Don't mind ads? Lower your phone bill with this free service

A while back, Billeater introduced you to talkster.com, a free service for phone calls. As the Internet continues to evolve at a blinding pace, so do Web-based services. This is the case with Talkster services, which are now offered by former competitor, Rebtel. While you will see some changes with the Rebtel service, you can still make local and international calls for free to participating countries.

To use the new Rebtel service, you simply go to Rebtel.com and register you and the person you want to call. The site will provide you with a local phone number to use and a phone number that is local for your friend. You call your friend and give them the number to call you. While you remain on the line, your friend hangs up and dials the number you gave. From that point forward, the call is free. So, you will pay for a few seconds on long distance time to set up the call, but the rest is as free as it gets!

How else can you make free calls? There are too many ways to count. At least 100 providers are now offering some sort of free call service. The most popular single-use services are GoogleTalk and Skype.

But the term, "free" is used rather loosely when it comes to Internet-based calling. For instance, the "free" calls you get from the regular phone service, Majic Jack, cost you the price of the device itself and a yearly fee. Sure, it's dirt cheap, but it's not free. Another example is the Ooma device, which is sort of a Rolls Royce version of the Majic Jack. At about $250, you get free calls and pay only a few dollars a month for local fees and taxes not associated with Ooma. The company offers perks and enhanced service for additional fees. Now, $250 can seem like quite a lot to lay down at once, but if you are already paying $25 per month for your land line, you start saving money after ten months of use. And unlike the older VoIP systems, Oomla has a system in place that allows you to call 911, even when your Internet connection is down.

If you are not sure where to turn for your free phone calls, try some of the single-use Web based services and see if they meet your needs. If you find you need to make more frequent long distance calls and your cell phone isn't sufficient backup, try devices like the Majic Jack or Ooma.