31 January 2007

Making calls over the internet used to mean being tied to your computer. Now a new generation of gadgets will set you free to roam.

Fancy catching up with a family member in Australia? How about having a long chat with a mate in China? Chances are, making a call to either will make your phone bill rocket. But contacting friends on the other side of the earth needn't cost it - in fact, it can be free, thanks to VoIP.

Voice over Internet Protocol is a way of making free phone calls over the
internet that has been around for some time, but new developments in the
technology used to connect callers look set to change the way we
communicate. VoIP allows you to make calls over a data network such as the
internet. VoIP converts the signal from your telephone into one that is
capable of travelling over the internet, then converts it back at the other
end so you can speak for free to anyone with a VoIP phone number.