How To Use an Internet Phone

Not so long ago, the internet was something we could only connect to if we weren't using our phone line to make a call, but broadband internet connections have changed that. With ADSL broadband you can surf the internet while you speak on the phone - in fact, you're always connected.

With an always-on connection and a much higher bandwidth than the old days of the dial-up modem, it's possible to do remarkable things on a home internet connection. Far from worrying about whether you're preventing someone from making a call, you can make a phone call - to anywhere in the world - over the internet itself.

Using an internet phone can be cheaper than making a normal phone call, and if you're calling another internet phone it's normally free. The quality is typically very good, too, but how does it work, and how do you set it up?

Calling the shots

Traditionally, our phones have worked very simply. We speak into a microphone, which converts the sound of our voice into a tiny electrical signal - the louder our voice, the stronger the signal. This is amplified and sent down a wire to the exchange, from where it's sent down more wires to another telephone that turns the signal back into sound. This works so well that we hardly changed the basics for 130 years.

Internet phones, or voice over IP (VOIP) phones work very differently, though. When we speak, the phone converts the sound of our voice into a stream of data - the louder our voice, the higher the numbers representing it. This is sent over your internet connection in exactly the same way as regular internet traffic (you can find more details about this bit in our Skype, but before you do, you'll need to make sure that you've got the right equipment. For voice calls, you'll either need a working microphone and a pair of speakers, or a special headset that connects via USB. Buying a headset will give you better call quality and privacy and it may be easier to set up. All the same, if you have a laptop computer, you may find that the built-in microphone and speakers are good enough - you can always try them and buy a headset if the results are poor.

A third alternative is to buy a cordless phone that lets you talk on Skype without needing a PC at all. A quick search for 'Skype phone' on an internet shop like Dabs.com should give you a range to choose from. Wi-Fi models cost more than USB ones, but they'll connect to home and public Wi-Fi hotspots, letting you make free calls while you're out and about.

To sign up to Skype, simply visit the Skype website, download the software and sign up for an account. You can search for other friends on the service, or invite distant friends and family to join up. If you have a webcam, you can use that, too.

Sign up for BT Total Broadband