By Sharla Sikes

If VoIP isn’t the average consumer’s first choice for telephone service, it may pick up even more speed in the near future. While VoIP user numbers are growing steadily, it’s more popular with small businesses.

911 service continues to make potential VoIP users leery; stories of misrouted emergency calls have made recent headlines. With new FCC www.fcc.gov regulations that require providers to offer Enhanced 911, however, that stigma may quickly fade.

Anyone who’s ever read their phone bill closely for traditional phone services may remember feeling surprise and annoyance—or shock and rage, depending on their personality—at the multitude of fees and charges that inflate the bill to nearly double what the actual service costs. Add to that the fact that voicemail, caller ID and other features cost extra, but are usually included in the package price of VoIP, and it’s clear why land lines are quickly becoming obsolete.

The real reason land lines are less and less popular every day is cell phones, however. Again, with calling packages that include long distance, caller ID and voice mail, why would the average consumer pay for both?

Enter VoIP, the perfect low-cost backup phone. Mobile VoIP is expected to radically change the telephone market, but since it’s still in its infancy, VoIP at home is often the service of choice for many.

As consumers of all ages become more and more comfortable with technology, the thought of using the internet to make phone calls won’t seem so odd in a few years. Most of Generation X feels right at home with new technology, and even previous generations accept computer and communications innovations with increasing ease, as our world becomes more and more interconnected and tech-dependent.

The short answer is yes, VoIP is certainly the solution most individuals have been seeking for their communications needs, and it’s a perfect fit for many businesses as well—but that’s a discussion for another day.

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