SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY Fire the BY RICHARD GRIGONIS I t’s possible to shrink your phone bill
dramatically — even all the way down to zero — by using the Internet instead of a traditional phone company to make calls.
You can do this in one of two ways: by downloading software onto your computer or cellphone (cheap or free, easy to do, but sometimes spotty voice quality) or by purchasing a device that hooks into your computer or phone (higher cost, better quality).
Software-based services continue to be the least expensive way to make a call over the Internet. You just download them, install them, and you’re off and running. User experience can vary, however, depending on the quality of your Internet connection. If you are running app versions of these on your Wi-Fi-enabled mobile
phone, you can conserve your mobile minutes. Examples include Skype and Google Voice.
Hardware-based services, which
use boxes into which you plug your phone and Internet connection, tend to have a bit higher quality, as there is more of a technical infrastructure supporting them. Instead of sending calls entirely over the Internet, they have private networks. Caveats with many of these types
of products and services include the following: calls end when power failures strike (unless you have a battery backup) and most 911 emergency services do not function the same — if at all. Here is a ranking of some of the
most well-known services, both software- and hardware-based.
66 NEWSMAX MAXLIFE | MAY 2013 MOST SECURE 1
OOMA is a device-based company that supports free calls within U.S. and low-rate international calls. Consumer Reports placed Ooma’s
phone service at the top of its rankings in terms of quality and support. The Ooma Telo is a little black box with a speaker and various buttons that give
you a shortcut to voicemail. Optional Wi-Fi and Bluetooth adapters are available. The box costs $179, but is often discounted. There are monthly charges, but they can be as low as only a few dollars and are much less than you’d pay a traditional phone company for the same services. The company has spent
considerable eff ort in providing high voice quality. Since all Internet phone systems suff er from security concerns, Ooma has cleverly incorporated government-grade call encryption technology into their system to provide you with unprecedented privacy. Unlike many such services, Ooma does provide 911 emergency calling.
Phone Company
You can keep your landline and make calls cheap with Internet services. ::
P.65: AFP/GETTY IMAGES / P.66: PHONE/ATOMIC IMAGERY/GETTY IMAGES / OOMA BOX/COURTESY OF
OOMA.COM
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