Get The Most Out Of Your VoIP Provider

res and pricing are the two prime considerations inmaking the call only pays for a call to Chicago. If
selecting your VoIP provider and deriving theyou buy a Skype number—an annual
maximum benefit from the product. With mostsubscription will cost you € 30 and a
VoIP users, all the features available in a particularquarterly subscription comes at €
product will rarely if ever be used. All leading10—you also get Free Skype Voicemail
service providers promise a range of featuresbundled in the package.
that look impressive as a marketing strategy, butSkype’s cost plans are uncomplicated, and
often do not deliver as practical options.making a choice is relatively simple. Compare this
“Features” do not always translatewith Lingo’s Home, Office, and
as “benefits.” Pricing is also aInternational plans, and the corresponding plans
relative factor and is linked tofrom Vonage:
“quality” in the long run. Let usFrom this analysis, Lingo emerges as the service
look closely at the packages offered by threethat will save you more on your telephone bill.
market leaders of today: Skype, Lingo, andHowever, to get more out of your VoIP, you
Vonage.need to look at the international pricing because
Skype has three basic usages: a PC-to-PC call,that’s where VoIP scores over a
which is free voice communication between twotraditional connection. If you make frequent
computer users across the world with an Internetinternational calls to Asia, you can take advantage
broadband connection; a paid SkypeOut voice callof Lingo’s Asia package. Lingo’s
from a Skype user to a landline/mobile phone; andinternational rates to individual countries are also
a paid SkypeIn call from a landline/mobile phonelower than those of Vonage, but higher than
to a Skype user. For a home requirement ofSkype. Here is a comparison of the rates for
chatting with family and friends, the Skypethree destinations:
PC-to-PC free call delivers on most promisesSkype has the lowest call rates, but is limited in
made on the official Skype website, including voicefeatures. At the other end of the spectrum is
quality. If you are not against beingVonage, which offers the most consistent call
“wired” to your computer withquality and delivers on features, but is heavier on
your multimedia speakers and headphone, thisyour pocket. Although it loses out on voice quality,
free offer is the best option in this category.Lingo has the features to match Vonage.
However, if your requirement is for a full-scaleThere are a few other features mentioned by
voice service that caters to PC-to-telephone andboth Lingo and Vonage—such as
telephone-to-PC services, you need to step up toAnonymous Call Rejection and Do Not Disturb in
the paid categories. SkypeOut offers a flat globalLingo, and Click-2-Call and Call Hunt in
rate of € 0.017 per minute for some ofVonage—but these are more in the way of
the most popular destinations worldwide, and hascosmetic embellishments than utility tools.
specific rates for other destinations. SkypeIn,The features are many, the utility diverse. To get
which is still in Beta, makes it possible for yourthe most out of your VoIP provider, you need to
family, friends, and business acquaintances toplace the key factors of pricing and features at
reach you from a landline by dialing a numberboth ends of a see-saw, and weigh them with the
assigned to you. SkypeIn charges are independentcornerstone of quality—that will position you
of your location; if you are assigned a Chicagoenticingly in making the right choice and getting
number but are currently in Japan, the partythe maximum out of your service provider.