There is an alternative for high phone prices on long distance call or local calls - and this alternative is the VoIP. IP phones enable people to make PC to PC calls. What this means is that you are now enabled to talk to someone like you usually do - using a telephone - but the signal will be exchanged by your computers directly. You shouldn’t pay the operator. You just use the Internet (which you usually have already paid for) and that’s all.

During the last few years lots of new IP software appeared on the market. Surely big telecommunication businesses don’t want people know there’s a smart alternative to their unbelievably high prices. That is why VoIP service providers usually experience difficulties with advertising on TV or any other national media. However, more and more consumers switch their calling habits from usual networks to VoIP.

Skype is probably the most famous VoIP service. It has a lot of various features as is one of those businesses that were promoted by the word of mouth. Skype services are not limited to simply voice transmission. It is voicemail, chat, file transfer, “Skype To Phone” service etc. Skype easily operates within Windows, Mac OS and Linux. It has been recently purchased by eBay which may result in huge investments into the development.

Xten which is now better known as CounterPath is just another VoIP company which offers both paid and free software. It is very nicely designed reminding of regular telephones.

Yahoo! Messenger offers one more alternative to usual phone operators. You may just make a call or accompany it with some attached files etc. However, this messenger is widely used by spammers which sometimes become really annoying. The same with MSN Messenger, which is very similar to that of Yahoo! in functional features and drawbacks.