VoIP is the new
technological phone system. It is highly valued for its competitive
prices and cost effectiveness. It offers many of the same calling
features as regular landline services at typically no cost. VoIP allows
users the freedom to use their high-speed Internet connection to
integrate their phone, audio, video, and web browsing capabilities into
one application. Because of these new trends, VoIP providers are adding
new products and services daily. Here is a list and description of the
top ten VoIP providers.
Skype is famous for
their slogan, “The Whole World can Talk for Free”. Skype is a free
download and users can make free calls via Skype to Skype. For a fee,
you can advance your Skype to call ordinary phones anywhere in the world from your computer for the price of a local call with SkypeOut. Pickup calls on your computer, wherever you go around the world, with a SkypeIn Number which will let your choose your own area code and phone number.
This way, friends and relatives can call you locally, if you select the
same area code. Skype is compatible with Windows, Mac, Linux, and
Pocket Pc operating systems.
Probably
the most well known VoIP providers, you may be surprised to discover
that Vonage is also one of the more expensive providers. Vonage offers
two plans, residential and small business. Residential users may choose
between the Basic 500 plan and Unlimited. The Basic 500 plan offers 500
minutes of talk time for $14.99 a month. The Premium Unlimited
residential plan costs $24.99 per month.
The Small Business
Basic plan costs $39.99 per month and allows 1500 minutes. The Small
Business Unlimited plan costs $49.99 a month and provides unlimited
calls throughout the United States, Puerto Rico, and Canada.
Dialpad and Yahoo have
merged services. Currently, Dialpad offers three plans- Dialpad Monthly
300, Dialpad Monthly 500, and Dialpad USA. The cost for Dialpad Monthly
300 is $7.50 per month, Dialpad Monthly 500 costs $9.99 per month, and
Dialpad USA costs $11.99 per month.
Broadvox Direct
offers residential and small business services. Their residential
services include the Residential Choice Plus plan for $9.95 per month.
The Residential Choice Plus plan includes 100 outbound minutes and
unlimited incoming minutes. Their Residential Unlimited Plan costs
$29.95 a month and includes unlimited calling anywhere in the US and
Canada. The SoHo Small Business Regional Plan costs $34.95 per month
and includes 1500 monthly minutes in the US and in Canada. The SoHo
Small Business Unlimited Plan costs $44.95 per month and includes
unlimited calls in the US and Canada and also includes a free fax line
and Yellow Page listing.
Galaxy Voice offers two
plans, Residential and Business. Their residential plan costs $19.95 a
month and includes unlimited calling, Voicemail, Caller Id, Call
Waiting, Call Return, Three Way Calling, and Call Forwarding. Their
business plan costs $39.95 per month and includes unlimited calling,
Free Voice Mail, Free Call Transfer, Free Call Forwarding, Free Repeat
Dialing, and Free Caller ID block.
Voice
Pulse has three plans, America Unlimited, Local Unlimited +200, and
Business Unlimited. The America Unlimited plan costs $24.99 per month.
The Local Unlimited +200 costs $14.99 per month, and the Business
Unlimited costs $45.99 per month.
VoIP American has three
different plans. These are the VoIP American PBX plan, the VoIP
American Voice plan and the VoIP American bVoice plan. The VoIP
American PBX plan cost $19.99 a month for a private line and $44.99 a
month for unlimited calling. The VoIP Voice Residential Basic plan
costs $14.99 per month and the VoIP Voice Residential Unlimited plan
costs $29.99 per month. The bVoice Business plan costs $34.99 per month.
Packet 8 not only
offers phone plans, but they also offer videophone plans. Their
residential plans are the Freedom International and Freedom Unlimited.
Both of these plans cost $19.99 per month. The Videophone plan is the
Freedom Unlimited and that too is $19.99 per month. The Packet 8 business
plan consists of three different plans. These are the Virtual Office
service plans, the Virtual Attendant Service plans, and the Business
Phone Service plans. The Virtual office phone plan costs $19.95 per
month, the Virtual Attendant service plan costs $14.95 per month, and
the Business Attendant service plan costs $34.95 per month.
Speakeasy offers
many different plans ranging from Home Office, Small Office I, Small
Office II, and Small Business. Their Home Office plan costs 79.90 per
month, the Small Office I plan costs $560.00 per month, the Small
Office II plan costs $1,039 per month and the Small Business plan costs
$2,349 per month.