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| Thread ID: 61338 | 2005-09-01 08:42:00 | Making phone calls over the interent | gill (6615) | Press F1 |
| Post ID | Timestamp | Content | User | ||
| 385253 | 2005-09-01 08:42:00 | Hoping that you can help me with this. I have a son travelling to US shortly and had heard that there is a way of making phone calls from my computer and it avoids extra charges. Does anyone have experience with this - what are your ideas? |
gill (6615) | ||
| 385254 | 2005-09-01 08:46:00 | the tech is called VOIP try "google talk" or "skype". |
robsonde (120) | ||
| 385255 | 2005-09-01 08:55:00 | I've had a quick look. Have you had skype loaded? Is it as straightforward as they claim. Am I going to be getting spyware with the download, do you think?? |
gill (6615) | ||
| 385256 | 2005-09-01 08:56:00 | Yahoo is just now running something like this. Not sure it's VoIP but you could check it out. | mark c (247) | ||
| 385257 | 2005-09-01 08:57:00 | i have never used either of them but i think they are both safe. I have heard good things about google talk, it very new but as i say i have heard good things. |
robsonde (120) | ||
| 385258 | 2005-09-01 09:09:00 | You have to buy a Skype phone to use it, as I understand, about $40+ and it doesn't work well with a low speed Internet connection. You could try Teamspeak, a very popular gaming chat programme. It works well - and is just a case of both users downloading and installing the free software. No spyware or suchlike. All you'd need each of course is a mic. |
Greg (193) | ||
| 385259 | 2005-09-01 09:22:00 | You have to buy a Skype phone to use it, as I understand, about $40+ and it doesn't work well with a low speed Internet connection. You could try Teamspeak, a very popular gaming chat programme. It works well - and is just a case of both users downloading and installing the free software. No spyware or suchlike. All you'd need each of course is a mic. na you dont need a phone to use skype it free and it works on dial up (but not well at all some times you cant talk its so bad) |
sambaird (47) | ||
| 385260 | 2005-09-01 09:35:00 | You don't need a "skypephone" All you need is a microphone attached to your computer If you have a webcam (a decent one like a logitech pro 4000) then you can install a plugin called spontania and have video as well. I use it everyday and have around 5 national and international video conferences a day. Can also hold 3 way conderences Totally free, no spyware, excellent audio and video A breeze to setup Doesn't work too well on dialup even without the video Much better on broadband If you want to make computer to 'phone' calls you pay Very cheap though |
bartsdadhomer (80) | ||
| 385261 | 2005-09-01 09:56:00 | You don't need a "skypephone" All you need is a microphone attached to your computer If you have a webcam (a decent one like a logitech pro 4000) then you can install a plugin called spontania and have video as well. I use it everyday and have around 5 national and international video conferences a day. Can also hold 3 way conderences Totally free, no spyware, excellent audio and video A breeze to setup Doesn't work too well on dialup even without the video Much better on broadband If you want to make computer to 'phone' calls you pay Very cheap though Computer to Phone (Skype out) approx NZ$0.03 per minute and you have to buy credits in ten Euro blocks (approx NZ$18) approx 6 hours of talking. I use skype out and find it good but due (I think) to a sound card problem not as clear as phone line. Looking forward to more overseas friends getting Skype |
theother1 (3573) | ||
| 385262 | 2005-09-01 10:20:00 | It depends on what you want to do. 1) Computer to Computer "phone call" NOTE: This is not a "Phone call" as such, as you are not using a phone, or ringing a phone line. This is when you talk to the other person using your internet connection. You do not pay anything on top of your normal internet connection charges. What it requires is both you, and the other person to have the same software installed on the computers, and for you to pre-arrange a time where you can talk. Skype is excellent for this. It's free, spyware free, and works great. I've used it to talk to relatives all over the world, and it works brilliantly. All you need is a microphone and headphones/speakers connected to your computer, and to download and install the Skype software. Other programs such as Google Talk, MSN Messenger etc. can also be used. Personally, I think this is the best option. It's free, and it's easy to use. 2) Computer to Phone "call" This is when you use your computer to call the other person's real phone number, however you do this via the internet. You can use services like SkypeOut which have been mentioned earlier. 3) Cheap international calling plans? Have you tried checking out telecom's 0161 calling? $0.08 cents off-peak to USA: www.telecom.co.nz Or those cheap phonecards from your local dairy - which use VOIP technologies, so you ring an 0800 number from a landline phone, then punch in the phone number you wish to call, and are charged at low rates according to that particular company. |
somebody (208) | ||
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