Phone business – using the internet for better communication
How to make telephone calls over the internet and save money
One free possibility is instant messaging software, such as Yahoo Messenger
. These usually have a talk function that allows you to do just that with people you are linked to.
Skype is the best known of these software services and claims to have the best quality and security. Calls to other Skype users are free. As of mid-2005, calls to landlines are charged at about 2.7 cents per minute within Australia. It works on Windows PCs, Linux PCs and Macs.
Firefly by Freshtel is Australian and offers calls to regular phones in Australia for 6.9 cents per minute. But it only works on Windows machines.
Engin has an option that involves plugging a small box into your broadband router. Your usual telephone plugs into the box and you use it as normal. If your internet connection breaks down, the phone reverts to your regular service. Quality of calls is variable. From $9.95 a month plus calls.
MyNetFone is an Australian company with a range of plans costing up to $9.95 a month plus calls. You can pay as you go under their basic plan. Quality is good and you can get handsets as well.
Other options exist, from a range of online software options to special-purpose applications like Microsoft’s NetMeeting which allows online conferences where you can share graphics, powerpoints and the like while you talk.
General info on VoIP: http://voip-voice-over-ip.com
Phonechoice provides comparative consumer phone information:
Consumer websites occasionally have articles on the subject. For example:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/4254399.stm, and
http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/content/04_45/b3907410.htm
The Australian government has background information on VoIP
If you only have a dial-up connection, all is not lost. Read this article on Making Calls over a Dial-Up Internet Connection
Useful Information on VoIP for new users is posted on the VoIP Discussion Forum on the Whirlpool Broadband site: http://forums.whirlpool.net.au/forum-replies.cfm?t=324339
Cutting the cost of telephone conferences
Perhaps the best known Internet teleconferencing website is http://www.freeconference.com/
Independent teleconferencing companies in Australia
Enterprise Care at http://www.ecteleconferencing.com.au/
Intercall http://www.intercall.com.au/
Express Teleconferencing http://www.teleconference.com.au/
There are also specialist services to support online conferences with many people. For example http://www.conferenceonline.com.au/
Broadcast SMS
See TxtMob, a free broadcast SMS service originally developed for US political activists.
LegionOne is an example of a supplier of web-based broadcast messaging applications.
Using text messaging for donations
Case study of nonprofit using SMS for fund raising:
http://www.bandt.com.au/news/1f/0c018c1f.asp
Email to mobiles
See more on a wireless PC to mobile phone SMS application: http://www.bulletinwireless.net/
Some background on mobile phone activism: http://www.backspace.com/action/all.php#cell_phones
See Techworld review of Blackberry email to mobiles application