Cell Phones Emporium

The world of long distance calls and local calls have changed drastically in the past 10 years. No longer are traditional phone lines and cell phones the only way to go!

A popular technology that has been transforming the Telecommunication Industry and is set to dominate the Internet Services market is voice over internet protocol (VoIP).

With this amazing technology it is possible to make unlimited free local and international phone calls.

So what exactly is VoIP?

Voice Over Internet Protocol offers a simple way to make Internet phone call using any Internet connection. 10 years ago no one would have imagined that Internet phone calls would become so easy and cost-efficient! Now there are millions of users all over the world making free long distance calls using popular, free voip services and software.

Free pc to phone calling is really a revolutionary step in the history of Internet innovations.

First Release of VoIP Geochronology

First releases of VoIP meant users had to download software, also known as soft phones or sip phones and install it on a computer. If two users wanted to make free internet phone calls they had to be at their computers, listen through headsets and talk via microphones. Today voip technology has improved to the point where free local and international phone calls can be made using traditional landlines and mobile phones without the use of personal computers and software.

Many of us have heard of Skype, they were early pioneers of voip technology, it is estimated that at one point Skype had over 30 million registered users. Since those early days many other voip service providers have joined the market, including all of the big traditional telephone service providers such as AT&T and many others all over the world. These established companies were, in the main, slow to adopt the emerging technology.

Changing Landscape of Telecommunication Industry

In the past, Telecommunication services were provided either by Government bodies or large multinational companies due of the huge investment in infrastructure required to provide these services. With the internet and voip technology it is now possible for a small one-man operation to provide online services offering free phone calls to anyone, anywhere in the world. Such services include pc to phone calls, pc to pc calls, pc to cell phone, online conferencing, free efax and free SMS. These service providers can be found all over the Internet.

Who is paying for your free phone calls?

As the saying goes “no such thing as a free lunch” this also applies to free Internet phone calls. In order to use voip a user must have an Internet connection and this, in most cases, have to be paid for.

Most voip providers offering free phone calls will impose some limitation on the amount of free time customers can use, commonly referred to as “fair usage policy”, before they are charged for the service. Other restrictions may also apply in the way free phone calls are used; such as restricting calls only to other users in the same network or restricting free calls to certain countries.

As well as the restrictions noted here, some providers are charging advertisers and sponsors for advertisements which are then played to users before they can actually make free phone calls in the network.

However, when the service ceases to be free, the amount charged are extremely low rates compared to tradition telephone rates and especially so when compared to mobile phone rates. At many providers, rates as low as $0.03 cents per minute for international calls can be found.

How You Can Make Free Phone Calls

For those who are familiar with computers and are prepared to download and setup the software themselves, free phone calls are definitely possible. All you need is the computer, software and a gateway from a service provider, the person you want to call also need to have the same compatible setup on their computer.

Looking for a traditional cell phone? Check out this Samsung i900 review.

When a cell phone is purchased from a wireless carrier, the phone is invariably locked to that particular network. This means that if you wish to switch to another wireless network you cannot take your phone with you, no matter how much you paid for it, unless you get the phone unlocked. The better option, with less hassle, is to purchase something like an unlocked used cell phone or refurbished treo ahead of time.

There are several benefits to buying an unlocked refurbished treo from a third party vendor ; that is, a phone not purchased directly from your carrier.

1. You will not be locked into a contract with your chosen carrier. The phones that are offered by carriers are sold to consumers at deep discounts; however, to take advantage of the free or deeply discounted cell phones you are forced to agree to a two year contract. If you opt to switch to another carrier before your contract is up you will be charged a heavy early termination fees, anywhere from $250 to $500. When you bring your own phone to the carrier you can simply select the plan you want, activate your SIM card with your unlocked refurbished treo, and you’re good to go.

2. When you shop for an unlocked cell phone you have the option to pick any phone you want, with all of the features you are looking for in a phone. The line-up offered by the carriers is often limited to around thirty phones. There is nothing wrong with the phones offered by the carriers; however, they may not be the exact phone with all of the features you are looking for. Picking an unlocked cell phone from another source will open you up to a much larger selection such as used blackberry. Be sure that all of the features on the phone you select will operate with your selected carrier.

3. Not only will your unlocked phone be one you can take with you to another domestic carrier, but should you travel overseas you will be able to take it with you; simply pop your new prepaid SIM card into your phone. Doing this will save you a small fortune in international roaming charges, and save you from having to purchase a new phone while in your temporary location.

4. Should you opt to later upgrade to a new phone you will find that you’ll have more luck selling an unlocked phone , simply for the fact that it is unlocked. There is a great demand for used unlocked cell phones that are in good working condition.

The benefits to owning an unlocked cell phone are many. Next time you are in the market for a new phone, I strongly urge you to consider going the unlocked phone route to save yourself some troubles in the long run.