Skype is a service that has grown to massive proportions and many people love it, and of course some hate it. Well regardless of what you think of Skype, there are a bunch of great alternatives, all of which are well worth checking out. Well actually we will only write about the ones worth checking out, but if you know of one that we miss then please let us know.
First up on the list and one that I would recommend you check out is the Gizmo Project. I actually use these guys for call in, and internet calling as well as their IM. Their prices are pretty cheap, its something like 3 bucks a month for a call in number. However, they also offer free 775 numbers which have some really cool features such as:
- Receive calls at more than 1 phone
- Call screening
- Voicemail
- SMS notification
- Fax to your email (this is cool)
- Its Free
Gizmo Project also have pretty cheap call out rates if you want to dial to a land line or mobile, its like 1c a minute in US. The international rates are also good, so I tried a couple calls to test the quality and had no complaints.
The only negative thing I have to say about them is regarding the limits on call out credits. At most you can only buy $20 a week, which is cool if you are just calling in US, thats around 2000 minutes, but it does limit how much you can call internationally, and for someone like me who spends more time talking than doing real work it can be a bummer.
Anyway, check em out!