Make Free Internet Calls From Your Regular Phone With Internet Phone Wizard

Telephone communication just got easier --- and cheaper --- with the Actiontec Internet Phone Wizard, a small hardware device from Actiontec Electronics that enables consumers to make and receive free or low-cost Internet phone calls from a regular phone using Skype Technologies' Internet calling service. It is the first solution that allows the same phone to be used for both regular and Internet calls, avoiding the complications of needing separate handsets for each.

With the Skype-enabled Internet Phone Wizard, there is no need to pay monthly subscription fees to a commercial Internet calling service for the privilege of making Internet calls over a standard phone. Nor is there a need to be tethered to your PC and hooked up to a headset to take advantage of Skype's service. You can use your regular corded or cordless phone to call any Skype user for free and everyone else at low SkypeOut rates.

As a bonus, you get a second phone line absolutely free. If a family member is on a landline call in one room, you can pick up your Skype-connected phone in another, tap a few buttons, and make an Internet call on the spot.

Just plug the Internet Phone Wizard into your PC and phone, connect to Skype via the Internet, pick up your phone, and dial anyone on your Skype "Speed-Dial" list. The Wizard will automatically dial the number using the free Skype service, essentially moving the Skype call from the PC to the phone for a more natural interaction. If you receive a regular call while you're on the Skype conversation, press the # key twice to put the first call on hold and pick up the second.

If you're calling friends, relatives or colleagues who don't have access to the Internet to use their free Skype service or haven't yet hopped on the Skype bandwagon, you can use the Internet Phone Wizard to make a low-cost SkypeOut call from your regular phone to any phone anywhere in the world. You still save money because SkypeOut charges at local rates, even if you're calling overseas.

Calls made with the Internet Phone Wizard are as clear as regular connections, thanks to the latest echo-cancellation technology. Speed dialing is integrated for fast calling. No network configuration, change in firewall or router settings, or external power supply is required. Power is provided by the USB port of the user's PC.

"Using the Internet to make phone calls clearly saves money, but until now the fact that you couldn't use the same phone for both landline and online calls was a major drawback," said Gunjan Bhow, Actiontec's Vice President of Marketing. "The Internet Phone Wizard solves that problem for the first time, enabling consumers to take advantage of free Internet calling services like Skype while not losing any of the convenience or benefits provided by their regular phone."

The Actiontec Internet Phone Wizard will be available at http://www.actiontec.com in January for $69.99.

Related stories:

Internet phone fits inside laptop
There are literally dozens of Internet phone services these days. These services use a technology known as Voice over Internet Protocol, or more commonly "VoIP." The idea behind VoIP is fairly simply to understand but highly complex to make happen. I still don't think it's ready for prime time but it's getting better.
New Nokia N810 Internet Tablet hits store shelves
Nokia announced today that the new Nokia N810 Internet Tablet has begun shipping nationwide in the United States. With a new slide-out keyboard, built-in GPS, digital audio/video playback and Wi-Fi capability for VoIP calling, the Nokia N810 provides the functionality of a traditional computer but all in one sleek, stylish and portable device.
Net Neutrality Debate Goes Wireless
At the Voice Over Network (VON) show this week in San Jose, the net neutrality debate shifted to the wireless spectrum. How much control should wireless carriers have over their "unwired mile" of the Internet?
Free VoIP might not lead to profits
Big Telecom has been rattled by the advent of Internet phones, especially following the roaring success of the Luxembourg-based Voice over Internet Protocol provider Skype over the past few years. Yet while Skype has cashed in on its success by being bought out by online auction house eBay for $2.6 billion, there is growing concern among industry analysts that while VoIP might be a great service for users, it may not actually be a very profitable business, at least for now.
Lots of options available to VoIP users
The Internet phone industry is growing at an exponential rate and today boasts more than 4 million users, more than doubling in the past year. But as the number of users increases, so does the number of providers.
Skype joins in self-censoring in China
From the White House to business leaders in Seattle, policymakers and executives across the United States have been rolling out the red carpet for Chinese premier Hu Jintao. But even as the leader of one of the world's fastest-growing economies is feted, frustration about the country's policies ranging from its foreign-exchange regime to its human-rights record continues to mount.
Skype's $27M gamble for voice technology
Even for the technically challenged, making calls over the Internet is no longer a daunting task, and the cheap price offered by Voice over Internet Protocol providers has made VoIP a must for many long-distance phone users.
Hotmail banks on speed for better service
It's free and available worldwide, but Hotmail isn't known for its speedy access. What's more, if you're a dialup internet user, particularly in a developing country, the situation is worse. But the seemingly endless wait for Hotmail connectivity will soon be over, or at least the company is hoping.

News discussion:

Antiskype in Electronic Devices news