Instant Messengers (IM or IMs)
Free Computer to Computer: text, voice and video communicatons. You will need a computer with internet access. You
may also need a
microphone and webcam for voice and video communications.
Other software called, "Multiprotocol IM software" is available to allow you to communicate with users using either MSN,
Yahoo, AOL etc but this is limited to text and voice communications (though this may change). An example is:
Trillian
"PC to Phone"
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CallServe (Mulitple languages) - Easy to use software phone [free software]
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Freshtel (Australian Company) [free software]
"Broadband Phone" or "IP Phone" (or may also include "PC to Phone)"
Cheaper Phone Calls than your ordinary home phone system [pstn system] provided you already have a broadband connection!
- Simply connect a dedicated [Hardware] Broadband Phone to your broadband connection via a router. or
- Simply connect a ordinary analogue home phone via a special adapter to your internet connection via a router. Think
of a "2 port router" as a "double adapter" connecting 2 devices to your internet connection.
With both these options you need to make sure your service provider supports these technologies before you purchase
them.
Additional info on Broadband Phones is available here:
With this new technologies there are new protocols to deal with how the information is sent from your phone or computer
to other phones and computers through the internet. The 2 main protocols are: "SIP" and "H.323" - here is some info for these
protocols.
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SIPCENTER (All you need to know - quite technical)
Broadband Phone Service Providers in Australia
