Internet Collaboration Tools: VoIP Spencer S. Eccles Health Sciences Library University of Utah Health Sciences Center

What is VoIP?  Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) –aka Internet Voice, Internet Telephony –a category of hardware and software that enables people to use the Internet as the transmission medium for telephone calls instead of a regular (or analog) phone line.* * VoIP converts the voice signal from your telephone or headset 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 number.

What kind of equipment do you need?  A broadband (high speed Internet) connection is required. –This can be through a cable modem, or high speed services such as DSL or a local area network.  Voice is sent via a: –Microphone attached to your computer and send your voice through a cable modem –or a phone connected directly to a telephone adaptor.

Types of VoIP services  Skype: PC to PC or Phone Anywhere (Skype is for calling other people on their computers or phones) Just need to register with Skype and you can call other Skype registered users online

VoIP: Skype features  Use with a microphone headset  Can search for users online  IM feature available  Conferencing calls (limit 5 participants)  SkypeOut: Additional service that lets you call traditional landlines or mobile phones anywhere in the world, but with a charge (which is minimal <4 cents/minute)

VoIP: Skype features – cont’d  Supported platforms: Windows Mac OS X Linux Pocket PC

For more info….  See handouts at:

Demo…  Skype: –