Dayton, Ohio, area now can use VoIP technology to send voice messages.

By Dale Dempsey, Dayton Daily News, Ohio Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News

Nov. 28--DAYTON, Ohio -- It can find you anywhere during the business day, that is if you want to be found.

Covad Communications Group Inc. of San Jose, Calif., announced earlier this month it plans to add VoIP to its services in the Dayton area, along with 14 other new markets.

The letters stand for Voice over Internet Protocol, a new technology that is in its beginning stages but growing. The system lets you use your computer to make telephone calls over the Internet, converting your voice into digital packets that can be sent at high speed over a broadband network.

VoIP has many other capabilities as well, including the ability to automatically find you with what Covad calls its "Find me/Follow me" function.

"If it is your boss calling it can be set up to find you right away," said Dave McMorrow, executive vice-president of sales for Covad. "But if it's your mother-in-law calling it can be set to go right to voice mail or a busy signal. It treats each caller different."

VoIP puts all of an employee's communication tools in one place. The Web-based interface features local and long distance service, visual fax and voice mail, instant messaging, audio and Web-based conferencing, call logs and directories.

If your office is in Dayton and a frequent supplier is in Texas, a phone call can be made using a simple, four-digit number.

"VoIP is the most significant alternative ever to traditional phone service," said Charles Hoffman, president and CEO of Covad. "Covad VoIP offers small businesses the opportunity to work with one provider for their voice and data needs on a national scale."

Company officials also say the service can produce 20 to 40 percent savings on fixed communications costs.

Covad has a two-level pricing structure.

Customers can pay $26-$32 per month plus a three cent to five cent per minute charge, based on volume.

Or they can get a flat rate at $36.95 to $59.95 with unlimited local and long-distance calling.

Nearly all of the telephone companies are getting into VoIP, according to McMorrow.

"But since we are a broadband company, we think we're in a good position to compete," he said.

VoIP began moving into the mainstream in 2004, according to TechTrends. There will be six million VoIP access lines by the end of 2004, rising to 19 million by 2007.

The number of residences with VoIP phones is expected to mushroom from 600,000 to 17.5 million by 2008, according to Kate Griffin, a senior analyst with the Yankee Group, a Boston technology research group.

In the Dayton area, Covad has increased broadband accessibility by 15 percent with a network reach of 320,000 households and small and medium sized businesses.

Covad can be reached by calling 1-866-462-3269 or at their Web site: www.covad.com.

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