r VolP Services Many consumers and organizations use VoIP for their phone calls. These calls are often carried over their Internet access circuits. Most customers select VoIP to save money on phone calls. These VoIP services include features such as voicemail, voice- mail messages in e-mail, audio conferences, and in some instances, video conferencing and unified communications. Although voice quality on VoIP is not as consistent as that on circuit-switched calls, it is less costly and often offers additional features. Moreover, consistent quality is no longer critical because customers are no lon- ger dependent on their home telephones for all of their communications. Growing numbers of consumers substitute e-mail and cellular devices for some or all of their landline services. Broadband and Wide Area Network Services In parts of Europe as well as in the United States, cable TV and incumbent tele- phone companies have the largest base of VoIP customers. Most cable TV providers began offering VoIP services as a way to lure customers away from traditional tele- phone companies. They offer, for example, "triple-play" services consisting of televi- sion, Internet access, and telephone service. Later, traditional telephone companies started offering VoIP over the broadband facilities used for their new cable TV and Internet access services. As telephone and cable TV providers move more of their cus- tomers to VoIP platforms, they will be required to support fewer voice customers on their traditional circuit-switched networks. This will ultimately save them operational costs as VoIP hardware and software is less complex than equipment on the Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) to operate and maintain. This is because centralized VoIP equipment can support multiple subscribers. A separate switch is not required for each metropolitan area. As a result, providers can operate and support a single VoIP switch and its associated gear rather than multiple switches. Prepaid, Free, and Low-Cost VolP Services VoIP provider