Thursday, May 22, 2008

Low Rate VoIP: What You Should Know

By Torrie Cantor

It's only natural for people to look for low rate VoIP. Basically though, all forms of VoIP services are already cheaper than the usual telephone service. Since there are many VoIP providers however, service prices also tend to vary. Depending on several reasons and factors, some providers are really cheaper than others. Here are a couple of things you should know about low rates for VoIP.

Free VoIP Services

These days, nothing comes for free anymore. With VoIP becoming more popular, it is hard to imagine that anyone would offer it for free. There are however some instances when VoIP can be had for free. If you are looking for the lowest VoIP rate, nothing can go lower than free. Here are some points to consider about free VoIP services.

- Some providers may offer VoIP for free but only as part of a promo. The free service may not last for long so you should make sure to check the fine print before using VoIP with a provider.

- There are also other providers that offer 100% free VoIP but only for a limited number of places. In some cases, they may limit the number of hours you can use the service. They may also limit the number of IP addresses you can send to.

- There are also a number of small independent VoIP providers that may offer free services with few limitations. These may be small companies though and they may not always offer the features that bigger companies offer. Voice quality may also no be as excellent.

Low Rate VoIP

You may think that free services aren't for you. You may want to have some features that just aren't available in free services. If this is the case, then you might just want to settle on paying for low rates. Again services, with low rates have a couple of considerations:

- Price isn't the only indicator that should influence your decision. The lowest VoIP rates don't always mean that you have a great deal. The low rates may be because a company is not yet well known. It may also be because they really don't offer good services. Before signing up for VoIP providers with low rates, make sure that they have fairly tolerable services.

- You may be able to get lower rates if you choose your features carefully. You may for example, not need 3-way call or redirect call features. If you want to have VoIP simply for making basic, personal and local calls, then you can pick the package with less features so you also pay less.

Checking Out a Comparison Site

Online Comparison - The best way to find the best VoIP rate deals is to go to comparison sites. Various sites rate, rank and review VoIP services. Depending on the site you are on, they may also provide the specific features of various VoIP providers.

Select a comparison site that actually really tests VoIP. Some sites may only offer reviews based on second hand information. An alternative would be to go to a site that has consumer reviews in it.

Low rate VoIP may not be that hard to find. You do have to spend some time though, finding out if you really have a good deal on your hands.

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