I am interested in Voice Over IP to telephone, but of course don't want to have to pay for it :)

I know that there are prepurchasable plans, plans that you pay as you use minutes and monthly payments, etc...

but what I'm interested in is a free provider where it's absolutely free (except maybe to buy a USB phone) to place calls nationally and internationally...

Does anyone know of any? Also, if you use VoiceOverIP to telephone, who do you use and what are your impressions?

Just an observation - if it is free, who pays for the bandwidth?

It's over your current broadband provider, so you are in effect paying for that part of it if you use broadband internet, which I do, so I suppose that part has to be paid for, good observation..

I guess what I'm wondering is if the service could be found for free?

If you get the VoIP service for free, I will protest. I'm paying $40+ /mo for my line with Vonage.com.

Besides, you would need a router (if you're a DSL user) and you need the VoIP external hardware, and that will cost money. :)

I use vonage and it's great.

Robert,

I wonder if they charge for Vonage to Vonage calling? lol

Vonage certainly is a great service, the only thing I don't like is contacting customer service. I stay on the 800# waiting for a representative for more than 5 to 10 minutes at a time.

One day, God answered my prayer and I spoke with the Customer Service Manager when I called them. :cool:

Another good thing about Vonage is adding an additional number for $4.99, great price to have for my remote employees. :)

Back in the late 90's and possibly up until 2001 there were easily a dozen companies that were offering this service. However, then they realized after millions of dollars in VC money that you can't profit by offering stuff for free.

They don't exist anymore or have changed their business model drastically. They really can't even compete with a decent priced long distance plan anymore.

Would you consider Net2Phone a VoIP solution, if not, what is it?

Originally posted by SE Kyle
Robert,

I wonder if they charge for Vonage to Vonage calling? lol

Vonage certainly is a great service, the only thing I don't like is contacting customer service. I stay on the 800# waiting for a representative for more than 5 to 10 minutes at a time.

One day, God answered my prayer and I spoke with the Customer Service Manager when I called them. :cool:

Another good thing about Vonage is adding an additional number for $4.99, great price to have for my remote employees. :)

Vonage to Vonage, Vonage to Landline .. all of it's unlimited if you are on that plan.

Vonage is great, but yes their customer service is horrible. I can spend anywhere from 25 minutes to an hour on the phone and than I get to speak to a representative who will tell me "we'll email you" or for it to say "Our Office is now closed".

We will be getting a 800, 866, 877 # through them. It's $5/mo. with a $9.95 activation and 100 free minutes per month.

AIM has free VOICEoverIP (Instant Messenger)

I like it very much :)

The Dude :)

Originally posted by SE Kyle
I stay on the 800# waiting for a representative for more than 5 to 10 minutes at a time.



Lucky you. ;) With my ISP, Sympatico, the biggest ISP in Canada, I'd be lucky to get ahold of a representative that actually knows his/hers stuff in less than 1 hour wait on the phone...