More about Internet Call Waiting

Dial-up Internet access is a great way to save money without giving up your online life.  If you lack the budget for a DSL or cable modem, you may be able to operate just fine with dial-up – true, it's not as fast as true broadband, but recent advances in compression and caching have made dial-up far more painless.  The remaining problem, of course, is that dial-up ties up your phone line. If you're expecting a call or simply want to know who is trying to reach you, you need to wait until your online session is over before checking the line.  The answer for over a million people is Internet call waiting.

Internet call waiting uses nothing more complex than basic call forwarding to do its job.  If your line is equipped with Caller ID, you only need to download a basic software package that sits on your desktop while you're online.  As calls come in, they are automatically forwarded to a server elsewhere, which instantly sends the data to your desktop application.  The result: Caller ID information that pops up on your screen without cutting the connection.  Many of the best software suites even allow you to "answer the call" immediately, which entails forwarding the call back to your phone.

It is perhaps no surprise that services such as these have grown increasingly popular as broadband has become the expected means of connection.  Callers are often surprised to learn that a phone line is busy because of Internet access these days, and this software lets you seamlessly manage all your communications from just your computer.  There may be no cheaper way to stay in touch with everyone at once, getting the benefits of low cost Internet access and an open phone line.

Internet call waiting is an outstanding option for homeowners and small businesses that have not yet made the leap to true broadband.  Maintaining an open line is one of the cornerstones of successful communication, and today that means responding right away when you have a client on the line.  Internet call waiting offers a simple and intuitive compromise between a dedicated landline and always-on access.