Never Pay For Phone Calls Again !

There is a way to make calls free all the time. The other party just needs to belong to the same SIP service as you do.

SIPs, or session initiation protocols, are a variety of VoIP — Voice over Internet protocol, or Internet phones — that allow people to use their computers to talk to friends on computers. It's an engineering standard that the industry has settled on, although companies such as Skype use their own proprietary technologies.

Real interesting report. Is this the way of the future. Goodbye old Bell.

The Story

Get a Mac.

iChat let's you do audio and video conferencing. Although, it doesn't do cross platforming, but, all the more reason for other people to get Macs as well.

Originally posted by Amorymeltzer
Get a Mac.

iChat let's you do audio and video conferencing. Although, it doesn't do cross platforming, but, all the more reason for other people to get Macs as well.

You can do that with windoze to, and so much more...

"NetMeeting" and other apps.

As with everything over the 'net, caution is called for. There's always someone willing to take whatever advantage they can:

Hackers target net call systems

Old-fashioned phone, Eyewire Net phone systems could prove irresistible to hackers. Malicious hackers are turning their attention to the technology behind net phone calls, says a report.

The biannual Symantec Threat Report identified Voice over IP (Voip) systems as a technology starting to interest hi-tech criminals.

The report predicted that within 18 months, Voip will start to be used as a "significant" attack vector.

As well as prompting new attacks, Voip could also resurrect some old hacking techniques, warned the report.

Jak

There's also a program called Scope that allows you talk to someone over the internet by using a microphone. It's free also.

Not ground breaking at all. Even in the late 90s there were free internet programs that let you use a microphone to call US long distance for free that worked pretty well.

7 years ago I built a VoIP long distance service from the ground up.. trust me. Bell is here to stay. VoIP is unreliable, as it is dependant on internet connectivity and traffic conditions.

Plus, with a standard copper landline, you've got:
1: A communications route in the event of a power outage, and
2: A source of power in the event of a power outage (only about 40-60VAC tops, but enough to power some 12V lights and a radio).

Originally posted by Forlon
Not ground breaking at all. Even in the late 90s there were free internet programs that let you use a microphone to call US long distance for free that worked pretty well.

Sure, InternetPhone did technically work back in the day - however the current batch of VoIP type apps (like Skype) really take the whole idea to the next level in terms of quality as well as bi-directional chat (not to mention Skype is a very interesting use of peer to peer technology)

I've spoken to many friends of mine in Europe and Western Canada via Skype and it sounded quite a bit better than if i had called over a normal phone.

Heck, if i tell Skype to use my computer's speakers instead of the headset's ear phone it sounds as if the person is right in the room with me.

[edit on 21-9-2005 by negativenihil]

The only problem is change. Everyone who currently owns a house phone will know how to make and receive calls. Not everyone owns a computer, the internet or would know where to get and use the software needed.

Anyway I pay 10 quid a month for unlimited landline calls! Bargain!

Originally posted by Harry55
There is a way to make calls free all the time. The other party just needs to belong to the same SIP service as you do.

While true to a certain extent, there are other associated costs, such as your monthly internet access costs, the equipment costs (you can pick up a super cheap-o phone for $10, versus a $400 PC). But, if you already have those things, why pay extra for a regular land line telephone. I know several people who use their cell phone for their home phone and their mobile phone - why pay for two phone services?

Skype is a nice service. I’ve used it for a long time now to call, and receive calls from, certain people I know who also use Skype. You can’t beat the price, and the quality is quite good. Most of the time, unless it’s a PRIVATE call, I don’t bother with a headset and just use my speakers to listen to the other end. Since I would have broadband service anyway, regardless of VOIP services, I just think of it as letting my broadband work for me. The only hitch is, both caller and receiver must have both broadband service and Skype in order for it to work.

I think Vonage offers a good service. Recently I ordered their Premium service, which is only $25/mo, and with it you get unlimited calling services nationwide to anyone with a phone, whether landline or cell, regardless of whether or not they have broadband service, a computer or use Vonage. You can also receive calls from anyone, regardless of the service they use. So, for $25/mo I consider it a good deal for now.

I also picked up a cheap Tracfone for mobile use. That way I only pay for the calls made/received while I’m away from home, which, in my case, isn’t all that much.

For that matter, if I wanted to carry a laptop around with me, I wouldn’t even need the Tracfone; I could use my Vonage service exclusively.

In conclusion, I guess what I’m trying to say is, if you use broadband services for your Internet connectivity, then it’s probably worth your while to look into these technologies. They have reached the level of development where they offer quality services, and it’s a way of getting more out of the broadband service you’re already paying for.

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Originally posted by theghost88
There's also a program called Scope that allows you talk to someone over the internet by using a microphone. It's free also.

He means skype...