A Guide To Internet Telephone Calls

If you are a computer owner with family or friends on the other side of the world or just in another area of the UK, you may keep in touch via email. However if you are not yet using the internet to talk to and even see them, you're missing out on a cheap and enjoyable way to share your news.

You can talk over the internet to anyone in the world for free using internet telephone or 'VoIP' software. We explain how to get started with Skype, one of the most popular programs.

In addition to a computer with internet connection, you will need a microphone, and either speakers, built-in speakers or a headset.

Begin by downloading the software from the Skype website, using the set-up wizard to install it on your PC with the correct settings.

Choose a Skype name, that people will use to call you on Skype.

You can now make a free test call. Check that your microphone and speakers are switched on.

To begin chatting, find friends and family who use Skype. You can search by name, email address, location, or other criteria. The 'Global User Directory' is a giant search-friendly phonebook of Skype users everywhere. You can also use the 'Send Contacts' feature to acquire and share contacts.

Video calling is simple to set up and offers a great way to see friends and colleagues. Making a video call using Skype requires a webcam.

Install the software for the webcam and then plug in the webcam to the computer. Skype will automatically detect the webcam and offer a way to test the webcam to ensure everything is working correctly. Once that is done, any Skype call can include video.

You and several friends or family members can easily join in one big conversation.

To include multiple Skype contacts in the same call, click the button in the Skype window and add the desired contacts. Skype can conference up to 5 people in a call on any computer and up to 10 people in one call if the people on the call are using a PC with an Intel Duo Core Processor.

You can log into Skype from anywhere in the world, so if you are traveling you can find out what's going on back home and how pets or plants are doing.

Other free Skype features include 'Call Forward' so you can send your calls to up to three other Skype IDs, 'Instant Message' enalbing you to include groups of up to 50 in one chat, file transfer allowing you to instantly send and receive big, hard-to-send files safely, and call logging that keeps track of both calls and chats.

Using Skype to dial an ordinary phone or mobile phone could save you money. Normally there is a charge for this service. From within Skype calls can be made to ordinary or mobile phone numbers using SkypeOut starting at less than than one penny per minute.

Having a Skype phone number offers convenience to contacts not on Skype. For approximately £20 per year anyone can obtain a SkypeIn phone number with the area code of choice that will allow contacts outside the Skype network to call directly into Skype. You can also set up Skype Voicemail so people can leave you messages when you are away.

Those without a computer can still use Skype, via a special cordless telephone. However it's unsuitable for emergency calls and therefore not a replacement for your usual telephone service.

Bookmark with:

• Delicious
• Digg
• reddit
• StumbleUpon

Don’t know what this is?

Read the 50connect Guide To Social Bookmarking.