Why haven't you reviewed Skype?

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January 22nd, 2009 - Posted by Joe

The following post in our Reader Question series is an actual user submitted question. To maintain the integrity of the original question, we do not edit or change reader questions in any way.

Q: I'm considering VoIP again. Went round the block with SunRocket a couple of years ago and got BURNED! I appreciate your comparison and assume that you're intrests are purely altruistic. You don't have Skyyp listed. I've heard about them a few times but don't really know much about them. Why are they not in your list to compare?

A: We have not included Skype in our current VoIP comparison simply because it is a slightly different type of Internet telephone service than the others we have reviewed. There are essentially two types of VoIP services:

1. Services like Vonage and PhonePower that allow you to make phone calls through your broadband Internet connection using a special router and standard telephone set.
2. Services like Skype that allow you to make calls directly from your PC, usually with a headset with a microphone. We call these "PC Calling" services.

We have found that services like Skype are excellent for making calls where voice quality and reliability are not as important. However, PC calling services are not a viable landline alternative in our opinion.

Services such as Vonage and PhonePower, on the other hand, are very similar to traditional phone service in both call quality, user experience and reliability. These services also offer lots of benefits that landline telephones don't, such as web based voicemail.

So, if you are looking for a cheap and easy way to make quick calls from your PC, Skype is a great option. However, if you need landline quality reception and reliability, then we would recommend a service like Vonage.

You can learn more by visiting our comparison of VoIP Services at NextAdvisor.com