Vonage or Skype - which is best?

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VoIP: internet phone services

VoIP services like Skype and Vonage let you make calls to landlines and mobiles over a broadband internet connection. Some services even let you make video calls using a webcam or a mobile phone.

Traditionally VoIP calls have always been made from PC’s and laptops, however in recent years home phones and even mobiles that allow the use of VoIP calls have become more readily available - making VoIP services a cheap alternative for contacting friends and family at home in the UK and abroad.

One of the main benefits of VoIP services is that calls to people using the same service tend to be free. So, if you use Skype and you call someone who’s in Australia and also using Skype, for example, you could save yourself as much as £2.87 for a 10-minute call during the day compared to BT’s international rates.

Other advantages of VoIP services include:

• Call people all over the world for next to nothing, or even free
• Can be used as a second landline, without the need to physically install a line
• Call features such as call forwarding, call waiting, voicemail, caller ID and three-way calling are all available with VoIP
• A VoIP phone number, unlike your regular phone number, is completely portable. Most commonly referred to as a virtual phone number, you can take it with you anywhere you go.

Though there are plenty of plus points for using VoIP, the service does have some drawbacks, including:

• You won’t be able to make calls if there is a power cut - a regular phone is kept in service by a current that comes down your phone line, however with VoIP you will not be able to use your phone if there is a power cut as your broadband router needs electricity
• You may have problems with sound quality and reliability if you have a poor broadband connection
• Some VoIP providers do not allow calls to the emergency services.

While you won’t not be able to ditch your landline completely (as VoIP services need an internet connection to work, and your broadband will need a phone line - unless you go with a Virgin Media cable phone line), switching to VoIP could help you make considerable savings when it comes to making calls - especially long distance ones.

Vonage

Vonage (www.vonage.co.uk) is a low-cost internet phone providers that lets users make phone calls over their existing broadband connection. Internet phone services like Vonage work just like a traditional phone service, in that you use your existing touch tone phone to make calls from your home phone to other home phones or mobiles.

The main difference is that your phone is plugged into a Vonage adapter which is connected to your existing broadband router or modem - no headset required. Unlike some other internet phone providers, the people you call don’t need either Vonage or a broadband connection to receive calls from you.

With Vonage you can add on a range of extra services to your call plan such as:

• Additional phone line
• Virtual phone number
• Transfer your existing phone number over to Vonage
• Choose the dialling code of your new Vonage number.

You’re not tied to your PC with Vonage - your computer doesn’t even need to be on. And if you find the sound quality of your calls is dipping, you can also adjust the amount of bandwidth it uses to improve the quality based on your own bandwidth requirements. This isn’t possible with Skype.

It’s also not possible to make calls to the 999 emergency services using Skype, however with Vonage you can.

Vonage comes with 20 call features too - you can even get your voice messages emailed to you. Take a look at the call plans on offer from Vonage, to see if there is one to suit you:

Skype

Skype is the VoIP service of choice for more than 124 million people around the globe every month. Though Skype is predominantly PC-to-PC based, the service, which launched in 2003, can be used either on your phone, mobile or computer, or even on a TV if you have a television with a Skype app installed.

Unlike Vonage, which requires a minimum monthly subscription, Skype can be used for free, simply by signing up and logging in.

Skype’s free basic service lets you speak, see and instant message other people using the VoIP service. You can even try out group video calls with the latest version of Skype - so you can chat to all your friends and family, wherever they are.

Skype also offers packages that you can subscribe to, on a monthly or pay-as-you-go basis. It is worth trying out Skype’s free Skype-to-Skype calls before you invest in a package though - just to see if you get on with VoIP.

One downside to Skype is that it cannot be used to replace your phone service, and you can’t make emergency calls.

Should I choose Vonage or Skype?

Both Skype and Vonage are free to use if you’re calling someone using the same service as you. However while Skype is generally used on the computer to make calls between users logged into the service, Vonage seeks to normalise the calling experience by allowing you to use a conventional phone to make calls.

Each service has its pros and cons, so it’s important you compare deals and find one that’s right for you.

Video: Save on calls with Vonage

I hope this helps you make a more informed decision Gill - as you’re new to VoIP and internet phone technology, I recommend trialling Skype before deciding whether you want to sign-up for Vonage.

¹ Ofcom, Communications Market Report, August 2010

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If you have a general switching or provider query please email us at ourexpert@homephonechoices.co.uk