Free Google Talk Provides Mainstream VOIP services

Free Google Talk provides free VOIP services, whether this is suitable for all but small SMEs needs to be considered.

Google Talk, Google tells us is free, and fast.

Google Talk offers:

- Flexibility: Get in touch with an IM, email, or a call

- Quality: Enjoy fast file transfer and high quality voice calls

- Convenience: Reach all your Google Talk contacts, with just a click

Google Talk is in beta and requires a Gmail or Google Account username and password. If you don't have a Google Account or have not enabled your Google Account for Google Talk, go to the Google Talk web page and sign up here.

Google Talk's voicemail and Gmail notification features are only available if you signed in using your Gmail username and password.

Although everything Google does these days needs to be considered we wonder whether it will be the best service for business use. At present (December 2006) it is clearly not aimed at business users at all, but this may change. 

More about Business VOIP

Traditional telephone networks are seeing the advantages in offering VoIP services as well. The PC phone, or VOIP Phone, has become the best technology tool that the business world has seen since the internet was created. Internet telephony software essentially provides free telephone calls anywhere in the world.

While some services only work over your computer or a special VoIP phone, other services allow you to use a traditional phone through an adaptor. VOIP  has some technical issues that need to be fixed, include echoing and static. While these are not constant, they are very annoying. In general phone service via VOIP costs less than equivalent service from traditional sources.

VOIP offers the opportunity for business with multiple premises to eliminate call costs between stores. Faxes, modem, and alarm systems don’t work well over VoIP lines. Most of the VoIP carriers offer E911 service, but not all.

With many VoIP plans you can talk for as long as you want with any person in the world . VOIP can be used for the Connection of Remote Workers or Remote Offices to provide Voice over IP Stations. Today, people can sit at home, take care of their children, and still earn a decent paycheck via VoIP.

If you use a router or other device that can potentially mask or block your IP address, you may have to do a bit more sorting out to get VOIP to work. As well as all the equipment and a fast internet connection you require a VOIP provider.