VoIP solutions offer cheap way of calling from overseas

Consumers heading overseas and looking to keep in contact with friends and family back home with cheap phone calls could opt for a VoIP solution.

VoIP hardware uses the internet to transmit phone calls and can be free when communicating between two computers or cheaper than standard calls when using a mobile handset, reports the Telegraph.

As the recession has made people much more cost-conscious, VoIP solutions can be an ideal way to communicate on a budget and can also be an effective strategy for businesses to reduce their running costs.

Alternatively, texting is usually a cheaper way to keep in touch than a phone call, while many mobile networks also offer competitive roaming charges that reduce the cost of making calls from abroad on a mobile phone.

VoIP solutions could be taken advantage of by more businesses in the coming months as firms prepare for the winter months and another potential outbreak of swine flu that could force many people to work from home.