Green Geek: Operator Please! How to make free phone calls

I have heard that you can use your computer to make free phone calls.  Is this true, and if so, how do it do it?

 

Chatter Box

 

Dear Chatter,

 

While it is possible to have computer-to-computer voice conversations (and even video conversations!) free of charge, computer-to-telephone calls will still cost you a few pennies. 

 

The general term for using your computer and the Internet to make phone calls is “Voice over Internet Protocol,” or VoIP for short.  VoIP has been around for more than a decade and it works by digitizing and compressing your voice in real-time and sending it over low-cost Internet connections instead of pricy fixed telephone lines.  The upside of VoIP is that it can be almost free (we’ll discuss the almost shortly). The downside is that because the Internet is an unmanaged network – no one really owns it – the quality of voices calls is highly variable. Sometimes you’ll get a perfect connection and at other times the connection may be broken or distorted.

 

There are a large number of freeware programs you can download to enable you to make computer-to-computer calls for free.  By free we mean that you do not need to pay interstate or even international timed call charges.  But these calls will use up some of your Internet bandwidth - a ten minute computer-to-computer voice call with a friend can use anywhere from 2 to 10MB of your Internet bandwidth allowance.  Depending upon your Internet Service Provider contract, this probably amounts to a few cents...  still LOT cheaper than an interstate or international phone charge!

 

One of the most popular and reliable VoiP freeware applications is Skype (www.skype.com). This application allows you to create a list of friends (who must also have Skype installed) and lets you see when they are using their computer.  With a single mouse-click, you can ‘dial’ a voice call with anyone, and even have conference calls with up to six people involved!   If you have a web-cam (a small camera connected to your computer) you can also have video chats with your friends. 

 

Another common application is Microsoft Instant Messenger, which has most of the same features as Skype for computer-to-computer calls. No matter which free VoiP application you choose, you will need to ensure that the people you want to talk to have the same software.  

 

You will also need to purchase some sort of microphone or handset.  Choosing the wrong microphone can result in poor quality calls.

 

Most notebook computers have microphones built in. However, because they are built into the very same device as the speakers, it is very easy to get a feedback loop during a call – that is, the person speaking to you gets their voice echoed back to them.  This can be very disconcerting during a conversation. The easiest way around this is to plug a cheap set of headphones into notebook so the laptop’s microphone cannot pickup the other person speaking.

 

Desktop computers do not have built in microphones, so you will need to purchase one and plug it in. You can purchase a cheap microphone online for as little as a few dollars.  However, I recommend purchasing a gamers’ headset instead, which consists of good-quality headphones with a noise-cancelling microphone on an adjustable arm. The reasons I recommend these are twofold: first they are very comfortable and leave your hands free and; second, they give excellent quality sound and voice pickup. Gamers’ headsets cost between $10 and $50 (the cheaper ones are more than good enough) and can be purchased online or from most shops that sell video games.

 

 Another option is to purchase a dedicated phone handset  that connects to your computer via your USB cable. There are a lot of different models to choose from, such as the Philips USB Corded Phone. Most cost around $30. However, while these devices may be easy to plug in and use, they really do not offer much over  gamers’ headsets.  

 

Where things get really interesting is the WiFi handsets.  If you have a wireless network at work or home, then these handsets can connect and provide you with VoiP calls via Skype. Some mobile phones also have this feature built-in - if you phone as WiFi connectivity, check its manual and the Google to see if you can make Skype calls with it.  For example, any SmartPhone  that runs Windows Mobile can be used to make free Skype calls to other computers!

 

So far, we’ve only looked at computer-to-computer calls. But what happens if you want to make a call to someone that does not have a computer, or wouldn’t know which end of a headphone plug goes into the computer and which end goes into their ear?  The good news is, there are a slew of services that can enable you to start a voice call from a computer and have it go to a normal fixed-line telephone. Of course, there is a charge associated with this activity, but in general is it is only a few cents per minute.

 

With Skype, you can deposit money into your account and use it to make phone calls from your computer to a regular telephone almost anywhere in the world.  Depending upon which country you are calling, the costs range from 3 to 50 cents a minute.  For example, I could call a regular phone in Canberra or even the USA for just 3 cents a minute! 

 

All of the above assumes that your Internet connection is up to the job of transmitting VoiP. While many of us now have broadband Internet connections, not all broadband is the same. If you are on a dial-up Internet connection, forget it... you won’t save much by trying VoiP over a dial-up internet connection. Most people with ADSL lines (fixed wire broadband) will have no problem. However, some of you will be on satellite broadband (hopefully part-paid by the government)  which can cause some issues with VoiP.  For satellite connections, your voice has to bounce into space and back down to earth, which can cause a noticeable delay between when you say something and when the others hear it. In many cases, it will not be a big issue, but if it is, then alas it’s back the ol’ handset and expensive phone bills you will go.

 

So, get online and get chatting... not quite for free but very nearly close to it!