Free Internet Phone Services

In the age of technology, application of computers and other electronic devices have become more and more versatile over the years. The computer age has advanced many of our pre existing technologies, one being the telephone. Although the cellular and land line phones remain the most prominent method of phone usage, it is possible to make virtually free phone calls over the Internet using available software.

Though the PC has been able to make free phone calls to other PCs using the Internet for some time now, only recently have VoIP offered ingoing and outgoing calls to land lines and cell phones. VoIP stands for Voice over Internet Protocol, meaning that the user making a phone call with the PC and through IP networks connects to other PCs or even personal phones.

Although it is free to make calls over the Internet for free, that usually only applies to PC to PC calling, which has it's drawbacks. PC to PC calling requires both users to be online to make the connection.

There are several free Internet phone services that only require a download, but you might want to read their service plans before you command. Most only offer free PC to PC calling, while charging a monthly fee for access to land-lines and sometimes another monthly fee for connecting to cell phones. I would be weary of web-sites offering free Internet phone calls internationally, most companies charge a connection fee, if they even offer the service.

VoIP phone services are not always free, however. The company, Vonage, offers monthly services at a monthly fee. Yahoo and AOL offer phone and video services as well, but also charge a monthly fee.

Although most charge a monthly fee for land-line connection, there are a few phone services where phone calls can be made over the Internet for free, or at least free for a trial period. Sony has developed a free Internet phone video service software to put on a new series of VAIOs. A company called Stanaphone offers members a telephone number for your computer to receive phone calls for free for a while. Skype offers a free outgoing calls service that allows members to make outgoing calls with their PCs to land-lines in the US and Canada.

The real key to making successful calls over the Internet for free is to have an efficient Internet connection. You're going to have to replace that dial-up modem with something faster, 56k just doesn't have a transfer rater high enough to support VoIP usage. If you're going to try to make any kind of free phone call over the Internet, then you're going to have to have something along the lines of DSL or Cable to ensure that you can surf the Internet and use the phone if need be. Having a faster Internet connection will ensure smaller delay times and clearer voice output.

Although it seems difficult to make free phone calls using a free service, but it is possible. Soon, with the utilization of a single network, it might be possible for all calls to take place on the Internet. However, if this should happen, it would be highly unlikely that any service would be free, so try it why you can!