2
MOST EXPERIENCE
VONAGE, the granddaddy of Internet phone companies, was the first to present a replacement for traditional phone service. You can port
your existing numbers to your Vonage account, and and you can even extend your Vonage home calling rates to your mobile phone at no additional cost with Vonage’s Extensions. There is has no initial activation fee. You simply plug your landline phone into it and then connect the box to your Internet source.
Vonage off ers several domestic
(United States and Canada) and international dialing plans — some with unlimited calling to various countries.
3 MOST VERSATILE
GOOGLE VOICE, a software-based system
backed by mighty Google, has an astonishing number of remarkable, customizable features. For example, if someone calls your Google Voice number, you can have all of your phones (work, home, mobile) ring, or some or none of them ring, depending on the time of day or the person calling. Voicemail is automatically
transcribed into text for free, so if you’re in a meeting or a theater, you can read messages instead of listening to them. You can call any U.S. or Canada phone for free, and there are low international rates. However, you can’t place 911 emergency calls. All features are free, except for international calls.
4 MOST POPULAR
SKYPE is the most popular video phone service, but it can be used
for voice-only calls as well. Simply download Skype software onto your computer and you are good to go. If the person you are calling also has
Skype installed, you can make free Skype-to- Skype voice/video calls worldwide as well as send and receive photos, videos, and other files for free. If you spring for a premium account (starting at $4.99 a month) Skype will let you set up a video call with up to 10 people simultaneously. Skype can’t be used for emergency 911 calling, however.
MAY 2013 | NEWSMAX MAXLIFE 67 5
MOST COMPACT
MAGICJACK PLUS is a small box you plug your
phone or computer into for making calls. It sells for $70. The cost: $19.95 for an entire year of domestic calling. MagicJack Plus doesn’t have all
the features of a Google Voice or Skype, but it is a very small device — a bit smaller than a deck of cards — and it gets the job done. Since MagicJack Plus is so small, you can take it anywhere in the world. For that reason it is popular among world travelers. The service supports free international calls back to U.S. and Canadian phone numbers. (But there is per-minute pricing when calling to foreign countries.) You can also
move your existing phone number to your MagicJack Plus account. The service includes free voicemail, call waiting, caller ID, call forwarding, directory assistance, and 911 service. There are mixed reviews on Amazon, and users posting online in forums either love it or hate it.
WIFI ICON, COMPUTER/ISTOCKPHOTO / VONAGE BOX/COURTESY OF VONAGE / COUPLE/BLEND IMAGES/SUPERSTOCK
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