So VoIP can Reduce my Phone Bill, so what
Over the years I have had many, many disagreements and punch-ups with telephone companies and their agents. Admittedly, I am quite fanatical about Customer Service and when I pay for a product or service, I expect suppliers to try their hardest to deliver what they’ve promised.
At the risk of starting a Race War, and perhaps my own extradition, I suggest that the general standard of customer service in this country is decidedly average. A while ago it was the done thing for a company to display copies of their Mission Statement all over the place. The tone of the statement would generally indicate how much the company and staff appreciated their customers. At first I was delighted that companies would go to the trouble of producing these good-news documents. Alas, I found that in many cases they were merely paying lip-service to the concept.
Maybe my expectations are too high, but in fairness, I try my damnedest to give top-class service when I am the provider, so when I’m paying the tab, why should I settle for anything less? Anyway, rightly or wrongly, my past dealings with them have left me with a bad taste in my mouth. So when I hear of a chance to save a few quid on my phone bills, I’m there with “bells on.”
Before I started looking into VoIP, my phone conversations had been handset to handset. I have friends and family in the UK and some contacts in the US and New Zealand, and the procedure usually went something like this: - I’d dial the appropriate number, talk to whoever answered for a few minutes; they’d then pass the handset to whoever else was available and I’d ‘do the rounds’. Of course, where there was a second handset available, three-way or even 4-way conversations were possible.
One of the cute things that VoIP has enabled me to do has been to set up conference calls; recently I took part in a training seminar with over 90 people on the call. They hailed from Canada, UK, Mexico, USA, Alaska, Jordan and Germany and God knows where else.
Now I know that phone companies offer conference call facilities using just the telephone, but with VoIP, conversation is just the beginning. In my training room I can run Powerpoint presentations, use a whiteboard, swap files instantaneously and play videos. I can even share my desktop; in other words, I can open any file on my computer with the flick of a switch, it can be seen by everyone else on the call. Similarly, if they are having a problem on their computer, with their permission, I can access their machine and correct the problem for them.
If you think this technology is just a “flash in the pan”, consider this. SKYPE, one of the earliest suppliers of VoIP, was recently purchased by Ebay for a staggering $4,100,000,000.
Of course, the real challenge is in finding an economical way to gain access to this technology. A search for “VoIP” on Google will return “about 294,000,000 results”. And of course, in case Uncle Bill should miss the boat, Microsoft has its version now available. It’s called Live Meeting, and judging by the hefty price tag, seems to be targeting the corporate world.
I’d like to finish by offering a word of caution to smaller players, especially exporters who can see the potential in VoIP. The old adage about “getting what you pay for” just isn’t true in this business. Some companies have a fixed monthly charge; some base their charges on time used; some base their price on the number of people on the call.
So, for those who remember Hill St Blues; “Let’s be careful out there.”
Regards,
Tom
The UK Broadband Revolution Continues
Who would have thought two years ago that we would be able to get broadband for free? Those were the days when it cost on average
Tags: broadband, digital televison, home phone, internet providers, telecommunications, ukMake That Call Home With A Phone Card
If you are an immigrant or naturalized citizen of the United States, but from the Philippines, what is the best way for you to call home without breaking the bank? Most of my Philippine friends and acquaintances have found that a Philippine phone card can be the best answer. Calling overseas to anywhere is not a cheap thing to do, with prices running up as high as a dollar or two per minute. There has to be a better way, then, right?
A Philippine phone card is really the best answer. Phone companies produce the phone cards with lower minute rates because you are paying up front for the time. Since they have their money in advance, the per minute price on a Philippine phone card is really more reasonable than with anything else. They are offered through a variety of companies and service providers, but most are fine since you are going through a Philippine phone card instead of a phone plan.
So where do you find a Philippine phone card? Well, the best place to start off is like with most anything else these days: the internet. There, you will find a number of Philippine phone cards available for purchase. Use your favorite search engine to search for them. Your other option is to just look for international calling websites or even the websites of specific phone service providers worldwide. Take your time and search thoroughly to make sure you get the best possible price on your Philippine phone card.
The second good place to look for Philippine phone cards is at your local stores. Many Philippine stores or grocery suppliers will offer Philippine phone card at their check out line. You may also find them at gas stations and department stores located in prominent Philippine neighborhoods. Ask the clerks as well since sometimes if they don’t have the cards they may know of another place that might.
Fourth, consider asking friends and family. If you are from the Philippines, you likely have friends or family of the same descent as you. They may be aware of good places to purchase or order Philippine phone cards. They will also know where the best prices are and who offers the best service on their cards. By talking with friends and or family you will save yourself a lot of the research above. That is, assuming that they did their research.
Being an immigrant is not easy, so it is important to you to keep in touch with your friends and family. Simply picking up your phone and dialing overseas can cost you a fortune. However, you can always look into buying a Philippine phone card. With it you can save yourself a lot of money.
If you would like to find more of my personal articles on phone cards please check out my website on international phone cards!
Tags: broadband phone, international phone cards, philippine phone, philippine phone card, phone cards, voip « Previous Entries