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Internet PhoneInternet phone services Though the old fashioned telephone network is still a very long way from being redundant, making phone calls via the internet (internet phone)is ever more common. The main advantage is price: if you are already paying a monthly fee for broadband, you can make computer to computer calls to anywhere in the world for free. For a comparatively small fee, you can also call regular and mobile phones too. And that's not all: surprisingly decent-quality video calls are possible between two computers with broadband and webcams. Even if you don't have broadband, you could try instant messaging. Making phone calls over the internet is cheap and should be easy, but most people until now have preferred the convenience of a conventional phone. What has put people off making Voip (voice over internet protocol) calls is that it meant fiddling with a computer or wearing a headset. Today, though, using the internet to make telephone calls without your computer switched on is straightforward.
How it works The technology that allows computer to connect to normal phone lines is called VoIP(Voice over internet protocol), though various companies use an alternative term such as “Internet telephony” or “Broadband phone” or "Internet Phone". Whatever name is used, you first need to chose a provider. They you will download their software and sort out payment, which might be a no commitment pay as you go voucher system or a flat rate subscription. Voip technology works by converting your voice into digital information and then piggybacking on your broadband connection. Instead of paying BT or a similar landline provider, you pay the Voip service instead. If you ring somebody on the same system, such as Skype, the call is free. Otherwise you must pay a fee per minute but this is usually less than a normal call, especially if it is to a mobile or abroad. Many of the pay as you go VoIP options are designed so that you use your computer as the phone: you dial the number on screen and converse using your computers microphone and speakers. If you don't like this you could buy a USB handset with subscription service, on the other hand, you normally use regular phone attached via an adapter to your broadband modem(you will probably need a spare Ethernet port). What you need You will, of course, need a broadband service and this involves a line-rental fee as well. However, as the quality of broadband has improved, so too has call quality for Voip. In tests that included calling standard landlines and mobile phones at peak and off-peak times, quality was only slightly poorer than standard calls. At worst there was an occasional slight echo or crackle. You can improve the sound
quality of a pay as you go VoIP service by adding a USB handset to
your computer. Skype provides a good range of wireless headset and
handset that are simply brilliant. In this case you dont need to
connect your handset or head set with your computer. it will work
like you home landphone wireless hand set. The services proved simple to set up (though BT insisted on an installation CD) and, aside from Gizmo, each adeptly fielded a call to its customer services. If free calls seem too good to be true, you won't be surprised to learn that Voip companies try to make money from you in other ways. For example the cost of calls to non-Voip customers varies greatly, so check the tariff. Though solid value overall, Jajah charges a pricey 30p a minute for 0870 calls, while Skype stings you for 14.5p to ring a UK-based mobile and will also bill you if you want a telephone number so that nonSkypers can call you. Another tactic is sometimes to charge for premium services such as voicemail.
Pay as you go service Far and away the most popular pay as you go service partly because its so little hassle to set up and works so reliably is Skype. This is like a regular instant messaging program with free computer to computer calls between users but it allows you to call regular and mobile phone anywhere in the world if you buy so called SkypeOUt credit. The prices are very reasonable: around 1p/Minute to land lines and mobiles in most of the Europe, north America and Australia. You can also receive calls to your computer from regular phones through you hae to pay a monthly SkypeIn subscription
Various other compnies offer a similar service such as Net2Phone, DialPad but Skype(from the same people who created the KaZa file sharing system) is the one that's currently taking the net by storm.
One disadvantage of VoIP service is that they don't work if there is a powercut. Also because calls arenot routed via your local exchange VoIP cant always substitute a standard or mobile phone if you need to make a call to the emergency service. If you are in UK, another option is to try BT BT Broadband Talk Softphone, BT Broadband Talk Softphone is available to all new BT Broadband Talk customers. It is a piece of software on your PC which will allow you to make BT Broadband Talk calls, video calls, Instant messaging and other popular communication methods using a headset or handset. A webcam is required for video calls. You will only be able to receive calls if you are a Broadband Talk customer. You will be able to receive incoming calls through your 056 number. Calls made to UK mobile numbers from BT Softphone are charged at 5p per minute at the weekends, 8p per minute in the evenings and 13p per minute during the day time.
Subscription services If you make a lot of national and international call, you might want to check out a VoIP service based on a fixed monthly charge. These services of which there are now many especially in the US- are often designed to completely replace your current phone provider, though in some cases you will have to keep your normal phone service running for incoming calls and your broad band connection. Most subscription services include unlimited national call, with a small surcharge for long distance.
Skype Bells and whistles but
less suited as a main home-phone: The best-known Voip provider has
evolved from a PC-based service into a nifty means of making cheap
calls from an ordinary phone or, in some cases, a mobile. Setup
involved downloading the free Skype software, and you also need a
Skype-certified handset for the computer, or an adaptor that
converts a select few cordless phones. Because it has the most Voip
users, Skype offers the most free calls, and on average the tariffs
under review cost a competitive 5.5p per minute. However, many
features provided free by others are treated as paid-for extras by
Skype: a phone number, so that nonSkypers can call you, costs £3.30
per month (inc voicemail). Ideal for PC-based power players though.
BT Broadband Talk Basic service with decent
value if few frills: You needn't be a BT broadband customer to use
this service; you just connect your phone and router to the supplied
BT Voyager 10V adaptor, which will then default to normal calls if
your broadband goes down. There are few frills, but a range of
paid-for extras is available from BT, such as 1571 voicemail or
call-waiting. Test prices are a competitive 4.5p a minute (plus £3 a
month, which includes most UK off-peak calls) and the service worked
well. It was the only one to provide an installation CD with the
adaptor, which sounded helpful, but led to a fiddly computer-based
setup. Unexciting overall. If you subscribe to BT's Total Broadband
package you get a posh router and phone plus more free calls, but
it's pricier. Vonage Not cheap, but strong features and fine quality: Vonage portrays itself as a sophisticated internet-based telephone service rather than a service offering cheap calls. It boasts a number of impressive features that enable you to choose your area code or transfer an existing number, and call quality was noticeably crisper than that of the competition. It was also the only service under review able to make emergency calls. Setup was a breeze too: once you order the service, Vonage sends you a widget that you plug into your home phone and a router – and you're off, with no need to download software. Despite a monthly fee starting from £6 (which includes free calls to most UK landlines), the tested tariffs still come out at an average cost of 5.5p. A solid option all the same.
Case study I went to india few months ago for a official visit. I stayed in a nice hotel where they were charging me 15rupees(20p) for local call and 100rupees(£1.25) for a call to UK. I went for 10 days and need to call 5-6 times a day to UK. I used the hotel phone for first few days that produced a huge bill. Then i decided to cut down the cost by using skype. I asked them to give me the internet connection that service was available with the room rent. My laptop was with me and I just used skype that cost me only 4p/minute!!! What a big save!!!! |
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