Communication: Instant Messaging

Instant messaging (IM) is a form of real-time communication between two or more people that enables them to have a virtual conversation. This involves talking to someone in real time by typing and receiving messages. It is ussually more private than chat rooms, allowing group of people to converse in real time without being snooped on by anyone they don't specifically allow into conversation.


VoIP ( Voice Over Internet Protocol)
 VoIP is a protocol that enables transmission of speech over the internet or other IP packet-switched networks.This is similar to IM on a computer, but sound rather than text is sent. It is similar to taking a phone call. VoIP technology is being rapidly deployed and is now a core part of all new telephone systems. It is the future of telephony, now offering capability, flexibility, quality and resilience that are a far cry from the limitations of earlier systems.
-Skype and Google Talk are examples of VoIP.


Advantages/features of Using VoIP:

• Generally phone service via VoIP is free or costs are less than equivalent service from traditional sources.
• VoIP offers various facilities which may be more difficult to achieve using traditional phone networks. You can receive incoming calls to your VoIP phone regardless of where you are connected to the network. Therefore you can take your VoIP phone wherever you wish and you can receive incoming calls if you are connected to internet.
• The ability to transmit more than one telephone call over a single broadband connection.
• VoIP allows users to travel anywhere in the world and still make and receive phone calls.
  Subscribers of phone-line replacement services can make and receive local phone calls regardless of their location.
• Users of Instant Messenger based VoIP services such as those offered by google talk, yahoo and msn messenger can also travel anywhere in the world and make and receive phone calls.

Sources: www.voip.co.uk
               www.voip-outsourcing.com