VoIP: Mobile and PC VoIP
While the majority of VoIP services, such as Skype and Vonage, act like a normal landline, there are a range of other options for making VoIP calls over the internet.
Some mobile handsets let you make internet phone VoIP calls
VoIP on a mobile
VoIP is still mainly limited to use at home, but some VoIP providers are teaming up with mobile networks to offer VoIP calls on the go. Notably, Skype is now available on some mobile handsets, including a range of 3's mobiles. For more details, take a look at Skype's website.
Barablu offers mobile VoIP calling on any internet-enabled mobile phone. Users download Barablu software to their mobile and can then call other Barablu users free, or normal landlines and mobiles cheaply.
A variation on VoIP is offered by websites like Jajah. These offer free or cheap calls between normal landlines or mobiles by redirecting calls through the internet.
You'll need to be near an active computer with an internet connection for it to work, because to make calls you have to type in both your number and the number you're calling on Jajah's website.
Many calls are free once you're registered with the service, but you'll have to pay if you exceed Jajah's fair usage limit.
VoIP using instant messaging services
Some instant messaging services also offer the ability to make VoIP calls over the internet, though typically they only offer the option to ring other computers with the same instant messaging service as the caller.
The most popular of these is Windows Live Messenger, although GoogleTalk and Yahoo Messenger also offer VoIP voice calling.
Windows Live Messenger
We assessed Windows Live Messenger against the same criteria as the other VoIP services in our test.
The software enables you to make and receive voice and video VoIP calls to and from other Windows Live Messenger users from a PC. There's also a Mac-compatible version available, but this does not currently allow users to make voice VoIP calls.
It offers the ability to send instant messages, share files (such as pictures), play games with other users and access Hotmail email accounts.
The calling software is attractive, easy to use and intuitive to navigate. When signing in for the first time, Hotmail and Yahoo users are able to automatically import contacts from their email accounts. Other users can manually input their contacts’ details.
Call quality is generally very good, and easily on par with a traditional landline call. We did, however, find that Windows Live Messenger was more prone than other services to slowing down and distortion (particularly during video calls) when broadband connectivity is weak.
Thanks to excellent integration with Hotmail and Windows, Windows Live Messenger is of most value to existing users of these products. Its popularity also means that users are very likely to have this software in common with friends and family.
Without the ability to make and receive calls from landlines and mobiles, however, its use as a stand-alone VoIP service is limited.
Find out how to set up Windows Live Messenger and make free calls in our Make free video calls advice guide. The software can be downloaded from the Windows Live Messenger website.