Free Calls or Paid Calls - Choosing a VoIP service is not a no-brainer

Free Calls sure are possible using VoIP by transferring the communication over Internet rather than telecom service providers. However, we have been a part of lot of debates where people mention the merits and demerits of free calls offered as promotional offers by VoIP service providers. Our team recently did a brain storming session, followed by a research of the state-of-the-art options for a common man. We have found that a few things that probably will give you a lot of insight into the game called VoIP

VoIP is not free for anyone

To bust a common myth that is so pervasive that everyone has been mislead by it, VoIP does not mean free. Someone is paying for the VoIP calls that you are making. Sure, transferring your phone calls over Internet makes it little cheaper but they are not free if the party at the other end is not using VoIP. The VoIP service provider must pay for call termination to the telecom provider offering the service at the other end. 

Lesson 1: If one of the parties in the conversation is using a telecom provider's service, VoIP can not afford free calls.

VoIP sure is free 

Now that we have confused you, our chances of conveying this to you are far better. VoIP is not free when the other end is not VoIP. However, if you are making calls between two parties using VoIP on both ends, the cost is almost negligible. It is as good as surfing a website streaming media - well may be a little more to handle the costs involved. This is why the applications such as Viber application for Android  or Maaii - the 100 minutes of free calls daily app, are able to keep their lights on even though they provide unlimited free international calls. 

Lesson 2: If all parties in a phone call are using VoIP only, the call can indeed be a free call.

Do you need VoIP or not?

We strongly believe that VoIP is a must have service for your calling needs. However, there are prominently two types of VoIP services in the market today. It is essential for you to understand that only one of them is tailored for you. 

Cheap International Calls and Home Phone: Cheap International Calls are offered by a variety of Voip service providers. For instance, Vonage is a leader in home phone service coupled with cheap International calls for a price of $35 per month. Vonage support their system using Voip services, that is why their adapter is connected to your Internet router. Vonage for android and iPhone apps let you extend your service so that you can make calls from your phones too. 

Following are the reasons you should consider Vonage (or other similar provider):

1. You live with your family and everyone makes international phone calls
2. Your monthly phone calls do not go beyond 3000 minutes
3. You need a phone service that supports 911 or Enhanced 911 (E911) - please note that some services do not offer 911 or E911.

Cheap International Calls on-the-go: If you are a person who does not stay at home the whole day, or does not need a home phone, you will probably be off making calls using your cell phone. Even if you have a limited minutes plan, most providers such as Rebtel and Localphone now offer smartphone apps for android, iPhone, and even Symbian and blackberry phones that you can use to make cheap VoIP calls.

You should consider a pay-as-you-go plan if 

1. Your monthly usage is not constant
2. Your monthly usage is less than 1500 minutes
3. You do not want a "commitment" with your VoIP service provider - no pun intended

The verdict is that you do need voip but choice of a Voip service provider should be made wisely. For people who make a lot of phone calls, or share a service among many, should go for a home-phone coupled with VoIP service while a single low usage person should go for no commitment pay-as-you-go plan.