What is a virtual number? It is almost like a toll free number except it does not start with 800 or 877 or 888 or 866. If someone calls it from a long distance location, they will be assessed long distance charges. But it is like a toll free number in the sense that it is not really tied to a specific location. Yes, it is tied to a specific PHONE, but not to a location.

Let me see if I can clarify this further with some examples. Say you live in Chicago, so your VoIP phone has a local number like 773-xxx-xxxx. Nothing weird or strange about that, right? But now let’s say you have parents in Tampa and your wife’s sister in Denver, both of whom call you regularly but don’t like paying the long distance charges. So you get a VIRTUAL NUMBER for your home VoIP phone, one in Tampa and another one in Denver.

What has happened? You are home in Chicago and can make and receive calls all day long when someone calls your normal Chicago number. But your parents in Tampa can call a LOCAL Tampa phone number and your VoIP phone in Chicago will ring! Your wife’s sister can call a LOCAL number in Denver and your VoIP phone in Chicago will ring.

Do you see the beauty of this? For one flat fee for having the virtual number, you can receive calls from wherever your virtual numbers are at, and the caller doesn’t have to pay the long distance charges because it is a LOCAL call for them.

Another use for this is if you live in say Des Moines. Now Des Moines is a great place to live, but it’s not exactly the financial capital of the world. You have a business and you want a NEW YORK phone number. You can have your VoIP phone in Des Moines, but you can also have a VoIP Virtual Number in New York so that if customers are calling you, it looks to them as if they are calling New York, which IS considered a major financial center.

The cost for a virtual number is very low compared to what your callers would pay for a long distance charge. (And depending on how often they call you, of course!) For example with Packet8, a virtual number in the US is a flat fee of $4.99 per month, and you can also get a virtual number in the UK, France, Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, Finland, Italy, Ireland, or Denmark for only $9.99 per month. With SunRocket, you get your own local number and your first virtual number in the US comes with the package at no additional charge.

In summary, virtual numbers are great for VoIP service

For one flat fee, you can receive calls from wherever your virtual numbers are at and the caller doesn’t have to pay the long distance charges because it is a LOCAL call for them.

More information can accessed at www.voipjungle.net

Just like regular phone service providers, VoIP companies offer a wide variety of plans and options. Making VoIP phone comparisons can be confusing unless you understand what your specific needs are. Make a list of what you want your VoIP service to be able to do for you, then research and find a company that provides that service and a price that meets your budget.

Below is a breakdown of some VoIP phone service comparisons:

Vonage

Three of the popular programs available:

* The basic program offers 500 anytime minutes anywhere in the US, Canada and Puerto Rico. This plan includes all the free features you could imagine including voicemail, caller id, call waiting, forwarding, three-way calling, free in network calling, mobility, call transfer, *69, repeat dialling and more. There is no annual contract and additional add-ons such as a virtual phone number, adding lines or toll free plus are available at reasonable monthly rates.

* The Premium Unlimited program offers all the basic program with unlimited anytime calls to the US, Canada and Puerto Rico.

* Small Business Unlimited includes all the features above plus a free dedicated fax line.

BroadVoice

Four popular programs available:

* The basic program offers unlimited calling in state for a flat rate. You choose your own area code and number based on availability and the plan includes standard feature such as voice mail, call waiting, forwarding, call hold, caller ID, transfer and notify. In addition the advanced features of call blocking, priority alert and call manager services are part of all plans.

* Unlimited World plan offers the basic and advanced features with unlimited calling to 21 countries including the US.

* Unlimited World Plus includes 35 countries with all the basic and advanced features.

* Business customers have a separate plan to choose from with many features to choose from including a remote office with alternate numbers.

AT&T CallVantage

Three popular programs available:

* Local Plan includes unlimited local calls and low rate on long distance class. The plan includes conference calling, voicemail, call logs, 911 service and fax and modem support to name a few features.

* Service Plan program has unlimited local and long distance calls in the US and Canada. It includes all the features in the Local Plan.

* The CallVantage 2-Line Plan provides unlimited local and long distance calls on the first line, all the standard features, and a second line with 500 long distance minutes.

There will be more and more VoIP companies springing up and giving your phone company and long distance carrier a run for their money. Within the United States many of the VoIP service providers work on a small either monthly or yearly fee and will give you a small box about the size of a credit card to plug into the USB port of your computer. This is the VoIP jack. Normally you are assigned a phone number that can either be your primary or a secondary line. This number is the VoIP number people can either call you at or you will be making calls from. You simply connect to the VoIP service and then make your phone calls. You do not have to sit in front of a computer. As long as that VoIP jack is connected – you can make all the long distance calls you want within the United States and Canada and talk for as long as you want. This is excellent for both individuals as well as people who work out of the home, you can save thousands of dollars in long distance and international phone charges.

Another thing to look for when you’re shopping around for a VoIP service is if they are available over WiFi. This is great if you travel internationally or in areas where there are limited access phone lines. You simply use the WiFi feature on your cell phone to access the Internet, surf over to your VoIP service provider’s WiFi site and make your calls.

If you have friends or family overseas that you want to keep in touch with many VoIP service providers offer the ability for you to get the VoIP jacks, have a local number assigned and then send them to your friends and relatives. They simply plug in the jack, connect to their Internet connection and using the VoIP jack, they can actually make a “local” phone call to you. This negates the international calling charges and makes it very easy to stay in touch and talk for longer than a few minutes. You can now afford to stay on the phone until your new baby niece does says something cute, your nephew can sing you the song he learned in kindergarten and it won’t cost you an arm and a leg any longer to keep in touch and talk as long as you like.

Worried about static and those phone connections that sound like the other party is a tunnel shouting? Not an issue with VoIP. Rarely is there any difference between the connection you get over VoIP and your standard land line-in fact, most people report the VoIP connections are even clearer than what they are used to hearing on international phone calls placed in the traditional manner.

VoIP is gaining in popularity and is getting more easily accessible around the globe. Make those long distances seem a little closer and get the magic of VoIP working for yourself!