Voip Completely free calls worldwide via your PC

Webweb calls: Free Calls PC to PC via the net

You can call anywhere in the world completely for free! The proviso? Both you and the person you're calling need computers with internet access. While these Webweb' calls are no brainers; Webphone' calls, calling from a computer to a normal phone, aren't the wonder solution they're portrayed as.

Let's start with a simple golden rule. Never, ever, ever pay to make PC to PC calls via the net regardless of wherever in the world you're calling from and to.

The hardware needed

Any PC made within the last five years with an internet connection should easily cope. A microphone and headset/speakers are needed, though it's possible to buy phone handsets for computers. A broadband internet connection is best (see Cheapest Broadband article) for quality, but it's still just workable for those on dial-up internet (see Cheapest Dial-up Internet article).

The quality is often better than that of a phone call, as the sound produced is over a wider frequency range. Though if your internet connection is struggling, this will of course effect it. As it's free try it, and see how it works. Those with web cams may also video chat for free this way. Yet often using the video option diminishes the audio quality, so it's best left for occasional fun not regular phoning.

The software you need

Normally both you and the people you talk to need to be on the same software package. No problem, as there's lots of software downloadable and useable for free. This also means there's nothing stopping you having two or three different programmes on your computer.

Internet Telephony Specialists. Skype* (pronounced to rhyme with tripe) is quickly becoming the Microsoft of internet telephony and like Microsoft is sometimes derided by techies. Yet it's also the software most are likely to have already, which makes life easier.

To use it, download it, create a user name, find the username of the person you're calling, and within seconds you can talk to them. It also allows free conference calling to two or three people all at the same time. There are many other options to Skype, such as Sipgate, but it's the obvious start point.

Messenger Services. Instant Messaging services such as those provided by AOL, MSN, Yahoo and more recently Sightspeed were designed for instant online typed communications, but now also include voice and video communication options. These work well, but lack a little of the smoothness of the pure internet telephony operators.

When free isn't free

While phoning is free, any additional web access costs need to be taken into account. With unmetered broadband packages there's unlikely to be an additional cost from making the calls. Yet dial-up users, those on metered or limited broadband packages and people calling while abroad or on the road, should compare the broadband access cost with just using the phone.

How does the technology work?

Let's start with a simple golden rule. Never, ever, ever pay to make PC to PC calls via the net regardless of wherever in the world you're calling from and to.

The hardware needed

The software you need

When free isn't free

How does the technology work?

It's likely you're using internet telephony without realising it already, it's increasingly used as the background technology for normal calls and it's known as VoIP (voice over internet protocol).

With traditional calls there's a constantly open pipeline with information streaming both ways.

Voip better uses high-speed technology and computer processing power. Think of it a bit like this; with Voip your voice is split into short pieces which are turned into packets of data.

These are then bulleted along the line and reassembled at the other end. At the same time other peoples' conversations are also bulleted along the line. So one line carries much more information and that's why it's cheaper to operate.

Webphone calls: Calling from a PC to a phone

The internet telephony business model is simple. Build a brand with free Webweb calls, then persuade customers to pay for cheap' calls from a PC to a normal phone. Webphone works roughly the same way as Webweb. You've a headset or phone plugged into your computer, you then go to a dialpad on the computer screen and dial the number you're calling. Also many providers allocate you a number on which to receive calls, some even provide an adapter which bypasses the computer altogether and plugs into your regular phone handset.

The Cheapest Webphone providers

There are vast differences of price between Webphone providers. Some big players have entered the market place but require you to pay upfront for the kit and have call charges that are cheaper than mainstream phone providers but not close to the cheap ones.

Having compared 15 Webphone providers, the cheapest by far are two little sister companies VoipStunt and VoipCheap. Neither have a set-up fee, but both require you to have £10 call credit before they can be used. Those providers that don't require any initial outlay have much higher call costs.

The credit only lasts 120 days from the last paid for call, after the 120 days you'll be charged their normal call rates though if you keep your account topped up you will keep the free calls. Both allow short test calls to see if you're happy with the quality before paying your £10.

When to use Webphone

Webphone is a very cheap way of getting a second phone line. For those brave enough, it also allows those on satellite broadband to not have a phone line and thus forgo paying line rental, though that's still an unlikely option for most.

It's also great if you're travelling abroad. Here if you can get cheap internet access, you'll be able to call the UK, at no or low charge depending on provider, via your laptop or web café. Considering some overseas hotels charge £3-£4 a minute for calling the UK, even if you're paying for broadband costs, it can be a massive saving, and will often beat overseas phone cards too. However Webphone's big sell is cheaper calling from home and here it doesn't stack up so well.

Hybrid calls: Phone to phone via the web

JaJah* is an internet telephony provider allowing anyone with web access to make cheap or even free calls via normal landlines or mobiles. There's no need to download software, all you do is register; and then enter the number you want to call from and to on its website. Your landline will ring and then when you've picked it up Jajah will call the destination number you entered.

How much does it cost?

The sign-up rate is totally free and so are calls, providing:

A. Both you and the person you're calling are registered. B. You're both using either a landline in Europe, Australia, New Zealand or Taiwan or a landline or mobile in the US, Canada, China, Singapore of Hong Kong

If not you will be charged (see charge list). However either way, do note you have to keep the account active, which means you need to make a free call, a cheap call or a text message every 2 weeks.

How does it work?

Jajah makes use of both VOIP and normal landlines using voip for the major part of the call, then switching to the normal telephone system for the last leg. This means it can offer cheap rates but the call quality is surprisingly good.

Fair Usage Policy

It operates a fair usage policy; which basically asks you to be reasonable and limit to your free calls to an hour a day five days a week. This is sufficient for most but if you go over that use the International CallChecker, a non-commercial webtool that tells you the cheapest override provider for any call type or overseas country to find cheap rates.

Webphone prices vs the cheapest normal phone prices

The real competition to Webphone is Override providers. These are special companies allowing extra cheap calls via a normal home phone. To access them you dial its special access number e.g. 0844 123456 followed by the number you're calling.

This is charged directly to your home phone bill at a fixed rate e.g. 1p/minute (depending on where you're calling) and that's all you pay as the override provider's revenue comes from getting a cut of the access call revenue. Thus Override providers are instantly accessible, without changing phone line or setting up an account. Most announce the cost at each call's start, so if the price changes, you know and choose a different provider. Use the CallChecker, to find the cheapest override provider. Now to compare its current winners to the cheapest Webphone calls.

Calling UK Landlines: Webphone providers VoipCheap and VoipStunt offer totally free calls to UK landlines, and of course this is untouchable, yet £10 call credit is needed before this can be accessed.

Calling UK Mobiles: VoipCheap is 9.75p/min to call mobiles at all times, compared to just 4p/min with the cheapest override provider. (See UK CallChecker for updated prices).

Calling Internationally: Here it's a split decision, both VoipCheap and VoipStunt allow some countries to be called for free; including Australia, Denmark, Japan, Spain and the US. Yet for many countries, the International CallChecker finds much cheaper override providers.

Where Webweb is revolutionary, totally free communications across the world, Webphone simply delivers a marginally cheaper way to call for landlines and some overseas destinations, no great shakes.