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VoIP links
If you aren't ready to give up your landline, see our report on traditional long-distance phone service. Many cell phone plans now include nationwide long distance at no additional charge. See the ConsumerSearch report on cell phone plans for more information on those. Our cordless phones report offers options for hybrid landline/VoIP phones. In considering whether or not to choose a bundled cable plan, you might also read our report on ISPs.
The Los Angeles Times offers a guide to VoIP for the over-25 crowd, explaining how to make free Skype calls on your computer -- and why you'd want to.
In 2010, cell phone carriers have done an about-face, suddenly welcoming free VoIP apps onto their phones. An article in Wired explains why.
The Washington Post's take on Google's new Voice Calls from Gmail feature includes a comment about user privacy from a Google spokesperson. Contrary to some people's fears, "Google absolutely does not record or listen in on phone conversations," the representative says.
The Federal Communications Commission publishes an easy-to-read consumer fact sheet about VoIP. It also provides information about VoIP companies' legal obligations, including a new rule that requires companies to quickly port over your old phone number.
A May 13, 2009, article at PCMag.com discusses new FCC rules that protect VoIP customers, as a result of SunRocket's sudden closure in 2007.
About.com's guide to VoIP, Nadeem Unuth, summarizes a dozen VoIP apps for the iPhone and reviews five of them. (Note: ConsumerSearch is owned by About.com, but the two don't share an editorial affiliation.)
An interactive tool at BetterTelephoneRates.com helps you select a VoIP plan based on the country you call most, whether or not you want a plan without an activation fee, and/or one that provides a free router/adapter and/or a free digital phone. However, it appears that only five providers are compared.
Robert McMillan, writing in PC World on April 11, 2009, reports that according to security researchers, "VoIP Services are Vulnerable to Botnets," which hack into Internet phone accounts and use them for nefarious purposes. At the time of the article, Google had patched its security flaw, but Skype had not -- though in the past Skype has fixed several vulnerabilities.
Skype subsequently posted about this vulnerability on their security blog and how to avoid it.
HowStuffWorks.com has an excellent article with a detailed explanation of VoIP.
VoIP and 911 emergency calls
Some cable VoIP providers include a backup power supply, but most VoIP services don't include this -- so if your power goes out, so does your phone service. An October 2009 article in Popular Mechanics suggests buying a relatively small UPS (uninterruptible power supply) so you can use a hardware-based VoIP service even in a power outage. The author recommends a "relatively low-power 300- to 750-watt UPS" (uninterruptible power supply) that would cost between $50 to $150.
Major paid VoIP providers, including cable companies, Vonage and Ooma, are now compatible with E911 (enhanced 911) -- that is, your phone call will automatically give emergency responders your address, even if you can't speak (as long as your provider knows your correct location). However, free VoIP services like Voice Calls from Gmail and Skype are not set up to handle 911 calls. The FCC publishes expert advice on VoIP and 911, with a link to a printable four-page PDF file.
VoIP service providers
You can find availability and pricing information on service provider websites:
Cox Communications Digital Telephone
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