Free Calls to POTS Phones from Skype

Two posts in one night!

Catching up on my email for a minute, I noticed that Skype had sent me a note saying that they were offering free calling to POTS (land line) and cell phones until the end of the year.

If you aren't familiar with Skype, it is a free VoIP service, offering free calls between computers and calls to normal phones for a fee. They also offer you the option of registering an incoming number for a fee as well. I did a round up of VoIP services quite awhile ago, which you can view here.

Skype is very simple to use, just install it (they have installers for most common operating systems/platforms) and you will be prompted to create an account. From there you can dial the echo tester (echo123), or during this promotion any other phone number (you will need a microphone/speakers or a headset). Skype is P2P based, and usually works very well. If you use the Windows version you can try out a large 100 person voice chat, similar to someplace between a conference call and live radio. Some versions also support webcams and file transfers, check out the Skype website for more info.

Give Skype a try, but I would encourage you to check out some of the other options if you are looking for VoIP, I like FreeWorldDialup, but its hard to setup. GizmoProject is another good option, and is easier to work with. Unlike Skype, both are based on the open SIP protocol, allowing you to use your own client if you want to.

Edit: More info about the promotion from a blog on Skype.com here.