| Try VoIP Before Buying | | | | long as you like across the neighborhood or on the |
| So you like the concept of 'cutting' your phone service | | | | other side of the world for free. Furthermore with PC |
| in favour of VoIP but are hesitant to take the plunge | | | | to PC VoIP, there aren't any contracts to sign or |
| and abandon your 'Landline' without trying it out for | | | | commitments to make. Just download the softphone, |
| yourself first. Perhaps the advertised features and | | | | and start talking. |
| rates all sound a little 'too-good-to-be-true'. The terrific | | | | PC to Phone VoIP |
| news is that you can make VoIP calls using your | | | | If you'd like to try VoIP by calling conventional |
| computer to virtually any telephone or computer in the | | | | telephones, consider PC to Phone VoIP. Depending on |
| world with little more than an Internet connection and a | | | | the Service Provider you choose and the destination |
| headset. | | | | country you're calling, the cost could be as little as just |
| 'Free VoIP' Using a Softphone | | | | a few cents per minute. As long as you purchase |
| Firstly, let's look at the 'Free' way of taking VoIP for a | | | | 'pre-paid' calling credit, you won't need to enter into a |
| test drive. So what's a 'Softphone' I hear you ask? A | | | | contract of any kind and can use that credit to call any |
| 'Softphone' is merely a 'Software' 'Phone' that enables | | | | telephone around the world. The smallest denomination |
| you to use your computer like you would a telephone. | | | | of prepaid calling credit usually begins at $10 USD. |
| Softphones are programs that generally resemble the | | | | However, at just a few pennies per minute this easily |
| keypad on a telephone and function in much the same | | | | equates to over 5 hours of talk time. As an added |
| way. | | | | bonus, some PC to Phone service providers also |
| Softphones enable you to call other | | | | enable free PC to PC VoIP calls using the same |
| 'Internet-connected' devices or softphones for free | | | | softphone as that used for their PC to Phone VoIP |
| (Free PC to PC VoIP), or conventional telephones for | | | | calls. That way, you can call a conventional phone |
| a small fee (PC to Phone VoIP). The reason that 'PC | | | | using PC to Phone, then arrange to meet the person |
| to Phone VoIP' calls (i.e., to conventional phones) are | | | | you're calling online (PC to PC VoIP) to continue talking |
| not free is that in order to call normal telephones, your | | | | for as long as you like, free of charge. |
| call needs to route partially through the heavily | | | | So try VoIP for yourself before you buy. You'll get an |
| regulated, heavily taxed Public Switched Telephone | | | | idea of the exceptional call quality and fantastic call |
| Network (PSTN). As long as the person you're calling | | | | rates available before entering into a contract that |
| is also connected to the Internet, you can talk for as | | | | replaces your landline. |