Does VoIP save me money when I call internationally?

VoIP can save you money on your regular phone, long distance and international calls. There are a couple reasons why?

VoIP is voice over Internet protocol. This process is the calling to a recipient using one of three methods, computer to computer; phone to computer, or phone to phone.

The cost of this type of phone service is less because it uses an existing broadband connection you already have, without affecting the upload and download speeds of your broadband connection.

If you have a broadband connection, DSL, cable, T1 or something like that, you will be able to have a VoIP phone or fax connection with no problems at all.

So now you can see that with using a designated line and going through your existing internet the service providers of VoIP can save you money with the regular phone calls, however how does this affect long distance and intentional calling?

It is also because of current government legislation that favors Internet phone companies. The most recent changes by the FCC mean that individual states will not be able to restrict VoIP companies since they are not classified as phone companies, and this saves everyone money. This is also important because as the technology becomes more mature, prices are expected to continue to fall. There is also no regulated tax allotted to these services as of yet.

Each country has their own usage laws that regulate the phone services and costs. Usually though one low monthly fee will provide you with unlimited calling. This is from international locations to the United States. This also allows for other callers from other countries to call you with little to no fees.

With your outbound calls being sent over the Internet connection you are already paying for, you save line rental costs. For international calls, the provider can be in the destination country and therefore you will be able to bypass the most expensive part of the call.

Outbound calls are sent through the least expensive carriers. This also applies in the instance of international and long distance calling. The carriers are not limited to VoIP or traditional phone services; therefore, the call can be transferred through the least expensive route available.

You can also request a number with an area code that is listed under the international phone numbers that you call most. If you call these numbers, often it will be beneficial and the international calls will come to you and you to them with no additional charge.

PC-to-PC calling is generally completely free. If you call from the computer to a phone internationally there can be a fee or if you call with phone-to-phone VoIP, there can be a fee. However this fee is usually a much lower per minute rate, or even better, it may be included in a monthly package plan that has a certain amount of time planned into it.

There are many different programs available with different VoIP providers. The best way to find out what option will save you money on your international calling is to contact the VoIP companies themselves and do a little homework.

However you will find that with the software for VoIP it is free to contact anywhere in the world as long as the person you are contacting has the same software, a computer and a broadband connection.

If you are not using a computer to computer connection, then with phone to phone or computer to phone the cost is much less due to the lack of fees, connection charges and additional federal charges that would no longer apply that unlike a traditional telephone.