Zoom Technologies has reportedly begun shipping the Model 5800 Zoom VoIP Freedom, a nifty little analog telephone adapter (ATA) that lets a user choose which VoIP service they want to use based on their needs.

As the company so observantly points out, most VoIP providers tend to hold their customers hostage by furnishing hardware which only works with their service. Zoom’s new VoIP Freedom, though, lets them choose from up to 25 SIP-based providers using a Web-based chooser. Using the chooser (which allows for very quick and easy change in service provider) a user can choose VoIP services from providers in the Americas, Europe and Asia. The chooser’s menus are available in several languages including English, Spanish, German and Vietnamese. Once a user selects a service, the Zoom VoIP Freedom device automatically configures itself for that service. Best of all, there is no charge for registration – and the device itself costs only $59.

One advantage of the device is that it supports both VoIP and traditional phone service, and allows the user to use one or the other - or use both simultaneously. For example, someone can talk on the VoIP line but someone else can still make calls on the traditional phone line at the same time - plus it is easy to switch between the two. Thus the device enables a “second phone line” capability that isn’t always found on other ATAs. Most VoIP customers (especially new ones) tend to keep their traditional phone service so that they continue to have access to 911 services. In the event of a power outage, the device will automatically connect to traditional landline phone service.

Another huge advantage of the device is that it lets cell phone users use the device as a bridge to connect their cell phone to their VoIP line, thus letting them make long distance calls using their cell phone via low cost VoIP.

As explained by Frank Manning, president and CEO of Zoom Technologies, in a press release, all a user has to do is call the Zoom VoIP Freedom device, “which provides VoIP dialtone and bridges the mobile phone user to VoIP.” This made possible by the fact that “every ADSL line has landline phone service available at little or no additional cost.”

“The VoIP Freedom device can even use caller ID to decide which calls it answers; so it answers calls from the appropriate family or business members, but does not interfere with other incoming calls,” he added.

For more information about Zoom VoIP Freedom, visit www.zoom.com/chooser or www.zoom.com.