Making Free Calls From Your Computer - What You Need To Know
- Date: 2010-01-11 - Word Count: 532
Share This!
If you're like most consumers, you've probably heard some hype about making free calls from your computer and would like to take advantage of the savings. However, you may also be somewhat unsure of how to go about it. Here's what you need to know.
The Equipment You'll Need
Making a free phone call from your computer is just as quick and easy as dialing from your landline or mobile phone, but you'll need to have the following items before you get started. Obviously, you need a computer that is connected to the Internet. Your computer will also need to have a built-in microphone and speakers, or you'll need to purchase a USB phone or a headset that you can attach to your computer.
Choose a Provider
There is a growing number of Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) phone service providers that offer free internet calls. Some of the most widely known are Skype, Vonage, and Google Talk. Others such as MediaRing Talk are increasing their market share because of their highly competitive service offerings.
To determine which provider to use, it's important to evaluate how you want to use the service. Do you want to only make domestic and international calls to others who are also using the service? For this, Skype is a good choice. If you want to call friends and family who only have access to a landline or mobile phone, MediaRing Talk is a less expensive option. Unlike Skype which charges for all calls that aren't PC to PC, Media Ring Talk offers free PC to PC calls anywhere in the world along with free PC to Phone and free PC to mobile calls to the United States, Canada, China, Singapore, and Hong Kong. They also offer free PC-to-landline calls to the UK, Australia, and Taiwan. Their rates for other destinations are competitive with Skype and far superior to those offered by traditional phone companies.
If you still want to make calls from your home phone, Vonage is another option worth exploring. Their service works very similar to a typical landline by connecting your phone to the Internet with a phone adapter. However, their service is not free. You'll have to purchase a monthly plan that features voicemail, call forwarding, caller ID, and call waiting.
Learn About Other Features
One of the distinct benefits of VoIP is that it offers more than just free and inexpensive long distance phone service. Some providers also bundle highly useful services that their customers can take advantage of for free such as instant messaging with presence and multi-user voice conferencing. It's worth researching providers to determine which one offers the best features for your specific needs.
Get Started
Once you've found a VoIP provider that you'd like to try, you'll need to download the software to get started. Don't forget to read the terms and conditions to make sure that you aren't surprised by any unexpected charges. Most VoIP providers are upfront about what they charge. However, others are not quite as transparent. Thus, it's always a good idea to choose a provider that has a reputation for quality and good customer service so that you can effectively reap the benefits and cost savings that VoIP technology provides.
The Equipment You'll Need
Making a free phone call from your computer is just as quick and easy as dialing from your landline or mobile phone, but you'll need to have the following items before you get started. Obviously, you need a computer that is connected to the Internet. Your computer will also need to have a built-in microphone and speakers, or you'll need to purchase a USB phone or a headset that you can attach to your computer.
Choose a Provider
There is a growing number of Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) phone service providers that offer free internet calls. Some of the most widely known are Skype, Vonage, and Google Talk. Others such as MediaRing Talk are increasing their market share because of their highly competitive service offerings.
To determine which provider to use, it's important to evaluate how you want to use the service. Do you want to only make domestic and international calls to others who are also using the service? For this, Skype is a good choice. If you want to call friends and family who only have access to a landline or mobile phone, MediaRing Talk is a less expensive option. Unlike Skype which charges for all calls that aren't PC to PC, Media Ring Talk offers free PC to PC calls anywhere in the world along with free PC to Phone and free PC to mobile calls to the United States, Canada, China, Singapore, and Hong Kong. They also offer free PC-to-landline calls to the UK, Australia, and Taiwan. Their rates for other destinations are competitive with Skype and far superior to those offered by traditional phone companies.
If you still want to make calls from your home phone, Vonage is another option worth exploring. Their service works very similar to a typical landline by connecting your phone to the Internet with a phone adapter. However, their service is not free. You'll have to purchase a monthly plan that features voicemail, call forwarding, caller ID, and call waiting.
Learn About Other Features
One of the distinct benefits of VoIP is that it offers more than just free and inexpensive long distance phone service. Some providers also bundle highly useful services that their customers can take advantage of for free such as instant messaging with presence and multi-user voice conferencing. It's worth researching providers to determine which one offers the best features for your specific needs.
Get Started
Once you've found a VoIP provider that you'd like to try, you'll need to download the software to get started. Don't forget to read the terms and conditions to make sure that you aren't surprised by any unexpected charges. Most VoIP providers are upfront about what they charge. However, others are not quite as transparent. Thus, it's always a good idea to choose a provider that has a reputation for quality and good customer service so that you can effectively reap the benefits and cost savings that VoIP technology provides.
Related Tags: free voip, pc to phone, free phone calls, pc to phone calls, free international calls, cheap phone calls, pc phone calls, free call, free call to, call for fre
Your Article Search Directory : Find in Articles
Recent articles in this category:
- Voip Phone Service: What Providers Are Out There
If you are interested in switching to the VoIP technology to make your calls, one of the first and m - Voip Pbx Phone Systems - Unify Multiple Locations
VoIP PBX phone systems are helpful telecommunication solutions for businesses with offices in severa - Why Should You Avail Call Back Services?
Today, till the time you don't tell the customers about 'Why' they should opt for certain service, t - How To Order Toll Free Number For Your Business
The most important technological equipment needed in business is telephone and also it is very essen - How To Make Cheap Calls To India Using Voip
Many people may still have family back in India. Moving to another country may have been necessary t - How Voip Has Made Cheap Calls To India Possible
Calling India has been an issue for companies who operate outside of the country for a long time, as - Negatives Of Hosted Phone System
Every system has its own pros and cons and it is not possible to have a system that is flawless. We - Make Low Cost International Calls With Call Back Services
Call back is referred to those cases when the originator of a call is immediately called back as a r - Voip - Advancement In Communication Technology
VoIP stands for Voice over Internet Protocol that is a revolutionary advancement in the communicatio - Why Voip Is Good For Business
(Establish and maintain business telephonic communications without the additional cost of providing
Most viewed articles in this category:
- The VoIP revolution and digital phones
Digital phones, working with “Voice Over Internet Protocol” (VoIP), have many advantages - VoIP Spam - Voice Advertisement
Voice to Phone Advertisement over VoIP, or SPIT (Spam over IP Telephony), is a security threat with - Moving Your Office? Use This Unique Opportunity to Refresh Your Telecommunications Technology
In moving to a new location, you are disrupting all your current processes anyway. Why not take adva - Call Accounting Software Evolution
Call accounting software is a system that records, translates and reports on telephone call activity - Vonage Voice Over IP Explained
This article will explain how Vonage voice over IP phone service works and discuss the pros and cons - VOIP: Different Perspectives
VOIP or voice over internet protocol has become the buzzword for the online community, the techno ge - What You Must Know Before Buying a VOIP Handset
With the recent growth in VOIP and internet telephones, there has also been an increase in the selec - IP Phones
IP phones allow its users to speak over an IP network, which could be either Internet or intranet. I - How VoIP works
Before we understand the working system of VoIP technology it is essential for us to understand the - VOIP Phone Services : the Yardstick for Voice Telephony
VOIP is the latest inflexion in the world of voice telephony. A VOIP provider would route your call