CNET PRIZEFIGHT: Internet phones vs. plain old telephone service

Regular phones vs. VoIP
And the winner is?

We know it's never a popular decision, but the judges have tallied up their scorecards to determine that...it's a draw! Plain old telephone service won on setup, emergency calling, and reliability, while Voice over Internet Protocol took the rounds on price, features, and flexibility. Had either phone service won the voice quality round, that would've tipped the scales in its favor. As it stands, it's a draw, and the public is already clamoring for a rematch.

As VoIP service providers continue to add features (911 support, for starters), increase their coverage, and continue to avoid the FCC's tax collectors, we look for the young Internet challenger to be the odds-on Vegas favorite the next time it climbs into the ring with the aging, copper-wired champ.

Winner: Draw