Internet Telephony

[Andy Orr]

I regularly call relatives in Canada from here in Scotland and was looking to reduce costs by going over to an internet telephone system such as SKYPE or Vonage, both of which are available here. I have now been told of another device called magic jack which appears very inexpensive, although I am aware there are mixed reviews of this service - as indeed there are of the other two. I would be grateful to hear the opinions of anyone who uses any of these three companies or any other which might help me in coming to a decision.
Thanks
Andy

[CindyL]

Google is now providing phone service through their email: http://www.mercurynews.com/peninsula...nclick_check=1.

CindyL

[Deb & Chuck]

Originally Posted by CindyL

Google is now providing phone service through their email: Magid on tech: Clear calls from Berlin with Gmail Phone - San Jose Mercury News.

CindyL

Hi,
We just signed up for the google-gmail internet telephone last week and are absolutely thrilled with the quality of the calls, we call friends in Canada frequently. I understand that this service has only been offered to the USA so far, but with plans for expansion. We also have had Magic-Jack for about 3 years. We use it while traveling along with our laptop. The calls range from good to so-so quality wise. It is better than paying roaming cell phone rates and gives you the ability to call home for free while on the road.
Deb

[Carol H]

I use Skype to call Switzerland and it is totally free. The cool part is when talking on Skype if the other party has a webcam you can see them as they are talking to you. You both need a Skype account to make it work for free.

How clear the call is has a lot to do with the mic you and the party you are talking to are using. If you get a **good** headset type you will find the quality is much better than going though the standard computer mic.

[Riley]

Originally Posted by Carol H

I use Skype to call Switzerland and it is totally free. The cool part is when talking on Skype if the other party has a webcam you can see them as they are talking to you. You both need a Skype account to make it work for free.

How clear the call is has a lot to do with the mic you and the party you are talking to are using. If you get a **good** headset type you will find the quality is much better than going though the standard computer mic.

Spyke is awesome, i use it to call my friends in the U.S and my cousin in Oz
can get good reception and camera signal

[Vickie B.]

We use Skype to talk/see our daughter in Germany, and I was amazed at the quality!

BTW--of all places in the world---I wanna visit Scotland! My maiden name was Laird! And I love reading about Queen Mary (who got a raw deal if you ask me!)

[Roy in TO]

Windows Live works with both voice and video and its free.

[Byron Kinnaman]

I've used Skype when my daughter was in Japan. It's free and works quite well. She even called via Skype to my cell phone, the cost was like $0.03 per minute for that call.
I don't see any reason to use anything else.

[Andy Orr]

Originally Posted by Vickie B.

We use Skype to talk/see our daughter in Germany, and I was amazed at the quality!

BTW--of all places in the world---I wanna visit Scotland! My maiden name was Laird! And I love reading about Queen Mary (who got a raw deal if you ask me!)

Thanks to all of you for your informative responses. This has helped me a lot.
VickieB - Laird is a fairly common name here in Ayrshire, on the west coast. Do you know where your family originates from?

[Vickie B.]

Andy---I don't know, and there may be no one left to ask, except perhaps my step-brother. What a bummer! I'll see what I can find out this weekend.

I'll get there someday---I figure I can entice my hubby with the history of golf!!!

[Riley]

isntspyke meant to be free on phone calls if you both users have it on thier phones?

[Byron Kinnaman]

Originally Posted by Riley

isntspyke meant to be free on phone calls if you both users have it on thier phones?

Skype is computer to computer via the internet using an internet system call voip. You have to both have computers and be connected to the internet. Calls are free world wide.
Vonage and Magic Jack also require a high speed internet connection and use voip.

I think you might be confusing Skype with domestic cell phone companies, which have a billing structure that allows calls between their phones don't suffer the usage of paid time. Therefore are advertised as free.

[pbraunton]

Actually you can get skype as an app for you iPhone or for a black berry, and so long as you have a wireless signal you can make free calls to other skype users, just get a wireless signal open the app in you phone either press on known contact or use the number pad to dial,

Also with these apps you can add money to your skype accept and then call whoever you want, again so long as you have a wireless connection

BB also have free calling while on a wireless account they have their own voip system and all local calls are free

[Richard Hayes]

I would be grateful to hear the opinions of anyone who uses any of these three companies or any other which might help me in coming to a decision.
Thanks
Andy[/QUOTE]

We use both Skype and Magic Jack at our summer homer, and find both are good alternatives to the regular landline telephone service.

Skype (computer-to-computer VOIP) is free anywhere in the world Skype-to-Skype, and the 2.4 cents a minute Skype charges to call most landline or cell phones in North America and the UK is very reasonable. Call quality can vary - it's generally good on this end, but friends tell us there are sometimes echos and delays - a good quality headset helps. Skype also offers users live video as well as voice - nice if you want to see the other person or display a scene. However, you cannot use a regular phone to call Skype in Canada - Canadian phone numbers are not available for Skype at this time. We've been having folks call us via cell, then calling back via Skype.

Just got a Magic Jack (creates a bridge between VOIP and the regular telephony system) recently, and it gets around that problem - you can get a Canadian number, and others can call in. You can also place calls using a regular phone, which are free anywhere in North America. The MJ is portable - about the size of a box of matches - we carry it back and forth from home to the cabin, and can use it by plugging it into a USB port on any computer with high speed internet. The MagicJack lets you use a regular or cordless phone, which frees you from having to be at the computer as with Skype. The MJ cost us $60 Cdn., with one year of service ($20) included in the price. A Canadian number costs an additional $10/year - U.S. numbers are free. Call quality seems to be consistently good.

With both Skype and the MJ, we've already discarded our cabin landline and will disconnect the home landline shortly...

[Deb & Chuck]

Originally Posted by Deb & Chuck

Hi,
We just signed up for the google-gmail internet telephone last week and are absolutely thrilled with the quality of the calls, we call friends in Canada frequently. I understand that this service has only been offered to the USA so far, but with plans for expansion. We also have had Magic-Jack for about 3 years. We use it while traveling along with our laptop. The calls range from good to so-so quality wise. It is better than paying roaming cell phone rates and gives you the ability to call home for free while on the road.
Deb

PS
I forgot to say with google-gmail service you use a web cam with a microphone and so you can see the other person. With this service you can call regular landlines and the party you are calling DOES NOT have to have this service as with Skype. Also, I'm hearing on posting boards that this service IS available other places than the USA already.

[LSChilders]

We replaced the home phone with Magic Jack. Call quality sometime suffers.
I have Skype on all of my computers and my iPad, and pay the $30.00 a year fee to be able to call cell phones and land lines. Call quality is always good.

If you have a computer that is on all of the time you can get an incomeing phone number on skype for $60.00 a year.

That's $90.00 a year for unlimited call in and out, to and from any phone. with your own Skype phone number.

[Richard Hayes]

...but Skype doesn't supply Canadian numbers at this time, while we have one for the MagicJack. Agree that the sound quality can vary, but it's generally very good; if it's really rocky, just calling again usually gets you a better connection. We buy $14 blocks of Skype time for landline and cell outgoing calls - find that worked well for us, but we'll now use the MagicJack for those since it's free. Will check out the $30.00 a year Skype package - that'd be excellent if it is available here. Thanks for the info...

Originally Posted by LSChilders

We replaced the home phone with Magic Jack. Call quality sometime suffers.
I have Skype on all of my computers and my iPad, and pay the $30.00 a year fee to be able to call cell phones and land lines. Call quality is always good.

If you have a computer that is on all of the time you can get an incomeing phone number on skype for $60.00 a year.

That's $90.00 a year for unlimited call in and out, to and from any phone. with your own Skype phone number.