How Much Bandwidth is Required for VoIP Phones?

A long-standing question for potential VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) consumers is How much bandwidth does a VoIP phone require to make quality telephone calls?

First of all, bandwidth is defined as the ability to transfer data (such as a VoIP telephone call) from one point to another in a fixed amount of time. The higher the bandwidth speed you have, the more data you can send over your Broadband Internet connection.

There are two types of bandwidth at your location: upload bandwidth and download bandwidth. The Upload bandwidth is the amount of data you can send to the Internet and download bandwidth is the amount of data you can receive from the Internet. The more Internet bandwidth you have from your ISP (Internet Service Provider) the better.

In most cases, the normal VoIP telephone call will use up 90 Kbps (kilobits per second). If you have a Broadband Internet service provider that doesnt offer much bandwidth then most VoIP providers give you the option to lower the VoIP voice quality by lowering the bandwidth used for VoIP calls to 60 Kbps or, to really conserve your bandwidth, 30 Kbps. Most people can't tell the difference between the three settings. We suggest you use the high sound quality setting (90 Kpbs in most cases), if bandwidth is not an issue. High VoIP voice quality is generally the default setting but if you are running into a situation where your bandwidth is limited then you can adjust your VoIP bandwidth to one of the lower settings. Some consumers with 128 Kbps upload connections can receive less VoIP service quality due to a poor quality ISP (Internet Service Provider). By selecting a lower quality VoIP bandwidth setting, this problem can be avoided.

If you plan on using a VoIP service provider, should you get a DSL or a Cable Internet access provider? In general, DSL upload bandwidth starts at 128k where as Cable Internet upload bandwidth starts at around 600k. Cable Internet is a little bit more expensive, but it is also about 4-5 times faster than residential DSL and a bit friendlier to a VoIP telephone call. Having said that, both DSL and cable modem high-speed services provide sufficient broadband Internet access bandwidth to support any of the top VoIP service providers. If you are experiencing low Broadband Internet Service provider bandwidth, we suggest you try Packet8 VoIP. Packet8 VoIP boasts an advanced compression technology in which each active voice line uses approximately only 23Kbps of total data throughput, upstream and downstream.

The amount of bandwidth that a VoIP provider requires to make a quality telephone call is only one thing to consider when choosing a VoIP service provider. In fact, there are many things to consider when choosing a VoIP provider. An educated consumer generally results in a satisfied consumer.

Please see VoIP things to consider article (http://www.voipchoices.com/voip-considerations.html) to find a list of more things to consider when choosing a VoIP provider. You can also compare VoIP providers side-by-side by price and features at www.VoIPChoices.com

Chris Landry is the foremost authority on residential and small business VoIP providers. Chris is the founder of http://www.VoIPChoices.com. Chris has prequalified several high-quality VoIP providers and compares them by price and features at http://www.VoIPChoices.com

Chris can be reach via email at Chris@VoIPChoices.com.

Laughing Video Yoga

Free Golf Lessons - What a Cheek!

Free golf lessons. Get outta here!

How many of us would have the cheek to approach a world leading golf coach and ask him for a free golf lesson?

not many, I suspect.

Well it turns out that the idea is not so far fetched after all - that is if you don't expect a belly to belly consultation with a guru of the game such as Steve Bann, Coach to Stuart Appleby and KJ Choi.

But, that does not mean you have to lower your expectations. If the objective is to really improve your game, as opposed to having a chit chat with the man and allowing him to witness you belt out an embarrassing bucket of balls, then the answer may lie with this one.

Bann takes the golfer through a pretty insightful little 10 question online quiz, you hit the submit button (probably not expecting very much!) and lo and behold your golf game gets sliced and diced before your very eyes. Out pops a personalized analysis that sends a shiver down the spine.

Was he really sitting behind my screen in cyberspace, ready to pounce with all this wisdom on how I can get my game on track?

Surely it wasn't that obvious that I am a 27 handicapper hack, afraid to own up to a pot belly and an old set of Pings - the ugly ones - remember the baby boomer sticks with the huge heads. Did he notice that I was decked out in my crocodile PJs when I took the lesson? Oh Dear, I should have been more careful. this virtual reality stuff is getting scary!

Anyhow, Steve Bann may be a golf guru but he has no right to get that insightful with something as personal to me as my golf game.

Aidan Montague used to play golf. He therefore considers himself an authority on the subject.

But, rather than listen to what Aidan has to say it would be wise to get a free golf lesson from a real expert on the subject - someone like Steve Bann, Coach to pga tour players, Stuart Appleby and KJ Choi

You can do just that at http://www.freegolflessononline.com

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What Will Be the Hottest Christmas Toys of 2006?

The hottest Christmas toys for 2006 will soon be hitting the shelves, and some are already on them. Remember the Furby, Tickle-Me Elmo, Beanie Babies and Cabbage patch Kids? They were the hottest Christmas toys from past holidays.

Almost every holiday season, there are a few special toys that everyone wants for Christmas -- and no one can seem to find.

If you want to make sure you have the hottest Christmas toys of 2006 under your Christmas tree, you should start thinking about shopping for them now.

Unfortunately, there's a problem -- you don't yet know what they are!

Well, I have a special "heads up" on what the hot Christmas toys of the season may be, and I'm more than willing to share the info with you. (My friends and I at WowChristmasGifts.com and ChristmasRants.com have done really well at predicting the hottest Christmas toys for the past several years.)

PlayStation 3

For gamers with a big budget, the Sony PlayStation 3 is going to be number one on the wish list. Featuring internet functions and the new blu-ray technology, PlayStation 3 is like no other gaming system ever on the market.

just remember, while this is definitely going to be one of THE hottest Christmas toys of 2006, it is also going to be one of the most expensive. When the PlayStation is released this November, expect it to have a price tag of $500 to $600.

Nintendo's Wii

If you do have a gaming fan on your Christmas list but $500 is out of the question, you may want to look into Nintendo's Wii. At just $250, it's half the price of the PlayStation 3 and it is actually the very first game system ever to make it to Toys R Us's hot Toy list for 2006.

It's not hard to see why the Wii is going to be one of the hottest Christmas toys of 2006. The remote-like controller allows players to swing it like a bat, sword or tennis racket to create a truly interactive game play environment.

We predict it is also going to be a big hit with people who are not traditionally gamers, because my of the games are not the standard type of games.

Elmo TMX

Remember when Tickle Me Elmo dolls couldn't stay on the shelves for more than a moment? Remember the long lines -- and the cat fights between parents?

Well, somehow Fischer price has done it again with Elmo TMX!

Tickle Me Elmo TMX was just released this month and while parents aren't physically fighting over them this time around, the lines have been long, and the stores have been selling out as quickly as they can get them in.

You can read more about why we think Tickle Me Elmo TMX will be so popular here:

http://www.wowgiftideas.com/looking_for_tickle_me_elmo_tmx.html

Since we still have a lot of time until Christmas, it's only a sign of what's to come, and this may prove to be one of the top hottest Christmas toys this year.

Some Other Contenders

While the above three toys seem to be the most promising when it comes to the hottest Christmas toys this year, there are a few other names you should be keeping an eye on.

Some other toys that may grace the wish lists many include Webkinz, Dora's Talking Cash register and the Pink Nitro Notebook by Vtech.

This year we expect there will be hot Christmas toys for every age group, from toddler to adult. By starting your Christmas shopping early, you'll be able to find the hottest Christmas toys more easily. Happy Christmas shopping!

Noel Jameson loves sharing tips, tricks and advice on how to make the Christmas season happier, more meaningful and less stressful. Check out her entertaining and impassioned blog, ChristmasRants.com: http://www.christmasrants.com.

Willow Pilates And Yoga

9 Great Golf Courses in Hawaii

The United States is blessed with many beautiful public courses, and Hawaii, despite being a relative small state, is blessed with more than its fair share. In this article, we will review some of beautiful public golf courses in Hawaii, and what they offer.

1. and 2. Lanai offers two high-quality golf courses. Perhaps the better known is "The Challenge at Manele", which was designed by Jack nicklaus, and is a course set among lava outcrops and overlooks, from the top of steep cliffs, the pacific ocean. The second of Lanai's courses is very different: "The Experience at Koele" winds its way through the island's tropical uplands.

3. and 4. Kapalua, which is on the northwest coast of maui, offers two superb golf courses, "The Bay Course" and "The plantation Course". The plantation Course is home to the PGA TOUR Mercedes-Benz championship in January of each year, and features many spectacular and beautiful landscapes.

5. The Kiele Course at Kauai Lagoons golf Club is one of 14 golf courses (spread through British Columbia and Hawaii) owned by the GolfBC Group. The course was created by Jack nicklaus, and features stunning cliffs, 40-acres of fresh water lagoons, and even a wedding chapel just off from the 17th tee.

6. Ko'olau golf Course, on eastern oahu, is known for having one of, if not the toughest, golf course in country. The course is spectacularly set beneath the Ko'olau Ridge mountain range.

7. Poipu Bay golf Course is known as a unique and exciting course, that is home to many native species including seals, sea turtles, geese and even humpback whales.

8. and 9. Princeville overlooks Hanalei Bay on Kauai. The area is home to a hotel, a spa and two very different golf courses ("Prince golf Course" and "Makai golf Course") that were designed by Robert Trent jones, Jr. Perhaps the most noteable, Prince golf Course, features a challenging rolling terrain landscape, and has deservingly been named by golf Digest as the best course in the state.

For information on 100 public golf courses in the USA, and a detailed guide to family-friendly golf vacations in the USA, please visit http://www.guide2golfvacations.com/

For a guide to improving your golf fitness, please visit http://www.guide2golffitness.com/

If you have a golf web site, click the "Affiliates" link at the bottom of the page to earn great commissions promoting either of these guides.

Pilates Yoga Exercise Ball Kit