This is something you really want to do, sign up to Skype. Click on the ad top left. Download the software. Make free calls to other Skype users.
OK, OK, this is nothing very fancy, internet telephony, PC to PC, Yawn, mumble mumble…
Well, it’s a little more than that. You can also pay to add a couple of services, like voice mail. Boring.
But. You can also pay to make calls from your computer to any phone in the world. Yes, OK, that’s boring too, many people have done that.Well, yes, but it’s the prices they charge.
I’ve been using it for two months now in the real job, the day job. Most of my calls are from Portugal to the US, the UK or Moscow in Russia. I can’t actually remember what the exact per minute is for those places, but I think it’s around one euro cent (not one euro, one cent euros) per minute. That compares with 11 cents to 25 cents that the local phone company charges me for international calls. You can also phone mobiles at the same sorts of prices. My bills are way way down from the 400 euros a month I was paying.
The sound quality is full duplex, much better than a land line. There doesn’t really seem to be anything wrong with the system. Works as advertised, saves money, for anyone on a broadband connection (it works on dial up but broadband is obviously better) it seems the logical way to make outgoing calls.
Yes, I get a little money if you sign on for the paid for services but I would still recommend even the free version, the PC to PC only. Our three offices round the world now use it as our only (non email) communication channel, simply don’t bother with land line or mobile connections any more. How can you beat that as a recommendation?
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