I'm curious as to whether anybody has ever tried using an internet telephone service and, if so, what are your impressions of it?

Evidently, you can make an international call over the internet for as little as 4 cents a minute (ie. Thailand to USA). Several companies offer this service, and many of them are even NASDAQ-traded and reviewed by CNET!

One of these companies that I'm leaning towards trying out is called "Net2Phone."

Anybody have any comments or insight?

Net2phone is fine. So is Vonage. Expect some latency.

I use packet8.net

email me, I give you the number and you can make a local phone call in Los Angeles right to me in Rio

1234567@innocent.com

This technology is called VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol). I've used Vonage and VoicePulse, and just switched to SurfCity (http://www.surfcity.com/voip/), which I heartily recommend. Packet 8 is another major provider.

You need a broadband connection and a router, and the company generally provides an adapter box on loan (with SurfCity, you don't need a router - they provide a combination converter box/router.) You can opt to buy a digital phone, and skip the adapter box. With some services, you can install a SoftPhone on your computer or laptop (typically for an additional monthly fee).

You get unlimited calling in US for a flat rate ($25 to 30/month), plus the international rates are very good: for example, with SurfCity, I pay 3 or 4 cents/minute to UK or Taiwan.

Another advantage is you can take it with you - I've taken the adapter box (about the size of a DiskMan, plus power adapter) and a cheap corded phone to Brazil, Phillipines, Argentina, Thailand, and made calls back to the US at no additional charge.

If you have a fast connection in your hotel room, you can make calls as if you were at home (in fact, the recipient's caller ID will show your home number.) For example, I did a 30 minute conference call while in AC, and nobody realized I wasn't in LA. Saves on mobile phone costs.

Same applies all over the world - you can use the phone anywhere there's a broadband connection, though most Internet cafes aren't too thrilled with the idea.

Each provider has advantages and disadvantages, but you get call waiting, caller ID, voice mail, call forwarding, 3-way calling and more with all. The quality and consistency is typically somewhere between land line and mobile, but can actually be better than land line. In fact, AT&T, Verizon, PacBell etc. are all jumping on the bandwagon, and you don't know the difference. If your local phone company offers a flat rate for long distance, it's employing VoIP technology.

Rating the companies I've used:
1. SurfCity (best quality, friendliest service)
2. VoicePulse (good quality, easy-to-use features)
3. Vonage (requires higher bandwidth, erratic customer service)

I just talked to a friend here in Rio, he uses Skype. Apparently, no adapter is needed--just plug a mike/headset into your computer, or a USB phone, download their free software, and you're in business. There are charges to call a land or cell phone (other computers with the software are free), but he says it is cheap and of good quality. He calls cellphones here using Skype, he says it's 23 cents/minute (somewhat less than the R$1/minute general rate. Calls to US land lines are 2.3 cents/minute, 2.8 cents/minute to Sao Paulo and 3.8 cents/minute to Rio.

Sounds good, I will probably try it.

Why use Skype when calls on Vonage are free.

Hell, even out of country calls on Vonage are cheap... so cheap that if I'm sitting in my hotel or a cyber in Rio, and I want to call a land line in Rio, I still use my Vonage to route the call to the U.S. (free) and then use a calling card (best I've found is SuperQuick card from UnionTeleCard) to call to Brasil for US$0.03/minute.

And I hear that other services (Broadvoice?) include Brasil in their 'local' calling area for a $10/mos add-on.

My suggestion is that you try Skype.com. If you are going computer to computer, its free.

When I am on a trip, I can reach my friends in the US and the quality is fairly good. Give it a try, its free.

The BroadVoice Unlimited World PLUS plan gets you unlimited calling to (and from) 35 countries, including the United States, for $24.95 a month. It includes:

Australia, Netherlands, Austria, Norway, Belgium, Singapore, Canada, Spain, Chile, Sweden, China, Switzerland, Denmark, Taiwan, France, United Kingdom, Germany, United States, Ireland, Vatican City, Italy, Argentina, Luxembourg, Brazil, Malaysia, Czech Republic, New Zealand, Finland, Poland, Greece, Portugal, Israel, San Marino, Japan, South Korea

So, for example, if you have a broadband connection on your Rio trip, your calls to both the States and to Rio numbers are free.

www.broadvoice.com

(Message edited by tujunga on February 02, 2005)

Tujunga-

Can you provide some info on the quality of their service... access to customer service reps and hold times... and do they have an option for travel that doesn't require traveling with the box and phone, such as a software-phone version (like Vonage Softphone)?

Thanks!

FLhobbyer -

I'm just your average punter, and I've already summarized my experience above. A Google search will yield detailed reviews and comparisons performed by techies, and VOIP providers' websites describe in detail the features they offer.

VoicePulse, like Vonage, has a softphone option. To each his own, but when I travel in the 3rd world, I'd rather toss a $10 telephone and 6 oz ATA box in my carry-on than haul around a $2000 laptop.

anyone tried broadvoice?

can I get their service and keep my packet8 number from Beverly Hills???

Do they have incoming numbers in Germany or other countries??

Broadvoice unlimited world plan does not include calls to Brazil cellular phones.

I have added to my telecom kit both Skype ($20/year of unlimited calling in US/Canada + $38 for an incoming number) and magicJack (www.magicjack.com - $20 for the device + $20 for one year.) Skype is a softphone - I use it with a bluetooth headset or just the laptop mic & speakers - and magicJack resembles a large USB thumbdrive with a phone jack on the end.

MagicJack provides better and more consistent artifactless quality than Skype; works in any PC with any analog phone; and making calls from abroad to US are free. However, it's in beta, and offers no international calling yet, plus Mac is not yet supported.

Skype has cheap international rates from US, but calls from abroad to US are toll (cheap but not free.) Skype-to-Skype calls are free, and video is vastly superior to Yahoo.

With Skype, all you need is a computer. With magicJack, you need a phone, too (in Thailand & Phils) the hotel phones work fine), but the call quality is superior.

I recently traveled to DR and used the Vonage Apple Iphone app to make calls to the US. It worked great and is free.

The Vonage IPhone app works on either 3G or WIFI. Within the US, it uses a Vonage gateway number when making calls (they are not made over 3G) and charges a small per minute charge.... Overseas, like in the DR, it uses WIFI and the calls to the US are FREE. I just stood outside any WIFI hotspot that was not secured (secured works as well, but of course you need the passcode), and made calls. Very convenient....

I like not having to carry around a laptop, as the Iphone easily slips into the pocket.