spmug 599 Voice Quality On the Internet Q. Is there a way to make VoIP
phone calls sound smoother, with fewer gaps in the audio?

A. Voice-over-Internet protocol, or VoIP, is technology that converts a
phone conversation into data that can travel over a computer network -
and uses the Internet's cables instead of the telephone company's wires
to carry the chat. VoIP can be used for free computer-to-computer audio
calls with software like Skype (www.skype.com). Many companies also
offer residential and business VoIP phone plans that work pretty much
like standard telephone service except for the use of Internet
networking to carry the calls. One factor that can affect call quality
is network traffic. If your home or office network is being used to
upload, download or stream a lot of data while you are trying to talk
over your VoIP connection, the audio quality of the call may suffer from
the lack of available bandwidth. Most VoIP services require a broadband
Internet connection. Call fidelity may vary by VoIP provider, and
several consumer-oriented product sites and magazines have compared the
different services for value and call quality. Consumer Reports has
tested VoIP service, and sites like ConsumerSearch
(www.consumersearch.com) have also done VoIP roundups.