We were over at my mother-in-law’s house for New Year’s Eve, and our kids listened wide-eyed as she explained how her telephone when she was growing up was on a party line, and how it worked. “How did you keep your calls private?” they asked.

It’s the same question a lot of VoIP users should be asking themselves today. For all the wonderful advantages of VoIP, it’s a fact that just about anyone can listen in on your VoIP call if it’s not encrypted.

The good news, according to officials of Capture Technologies, is that it’s just as easy for you to protect your privacy and foil eavesdroppers.  

Encryption is the way to go. As Capture officials explain, since VoIP is transmitted through a network, “encryption can protect your conversation just like it can protect other computer-based data.” And more good news -- encryption’s relatively easy these days. “Even if your VoIP carrier doesn’t have the protection you need, you can easily find it, in some cases, even for free.”

Capture officials note that Zfone’s (News - Alert) encryption software is widely used and respected, and what’s even better, the beta version is free and can be downloaded and installed easily. Of course the party on the other end needs Zfone too, for it to work correctly.

Many VoIP providers already offer it -- Skype (News - Alert), the VoIP 800-pound gorilla, carries the option. Do you read the fine print as to what’s available in the VoIP package you have? You may be surprised what all you get.

And as Capture officials point out, your business might be offering a free (to you) Virtual Private Network with encryption already. Many do it because the Local Area Network doesn’t provide protection. Check to see if your business does.

Transport Layer Security and IPsec (IP Security) are other options everything else is a washout for you. The way Capture officials explain it, “while TLS encrypts data between two VoIP users, IPsec encrypts the data between two users and the applications that they may be using.”

The bottom line is there are ways to encrypt VoIP, and with a minimal amount of legwork you can find the best option for you to get off the VoIP party line.

Want to learn more about the latest in communications and technology? Then be sure to attend ITEXPO East 2012, taking place Jan. 31-Feb. 3 2012, in Miami, FL. ITEXPO (News - Alert) offers an educational program to help corporate decision makers select the right IP-based voice, video, fax and unified communications solutions to improve their operations. It's also where service providers learn how to profitably roll out the services their subscribers are clamoring for – and where resellers can learn about new growth opportunities. To register, click here.

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