Choosing to go VoIP is easy; which VoIP provider you sign up with is trickier. With the number of companies and the diversity of packages to choose from, it’s hard to tell if you’re really getting your money’s worth. Here are some things to consider as you narrow down your choices:

• How much do you really save by getting it?Do you pay too much to get extra when using landline? How much of your phone calls are long distance? Look at your previous phone bills and make a rough estimate. Compute the cost of those features and calls on a traditional phone provider and through VoIP. You will have a clear idea how much you can save. The saving will be huge if you have friends and family around the world.
• Are there additional (hidden) start-up costs? If the package price looks too good to be true, it probably is. Find out what it includes -- and what is extra. Usually you can check equipment cost, shipping, and activation fee. You might be surprised. But you'll be glad you checked.
• Are there any early-termination penalties?No matter how good everything else is about a particular VoIP provider, if you're locked into a one-year contract (or longer) that's pretty bad. And it's just the way it is. If you don't like it, you can try to negotiate around it; but the bottom line is that you should be prepared to walk away and find another provider.
• What day-to-day usage costs are NOT covered by my service plan? Make sure there aren't add-on fees for important features. Some packages may appear that they are cheaper but It could be because they offer limited features. Others have a higher fee but offer so many additional services. But crucial to this is asking yourself which services are most important to you. Do you want call waiting? Do you need 3 way calling? Do you want fax capabilities? By defining what your priorities are you can weigh the overall monthly subscription fees with the kind of value you get for your money.
• How good is their customer service? Customer service is frequently the worst in companies that offer very low rates. They usually have a deluge of subscribers whose needs or quieries they may not be able to handle Check out how their after-salves customer service is by asking friends who use VoiP or VoiP sites that have message boards?
• Can you keep your old number? Some companies allow you to transfer your existing phone number to the VoIP service. This is a very helpful feature that saves you the trouble of informing others or, even more importantly, losng contact with those who were not told about the change. This can be too much of a risk to people who run homebased businesses.
• Do they offer emergency services? Many providers have provided basic 911 or E911 for free. However, for safety reason, it’s advisable that you retain a cell phone or land line.
• Which plan package is right for you? There is a wide variety of packages that appropriate a certain number of minutes for long distance calls. Find out your typical usage and assess how much you need.
• How do I know you are going to be around for the entire term of my contract with you?Communications in general is an industry of consolidation and aggressive competition. you have a right to know if your VoIP provider is in it for the long haul. Find out if your provider is stable and make sure your contract is binding even if your provider gets acquired by another. You can also browse privider review to see company information of the popular VoIP service providers.

Still, for those who can’t fathom a telephone world with copper wire, if you want to dip a top into the VoIP waters instead of plunging in head first, you will find a number of less-expensive, less-permanent options you can try while keeping your landline active.

For example, there is Skype, the popular computer-based calling service offer free PC-to-PC calls between subscribers. For a mere $29.95 annually you can make unlimited local and long distance call to any phone in U.S. or Canada. And if you don’t want to make yearly commitment, you can choose pay-as-you-go option, which cost around 2 cents per minute for all calls.