It is now possible to make a telephone call on the Internet. Though the choice of countries you can call is limited, it includes major centres such as the US, Canada, the UK, Germany and Ireland - and all for the price of a local call. You need an Internet connection, and speakers and a microphone on your computer. The only thing you will have to pay is the price of your Internet connection (the local call rate).
While the quality of these calls is still patchy, it is improving all the time, and more countries are becoming available. Eventually, it should be possible to call Australia on your PC at the local rate. All you have to do is follow these steps:
1. First, go to one of the sites that offers the service (www.Go2call.com and www.dialpad.com are two).
2. You will be asked to register, and be given a username, password and an option to set up a personalised address book.
3. On a touch-button phone icon which appears onscreen, dial the number you wish to call by moving your cursor over the digits and clicking (you must use the international code, even to make an Irish call).
4. Clicking on the "go" or "dial" button. connects you to the phone you have dialled.
5. You can then converse almost as normal, but be aware that sound quality is below the standard of a normal phone, and callers should try not to speak simultaneously for fear of an interrupted signal.
6. When you are finished, click on the end-call button to hang up.