields.com/radioshow.htm

Business is Great; I?m Just Not Selling Anything!

Awhile back you had a great idea. An idea that you thought could make you a decent income, with very little effort. Then, you had another great idea-to sell your first great idea on the Internet! What better way is there to market and sell your idea to the world, you thought. So, you bought a domain name, found a web host, and hired a high-priced web designer. Before you knew it, your new business was up and running on the web. With the help of a search engine optimization firm, your site shot to the top results of Google and Yahoo. Plus, you added an affiliate program, along with some other marketing ventures. Soon, tons of targeted traffic started flowing to your site?

A couple of weeks went by and the euphoria of owning your own business on the web began to wear off. Sure, your site looked great, your product/service was the best, and you had tons of traffic hitting your site, but where was the income you expected? You'd made a few sales, but really you were expecting more-weren't you?

Unfortunately, you're business isn't starting off as the stunning success you had hoped for. But, there's good news! You probably aren't that far off. This article will tell you the one aspect of your online business that can help you convert more sales than any other!

One advantage that most business owners like about the Internet is the opportunity it provides for them to take a hands-off approach. Get a website up-and-running, come up with a marketing program, and you can make money even while you're sleeping-especially if you offer a service or software product. Internet businesses are great part-time or side businesses, because they can take as much, or as little, time as you want to devote to them.

The problem is that while spending a very small amount of time on your Internet business is great for you as the business owner; it can be not-so-great for your customers and potential customers, thus limiting your sales potential. Think about your product or service. Now, picture setting up a brick-and-mortar location to run your business from. Would you buy or build this building, set it up for business, and then leave it sitting there with the door locked all of the time? Would you leave the door unlocked so customers could come in and look around, but not have any staff available to assist them? Would you leave the door unlocked so customers could come in and look around, setup a self-checkout aisle so they can make purchases, install a security camera for safety, but still not have a single staff member on hand to assist customers. Hopefully, you answered 'no' to all of these questions, and you probably found the ideas ridiculous. Yet, is this how your run your online business? Most websites let visitors look at products, and make secure purchases, but they don't offer assistance to the visitors. That is why providing customer service is the key to making an online business successful. Buying and selling on the Internet can be different than in brick-and-mortar locations, but in some ways it is not that different. Customer Service is one of those ways. Customers want to be treated a certain way before most will buy your products and services, regardless of whether or not you are selling them from a building or a website.

If you provide top-notch customer service on your website, the same way you would if you had setup a brick-and-mortar location, you will take your business profits to the next level. Will it take a little more of your time and attention? Yes. Is it worth it? Yes.

You see, visitors come to your site because they are interested in what you have to offer. But, they also have questions and concerns before they buy. Will this product meet my needs? How do I checkout? Is there a return policy? Is this business even credible (a particularly challenging issue on the web)? If you aren't there to answer these questions, the Internet most likely will offer this consumer several other sites that they can buy the same products from. Just like that, they're gone-and probably forever.

At this point, you're probably wondering what is top-notch customer service? The answer may surprise you. Many sites offer phone and email support. However, this is not the most effective support online. Phone support can be expensive, either for you or the customer. If you have an 800#, you're paying for all the calls. Plus, you (or your staff), can only handle one call at a time. If you don't have an 800#, your potential customer has to pay. Plus, the customer may only have a dial-up connection. So, they actually have to leave your website to contact you (or use up their cell phone minutes). Your #1 goal is to NOT have customers leave your website-even to call you!

Providing email support is equally ineffective. The reason is because the customer never really knows if and when you're going to get back to him/her. They may need a product sent today for next day arrival. If so, they'll probably be hesitant to email you simply because they don't know if you'll get back to them in an hour, a couple hours, a day, a week, or ever at all. They'll go somewhere else where they can be assured that the product will meet there needs and can be shipped for arrival next day. Email can be effective at times, but it can cause concerns for the customer, and it is ineffective when time is critical.

So, what is the best way to provide online customer support? The answer is live chat. I know you're probably thinking that live chat is time-consuming for you as the business owner. You don't want to sit in front of your computer all day, or hire someone else to, just waiting for customers to chat with. That is understandable. However, with most live chat software, your customers can leave a message if you're offline, and it at least gives the impression to them that you care, and that customer service is important to you. So, even if you can only cover live chat a couple hours a day, it is still worth it! And, the more that you can cover live chat, the more successful you will be.

Live chat provides an opportunity for your customers to have their questions and concerns handled immediately. Plus, talking to you someone directly will ease their concerns about the credibility of your business. You get to know your customers and they get to know you. The chances of them buying increase dramatically. The chances of them making repeat purchases from you also increase, because you've developed a relationship with them. Plus it is affordable for you. Several live chat systems are very affordable, and most allow reps to handle multiple chats at once, which is quicker and more effective than phone support. All in all, live chat is a great customer service solution for both the business owner and the consumer.

By making customer service a priority on your website, and utilizing live chat software, that great idea you had awhile back will really reach its potential.

Please feel free to reprint this article so long as you include the resource box listed with the article.

Dan Cavanaugh is the Senior Marketing Director for the Customer Support Network, an organization committed to the improvement of online customer service. The Customer Support Network has developed a powerful and affordable live chat product called CSLive SB 2005. To learn more about this live chat software and the benefits of online customer service, click here: http://www.CSLiveChat.com

Are You Newsworthy?

Non-news professionals often have a hard time understanding why their ENORMOUS news announcement, creates barely a ripple in the media.

That's not to say a news release shouldn't be done about it. There are audiences besides the media - like employees, customers and trade allies - to whom news releases may be sent. But the media is interested in things that are different from the norm. So, generally, bad news gets more play. Let's examine these six categories to help us better understand what the media wants.

MONEY TALKS - In an age where cash is king, financial matters concerning your company can be big news. Mergers, acquisitions, good or bad earnings reports, new technology that will save or make money, all are good copy. Coverage increases the more you mention amounts and values.

TAKE THE GLOVES OFF - This category has a couple of dimensions. First, is in the arena of controversy.

Whether it's DOS against LINUX, Cable TV against DISH, or Dial-Up against Broadband, the media loves an argument about which standard is better. If an argument is good, an all out war is better. Ford vs. GM, or Apple vs. IBM - those are the kinds of battles that get an editor's attention. Don't be afraid to take sides.

GIVE ME A HUG - Editors even like a good love story. It could be a strategic alliance or an outright merger between two companies. No matter, the media are interested, particularly if there are questions about the cooperative effort's chance of success.

LEADING EDGE - The rarified air where technological history is made intrigues the media. Show them tangible evidence of how the technology will improve things in the here and now, and they'll cover the story.

CARRY A BIG STICK - If your name is not GM, Microsoft, or IBM, don't worry. You can take advantage of a big brand name. Leverage a new agreement, alliance or partnership between you and one of the big boys for your benefit.

CHANGES - Established companies with proprietary methods like the status quo. Shake it up a little with a new system that changes the paradigm and you have the beginnings of a story.

The best stories will include something from each category, and then they will have major media staying power. Rarely does a release get covered if it centers on only one category.

For the business media, focus your efforts on MONEY TALKS and TAKE THE GLOVES OFF categories. Getting trade media coverage typically is a little easier. Although the first two categories will ensure coverage, LEADING EDGE, CARRY A BIG STICK AND CHANGES are good enough for some ink.

Harry Hoover is managing principal of Hoover ink PR, http://www.hoover-ink.com. He has 26 years of experience in crafting and delivering bottom line messages that ensure success for serious businesses like Brent Dees Financial Planning, Bray Law Firm, Levolor, New World Mortgage, North Carolina Tourism, Ty Boyd Executive Learning Systems, VELUX and Verbatim.

Twin and Multiple Births are on the Rise

Did you know that the number of twin births have more than doubled since the early 1970s? Today, about one of every 35 births in the United States are twins. Even more significant is the number of triplet and higher multiple births which have increased 200 percent over the last three decades.

Why the huge jump in the number of multiple births?

The most obvious reason for the growing birth rates of twins and multiples is the use of fertility drugs and treatments. These medical interventions are most often the reason for births of four or more multiples. Recent studies from the Center for Disease Control (CDC) show that approximately 43 percent of live births resulting from assisted reproductive techniques were multiples.

But fertility drugs don't tell the whole story.

Where you live could make a difference. If you reside in Massachusetts or Connecticut, a study by the National Center for Health Statistics found that the rates for twin deliveries was as much as 25 percent higher than the overall national rate. If you want to give birth to triplets, move to Nebraska or New Jersey. Both states boast a percentage of triplets that is twice the national average.

On the other hand, if you reside in tropical Hawaii your chances of having a multiple will decrease to about 30 percent below the overall U.S. rate.

The time of year and the number of daylight hours also has an impact on multiple births. More fraternal twins are conceived in July than in any other month, while January has the fewest twin conceptions. Scientists speculate that this is probably due to the longer length of daylight in July, which allows for a higher secretion of the Follicle Stimulating Hormone in women.

Enhanced medical care and good nutrition may play a role in skyrocketing multiple birth rates, although experts caution that it is difficult to directly link these influences. In fact, if access to state-of-the-art medicine were a deciding factor, then why does the Yoruba tribe of Nigeria have the highest twinning incidence in the entire world? These Nigerian people attribute it to their population's consumption of a specific type of yam. Yams? That's right, scientists have discovered that these colorful vegetables that are grown only in Africa contain a high level of a substance that is similar to the hormone estrogen -- which could bring on multiple ovulation.

Surprisingly, age can work in a woman's favor when it comes to conceiving twins. Older mothers traditionally have a higher chance of delivering fraternal twins, with the odds increasing to one in 27 when the mother is 35 years or older.

While identical twins have no familial connection, it is true that fraternal twins can run in the family. Female fraternal twins score an impressive one in 17 chance of giving birth to their own set of fraternal twins, probably because many carry a gene for hyperovulation, which means they sometimes release more than one egg during ovulation. And, if a woman has already given birth to fraternal twins, the chance of another set increases fourfold.

Want to learn more about babies and multiples? Visit the All About Baby website at http://www.allbaby.com for extensive child-related content, including tips on how to pick the best name for your newborn, interesting birth statistics, a list of the most popular given names for children and much more.

**All statistics were taken from the Center for Disease Control (CDC), the National Center for Health Statistics and from the National Organization of Mothers of Twins Club (NOMOTC).

About The Author

Nancy Wurtzel founded her ecommerce business, All About Baby, in 1995. All About Baby located online at http://www.allbaby.com specializes in personalized and memorable gifts for children as well as interesting and helpful child-related site content. Ms. Wurtzel consults with small businesses seeking to expand.

nancy@allbaby.com

Cell Phones Accessories - Get More...

Accessories can complete an outfit, dress up something like a purse, a coat or shoes. Accessories can also add to the performance of something like a cell phone. Cell phones have almost as many accessories as Barbie does. Some accessories are practical, some are ornamental and some are just available.

In the world of cell phones, there are accessories that are practical, they aid in the safe operation of the phone or allow you to carry the phone safely. Some are there if you want them like downloadable ring tones. I have broken the accessories down into groups to make it easier to describe them.

There are operational accessories. These accessories include battery chargers. Bear in mind these chargers are often phone and model specific so that they are not interchangeable. There are hands free kits that are easily installed in your vehicle. These enable you to talk on the phone and keep both hands on the wheel. There are antenna boosters that help to strengthen the signal between your phone and its cell tower. These are particularly good in areas where cell phone signals are not strong. Batteries are available for your cell phone but they are made specifically for your model and manufacturer of cell phones. An attachment is available to attach to your phone that will add some time on your battery when its low until you can get it charged again. There are speaker phone kits. These are attachments for your cell phone that allow you to talk on the phone without holding your handset in one hand and trying to control your vehicle with the other. There are a variety of dashboard mountable holders that can be placed within arms reach.

Cases and holders are available in various styles. There is the horizontal case that looks very much like an eyeglass cases. Vertical cases look like pocket eyeglass cases. Cell phone holsters are available for your belt or to be worn across you shoulder like you see policemen wear on television.

Multi-use cases can be worn on the arm, on your thigh or on your wrist. These cases not only hold your cell but they can hold your license and maybe a few dollars. These cases are usually fastened with Velcro(tm).

There is a variety of other cell phone accessories that are somewhat technical in nature. Internal cell phone accessories include downloadable games to help you pass the time when you are waiting for someone and downloadable ring tones these can be anything from the traditional ring to the William Tell Overture and traditional holiday songs. Cell phones are not just phones, they are mini computers with internet capability, organizers, calendars, note recorders, and to do lists. They also have number directories and record the numbers of callers and names and numbers of calls that you missed so you can return calls later. Text keypads might be available for your phone. Antenna boosters increase signals and there are radiation shields that are supposed to reduce your exposure to radiation.

Other accessories that exist for cell phones are phone covers and face plates. Phone covers have two pieces one to cover the front and one for the back. Face plates just go over the keypad and front of the phone to add some decoration such as patriotic designs, animal prints.

One of the cutest accessories is plush animal covers for cell phones. Not only are they cute but they actually are functional the cell is placed in the back of the animal. The body of the animal acts as a cushion in the event the phone is dropped.

Cellular phones and the accessories that go with them can vary in price. They are all optional but some might be just plain fun. The thing to remember with cell phone accessories they are not necessarily interchangeable. Do your home work, learn all about your cell phone and learn how to operate it.

About the Author
Martin Smith is a successful freelance writer providing advice for consumers on purchasing a variety of products which includes Cell phones Plans His numerous articles provide a wonderfully researched resource of interesting and relevant information.

A Guide to Common Loan Terms

Many people may wonder about common loan terms? words and phrases that are often tossed about when describing different types of loans that are assumed to be common knowledge.

These common loan terms represent very important parts of the lending process, but to the person who isn't entirely sure what the terms mean they can be quite intimidating and cause the person to feel very uneasy about getting a loan.

They might delay applying for a loan that they need because of a failure to understand common loan terms, and in doing so can miss out on better rates and the potential to save a lot of money in the long run.

Interest, Capital, and Interest Rates

Interest and interest rates are common loan terms that are a key part of the lending process, but many people might not know exactly how interest and interest rates work.

At its most simple, interest is the additional amount that you pay over the loan amount in order for the lender to make a profit off of you doing business with them. In other words, the interest that you pay is the amount that you pay for the service of lending, while capital is the amount that you repay because it is what you borrowed in the first place.

Interest rates are the percentage of the capital that you'll pay in interest? for instance, if you have an interest rate of 5% on a loan then you'll pay an additional 5% to the loan amount in interest.

Annual Percentage Rate (APR)

The annual percentage rate (also known as APR) is one of the common loan terms that some people have the hardest time understanding.

The annual percentage rate is most often seen on credit cards, and is an indication of how much interest you will be charged on your credit card balance over the course of the year.

The lower the APR is on a credit card, then the less you'll have to pay in interest as the year goes by? you should keep in mind, though, that the annual percentage rate can change over the course of the year due to fluctuations in the cost of living, inflation, and a change of interest rates that are set on the national level.

Collateral, Secured Loans, and Unsecured Loans

These common loan terms can cause quite a bit of confusion, especially to someone who is shopping for their first loan.

Collateral is an object of value that is used to guarantee repayment of a loan, and is the difference between secured and unsecured loans.

Secured loans are loans that have collateral backing the loan, and usually have lower interest rates? they charge lower rates for secured loans because if you fail to repay the loan then the lender can take possession of the collateral and sell it to regain their money.

Unsecured loans don't have collateral, but charge higher interest rates in exchange.

Equity

One of the common loan terms that seems harder to understand, equity is a major factor in secured loans that use real estate and the borrower's home as collateral.

Equity refers to the percentage of the home or real estate's total value in comparison to the amount still owed on the original loan used to purchase it which is known as a mortgage.

It's often referred to as the amount of the home or property that the owner actually "owns", as opposed to the portion of the value that's still held under mortgage.

The more money a person pays toward their mortgage, the more equity they have in their home.

You may freely reprint this article provided the following author's biography (including the live URL link) remains intact:

About The Author

John Mussi is the founder of Direct Online Loans who help homeowners find the best available loans via the http://www.directonlineloans.co.uk website.