Try a SIP

If all the recent coverage on TV and elsewhere about free phone calls over the net has whetted your appetite…read on.

There are lots of software applications for small businesses and consumers to get on the free phone call bandwagon. One of the most widely known is Skype (http://www.skype.com/) which now boasts well in excess of 13 million users worldwide - and this number is growing by the day.

There are also a growing number of rival applications and hardware solutions for routing calls across a broadband connection. Among the alternatives to Skype is a free open source software package called SipXphone, developed by the Massachusetts-based non-profit organisation, SIPFoundry.org, which is gaining ground with Linux and Windows users.

If you missed our previous round up on free and low cost calls, catch up now.