VOIP Chats It Up

If you're still making calls on a landline phone, you're not just behind the times; you're probably getting ripped off, too. And while some might hesitate to give VOIP (voice over IP) phone service a try, it's never been easier to dip a toe in and test the waters.

Nokia 770

Adding to the already plentiful supply of VOIP service options, Nokia announced today that it's giving its 770 internet handheld a kick in the pants with the addition of Google Talk support. Now you can use this Wi-Fi device to chat with your friends over Google's IM service without racking up costs or using any wireless minutes. Of course, if you want to maintain the convenience of a regular phone, you'll want a service that gives you a regular phone number. That's where AOL comes in.

AIM Phoneline

AOL's instant messaging service, AIM, is already a leading chat client, and now the company is adding voice phone service to the bundle. The newly launched AIM Phoneline service gives you a local phone number you that works with the latest version of AIM, so people can call you and leave voicemails that you can collect from your PC, or you can plug in a headset and take calls live whenever you're online. While the standard AIM service is free, AIM Phoneline runs $9.95 per month after a free 30-day trial.

Skype

Of course, the gold standard in free VOIP service is Skype, which pioneered free internet calling over all sorts of devices, from desktop PC's to notebooks to PDAs. Skype also offers free domestic calls and voicemail through its SkypeIn and SkypeOut services, and international calling for a monthly fee of 10 Euros.

Vonage

But if you really want the convenience of regular phone service with the savings of VOIP, it's hard to beat Vonage, which lets you hook your household phone up to your broadband network for unlimited domestic calling at $25 per month. And with Vonage's IPO just on the horizon, it looks like the service will be expanding even more in the near future.