Okay folks. Im sure youve all heard about VONAGE offering calling anywhere in the US for $25 buck a month. Thats a good deal but I have a better one.

But you can get the same kind of service for about $40 a year!

A quick aside about VOIP, if youre asking yourself whats all this hubbub all about heres a brief explanation.

VOIP = Voice Over Internet Protocol still confused?

Basically it works as follows:

VOIP Phone -> Your Computer -> Server -> landline phone

When you sign up for VONAGE you buy a phone that looks like a cordless phone & an adapter for your high speed internet connection. Well a week ago a competing service called SKYPE (free to download) launched its 2.5 BETA version allowing SKYPE users to call anywhere in the US or Canada for free. (Save for emergency services)

Now, VONAGE is a great deal but it costs about $300 a year plus hardware. You can buy a real telephone number for SKYPE for about $30 bucks a year. They now offer SKYPE cordless phones that have a USB transmitter that plugs into your computer. (very simple)

Step 1 - Download SKYPE 2.5

Step 2 - Purchase Phone # (see SKYPEIN )

Step 3 - Buy SKYPE Phone

Step 4 - Call Someone (My handle is BritCrit)