Free internet telephony

June 20, 2004 3:58 PM

Free internet telephony? (More inside)

Does free PC/web-to-phone exist any more?

I'm looking for a free VoIP package that's software based and that hopefully allows incoming calls to a real number and outgoing calls to landline, cell, etc.

It probably doesn't exist anymore.

Yeah, I've seen Skype, and I am planning on trying it out real soon now.

What else is there? I have some friends that still do CUSeeMe and other such stuff. This is 75% for fun and 25% for usefulness.

What else is out there? Dialpad and glophone and the like are all pay services.

Spyware for free VoIP for web-to-phone service is fine by me. What do you use for VoIP these days, if any?

posted by loquacious to computers & internet (4 answers total)

I looked for the same thing recently; cheapest VoIP is probably Free World Dialup (google for that) which basically lets you call other FWD devices. Now, if you get to their site, there are 3rd parties that sell FWD-to-PSTN (regular line) bridge service (~$6/mo). OTOH, Skype is supposed to offer bridge service real-soon-now, and everybody I know loves Skype's voice quality...
posted by costas at 5:00 PM on June 20, 2004

Primus justed launched Lingo. Don't know what it costs but you can check the info here.
posted by tonebarge at 5:49 PM on June 20, 2004

"StanaPhone is a free and simple internet telephone that uses a real US phone number and enables user to make and receive free calls to and from any phone anywhere in the US, Canada, and a selection of other countries. The software is free to download and free to use. It works with all PC headsets and USB internet phones providing the same or better sound quality than a regular household phone."

Can't vouch for it, but worth a go, maybe. Let us know if it works...
posted by stavrosthewonderchicken at 5:54 AM on June 21, 2004

Re StanaPhone: you get 100 minutes to call non-subscribers' phones. Incoming calls are free, but your number (for now) is in the NYC area, so maybe it's a good idea if your friends are from there.
posted by Stoatfarm at 9:59 AM on June 21, 2004