When I make international phone calls, I use Skype. It’s much less expensive than using a land line. This type of service is called VoIP — voice over IP. It means that you use the Internet as your medium to make phone calls. Using VoIP for your home business can be a very smart move. Small Biz Bee offers 5 reasons that switching to VoIP is a good idea:

1. Scalability: It is easy to add more lines, allowing your VoIP system to grow along with you.

2. Functionality: Instead of being based on hardware, VoIP is often based on software. Which means you can upgrade more easily — without having to by new equipment.

3. Professionalism: It is possible to easily program your VoIP system with an auto-attendant feature that can route callers to the proper place. It allows your work from home operation to seem as professional as a bigger business.

4. Portability: You can connect in from anywhere, which means your phone number is not tied to specific location. It allows you to continue with your home business even when you are on the road.

5. Cost: VoIP is much cheaper than a traditional land line — or even that digital service you get from your cable provider. Plus, if you use VoIP, you don’t have to pay for extra lines and usage. You just use your Internet connection.

I can see the attraction to having VoIP, and if I didn’t have to make international calls, I’d do it. But what happens if my Internet service is down and I can’t access Skype? Then what do I do? My cell phone doesn’t do international calling, so in a pinch, I still need my land line. At some point, though, one hopes that Internet service can be treated as other utilities — as a necessity.