INDEPTH: VoIP What is VoIP? CBC News Online | May 10, 2005 Internet Voice, also known as Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP), is a technology that allows you to make telephone calls using a broadband internet connection instead of a regular (or analog) phone line. VoIP converts the voice signal from your telephone into a digital signal that travels over the internet, then converts it back at the other end so you can speak to anyone with a regular phone. VoIP may also allow you to make a call directly from a computer using a conventional telephone or a microphone. Traditional phone calls travel through wires and elaborate switching equipment that can be very expensive for phone companies to set up and maintain. You won't notice a difference when your phone rings and you receive a call that comes through a VoIP service. Does VoIP change the way I make a phone call? Depending on the service you subscribe to, one way to place a VoIP call is to pick up your phone and dial the number, using an adaptor that connects to your existing high-speed internet connection. The call goes through your local telephone company to a VoIP provider. The phone call goes over the internet to the called party's local telephone company for the completion of the call. Your computer does not have to be turned on to make a call this way. Your cable modem will need power to operate, which may cause problems during power outages. What kind of equipment do I need? A high-speed internet connection. This can be through a cable modem, or high-speed services such as DSL or a local area network. Is it cheaper than traditional telephone service? Internet telephony services typically mean customers see a smaller phone bill, virtually wiping out charges for long-distance and international calls. Consumers can expect to save 25 to 40 per cent on their monthly bills. VoIP flyer (photo via cellphone) VoIP also allows for advanced phone services such as call display, call forwarding and call answer. Your service may allow you to talk to several people at the same time. In addition, connecting phone calls over the internet opens the door to advanced communications services that tie voice together with e-mail, instant messaging and videoconferencing. For instance, an internet phone service may allow you to access your e-mail over the phone from anywhere in the world. You may also be able to access your phone messages from any computer hooked to the internet. How are VoIP phone numbers assigned? Providers of internet phone service will allow you to keep your regular phone number. Some services will also allow you to choose your area code. For instance, if you live in Toronto but make a lot of calls to Montreal, you can choose a number with a Montreal area code, further reducing your long distance charges. Who regulates VoIP services? In 1999, the Canadian Radio-Television and Telecommunications Commission decided that it would not regulate the internet. The broadcast regulator ruled that the Canadian New Media industry is vibrant, highly competitive and successful without regulation. But on April 7, 2004, the CRTC said it sees essentially little difference between traditional phone service and internet-based telephony, suggesting that the new technology be subject to the same kind of regulations. The CRTC also said VoIP calls that are local in nature should be treated like traditional local calls and subject to the rules governing local phone competition. Is VoIP secure? It's as secure as anything else that relies on the internet. That may be good enough for a lot of people, but it has some organizations concerned. Among them is the Cyber Security Industry Alliance. It was formed in 2004 by a group of major companies involved in producing hardware, software or services that rely on a secure internet. Among its members are companies that make top-selling programs that protect your computer from hackers, viruses and worms. The CSIA identifies six areas where VoIP may be vulnerable:   Because of VoIP’s processing demands, standard cyber security equipment and measures often do not protect VoIP. Instead, when measures are attempted, they just result in packet delay – and poor voice quality. Caller ID services, including those used by first-responder groups, can be bypassed by IP telephony. IP telephony hubs can be hacked, and the information stored there can be revealed to unscrupulous people and organizations. Automated tools can easily drop SPIT, the IP Telephony version of spam, to any and all voice mail boxes in a given range of the provider, address space or area codes. Voice mailboxes can be broken into by internet users. Voice mail messages, essentially each a computer file, can be hijacked, utilized or played back to an unlimited audience. VoIP conversations can easily be recorded, duplicated and quickly distributed to unauthorized recipients. VoIP over Wi-Fi is subject to interception by radio scanners. And some VoIP services don't work when the power is out. The Alliance released its warnings as it was publicizing a conference it was organizing on making VoIP more secure.