Comparison of VoIP Companies

Skype is a VoIP provider that offers various services for free with options to upgrade to additional services for a monthly fee. You can sign up for Skype for free and you can speak with other Skype users for free as well. If you and the Skype user you are calling have video cameras on your computers, you can have video conversations for free too. Skype offers low rates when calling mobile numbers or landlines around the world, and for an additional fee you can add video conference calling to your account. To use Skype you must have at least a built-in microphone on your computer or a headset.

Vonage is a home VoIP communications service. Using your existing high-speed Internet connection, your home phone and a Vonage adapter, you can make VoIP calls from your regular phone. For a monthly fee, Vonage gives you the option to make unlimited local and long-distance phone calls around the country and offers low rates on international calls as well. Vonage also offers customers various special features that come with their VoIP service, such as 3-way calling, caller ID and call transfer. Visual Voicemail is a Vonage feature that converts voice messages into text email messages that are sent to your phone and computer.

Avaya focuses on providing VoIP communication services that help businesses run more effectively and efficiently. With Avaya IP phone applications, employees can manage their email accounts, check their calendars and check their personal contacts from their IP telephone screen. Employees can also send text and voice messages to individuals or large groups of people from their IP phones as well as navigate through commonly used business applications, such as Microsoft Exchange. Avaya also offers special features geared toward the hospitality industry by allowing hotel guests to use their IP phones to view restaurant menus, check tourist attractions and view hotel services without leaving their rooms.

Phone Power is a VoIP provider that offers its services to individuals as well as businesses. For home use, Phone Power offers a variety of calling plans, such as an international calling plan that gives customers 20 hours of free international calling plus unlimited calls in the U.S. and Canada. A VoIP adapter is required to connect regular home phones to the service. For businesses, Phone Power offers a variety of options and specials features that businesses can choose individually to fit their specific needs. Special features include a toll-free number, call hunt group and voicemail.

ViaTalk offers VoIP services to business and residential clients. For businesses, ViaTalk offers low monthly rates for fax services, equipment use, call waiting and unlimited calling to the U.S. and Canada. For residential clients, ViaTalk broadband phone service plans include wake-up call services, simultaneous ring options and free 411 directory service. With a plan upgrade, customers can make free phone calls to landlines all around the world.

With Net2Phone, residential clients can make an unlimited amount of phone calls to the U.S., Canada and Puerto Rico for a monthly fee. Voicemail, call waiting and caller ID are all standard features with Net2Phone as well as a free adapter for U.S. customers. Net2Phone offers calling cards for international calling to over 250 countries. With the Dialocal International phone number feature, you can choose your phone number from a variety of major cities around the globe. For example, you can elect to have a phone number from Spain so that your Spanish friends and family may call you locally.