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Ask your average phone customer what VoIP means. Those that can give you an answer are likely to say it's a service provided by the likes of Vonage and Skype. The more technological savvy will know the terms for the V-O-I-P letters and have a general understanding of VoIP's ability to send and receive voice calls using the Internet backbone. What many consumers do not realize is that some of them already are using a form of VoIP--even in rural America. From competitive local exchange carriers to incumbent local exchange carriers and wireline to wireless. Carriers are learning how to deploy VoIP to create more versatile, robust and lower-maintenance networks.
