The main VoIP disadvantage or limitation is that VoIP Telephony needs both power and internet to work. When the power goes out, you don't have VoIP.

The same thing occurs when your ISP (Internet Service Provider) doesn't have power or is down for maintenance. In this situation, if you don't have an additional landline phone, you are left with no means of communication with the outside world.

Here is where the traditional phone line scores over the VoIP telephone system. Even when there is no power in your house or office, your traditional landline phone works as it is powered by the electricity at the phone company.

Emergency Calls

Power outage may not be much of a problem if it is for a short

duration, but this can cause severe difficulty if you want to make an emergency call during this time. One way to get around this problem is to have a back up power system -  universal power supply - or maintain a regular landline phone for such emergency situations.

Another area where your traditional phone has advantage over the VoIP telephone is that when you dial 911 on it, you are immediately connected to the nearest PSAP (PublicSafety Answering Point), a physical location where 911 emergency telephone calls are received and then routed to the proper emergency services.

Inability to make 911 calls on VoIP phones was a serious issue, but this VoIP disadvantage has been largely overcome because now most VoIP service providers offer E911 feature with their services.

If emergency calling is your concern and if you plan to replace your landline phone with an internet phone, sign up with a service provider which provides acceptable E911 facility with its service.

Here the thing to remember is that even the best E911 service from your VoIP provider will be of no use when your internet connection goes down because your ISP has power outage or is down for maintenance.

Other Related Issues:

• Home Security
  If you have a home security system which runs on your traditional telephone line, it will shut down when you replace your landline phone with an internet phone. The solution here is to go for a VoIP-compatible or independent wireless security system. You can find such companies serving your area by making a search on the internet.
   

• DSL Internet Connection
  If you have broadband DSL connection coming through a wired telephone line, you will have to replace it with cable broadband when replacing your landline phone.
   

• You Lose Your Phone Number
  Still another VoIP disadvantage is that when you give up your regular phone in favor of an internet phone, you get a new phone number. You have to inform your relatives, friends and business contacts about this change. A way to overcome this VoIP disadvantage is to keep your old phone number -one of the many VoIP features  offered by VoIP service providers
   

• PC Power
  One of the advantages of VoIP is that you can make a VoIP call and surf the internet at the same time. This can turn into a VoIP disadvantage if your pc has limited process capacity. Your call can be affected or totally crash if you are downloading a big file or running a program that needs lots of process power.

VoIP Security

Still another VoIP disadvantage is that VoIP can suffer the same security threats that your pc does - viruses, identity theft, phising and spam. If you have been using your pc to surf the internet you know that there are ways to safeguard yourself against such threats. It is the same with VoIP. Here also you can certainly take a number of steps toward VoIP security and enjoy the many benefits of VoIP.

With one VoIP disadvantage after another, should you give up on VoIP?

No, certainly not. VoIP has lots of benefits along with some drawbacks like any other system.

The regular phone system has been around for more than a century and has faced a number of problems before attaining its present status. In comparison, VoIP is a toddler learning to take its first steps.

But compared to the traditional telephony, it has made big strides in a short time. So you can expect the voip technology to overcome these disadvantages in not too distant a future.

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