PC-to-PC Calling

Free VoIP with Skype and other software applications

You can make Internet calls for free with some software applications -- calling from one computer to another. The person you're calling has to be a user of the same service, and online at the time to make free calls; with some services, you can still call landline and cell phones, but not for free. Skype is the most popular free VoIP provider, but others exist.

For example, EarthLink's trueVoice service provides free Internet calls to other EarthLink members or to those who install the software. The same is true of AOL Instant Messenger, Google Talk, Windows Live Messenger and Yahoo! Messenger. Two comparison reviews recommend a Skype rival called Gizmo -- discussed more fully below. MagicJack -- a hardware/software hybrid -- also gets some positive reviews.

Experts warn that applications like Skype can't make emergency 911 calls, so you still need a landline or cell phone. Previously, you needed a microphone (or phone headset) and speakers to use software-based VoIP. But with more and more applications, you can now use a regular phone. We found reviews for quite a few Skype-compatible phones at Amazon.com, for example, and Skype has also introduced SkypeMobile service for cell phones.

Skype owner eBay reports that as of March 31, 2009, Skype has over 443 million registered users. Skype also works as an instant-messaging service and can be used with a webcam for video calls. Conference calls can include up to nine people. An add-on service called SkypeOut (*Est. $30 for 12 months) lets you make unlimited calls to landline phones within the U.S. and Canada. Calls cost about 2 cents per minute to most of Europe, China, Argentina and Australia, with higher charges elsewhere. Another Skype service called SkypeIn (*Est. $60 for 12 months) lets people with regular phones call you on your computer, using a phone number that Skype assigns you.

Skype has a big fan club among reviewers. Most reviews say Skype's call quality is usually good when calling from one PC to another. Call quality on calls to landline phones can vary greatly, but the newest version, Skype 4, gets good reviews at PCWorld.com and SpotCoolStuff.com. Skype isn't designed to replace your regular phone, but it's a great way to save money, with free Internet calls and low-cost international calls.

Gizmo, another free software service, also gets good reviews, and calls to landline and cell phones in the United States and abroad cost slightly less per minute than Skype. A 2007 comparison review at Wired magazine also ranks Gizmo higher than Skype for call quality, though the newer Skype 4 has since been released. Gizmo also earns kudos for its web interface. Calls are free to Gizmo users, but you can also call Skype numbers from Gizmo. If you want software VoIP primarily for long distance calls to landline or cell phones, Gizmo is certainly worth trying.

MagicJack (*Est. $40) has attracted a lot of attention for its unique phone jack that plugs into any computer with a USB port. A year of VoIP service is bundled with the MagicJack device; calls are free to the United States, Canada, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. When that first year of service runs out, you pay only about $20 per year for unlimited calls to those same regions. (International rates, however, are much higher than Skype's.)

Initial reviews were very positive; MagicJack even earned the 2008 Editors' Choice award at PCMag.com. However, a follow-up review in the February 2009 issue effectively cancels this distinction -- noting that hundreds of users have complained about poor technical support, plus the inability to uninstall MagicJack without editing the registry. The company even has received a grade of F from the Better Business Bureau.

The BBB complaints have been resolved, and MagicJack has promised to add support staff. But reviews note serious privacy issues. MagicJack not only displays ads on the computer screen as you use it, but targets these ads to the actual content of your calls. This is similar to the way Google targets ads with its free Gmail service, but it's something to consider. Like other software VoIP services, MagicJack requires that your computer be turned on to make and receive calls -- so it's only a supplement to a landline or cell phone.

A few other web-based companies let you use your regular landline or cell phone to talk. Jajah.com offers free rates on international calls to 35 countries by simply connecting through its website. You type in the phone number you want to call, then the service actually calls you on your landline to connect the call. "It works reliably and the voice quality is good, but having to place calls on a Web site is a hassle," says David Pogue, technology columnist for The New York Times.

Google Voice -- not yet available to the public -- gets an enthusiastic review at PCWorld.com. This application consolidates voicemail for all your phone numbers, and forwards calls to any one of your numbers to all the other phones. It's not a VoIP service per se, but could be a good enhancement.