A VoIP carrier could save you cash

VoIP phones offer the potential to make telephone calls all over the world for free, Moneywise has said.

Consumers could pay nothing for domestic and international calls made via their computer using IP telephony solutions, according to the personal finance news website.

Moneywise listed the technology as one of its top 20 ways of saving money online, and its editor, Rebecca Atkinson, said that there are a range of VoIP solutions available.

Once the software has been installed, consumers need only access to an internet connection, headphones and a microphone to use VoIP, Ms Atkinson added.

She goes on to explain that, if both the caller and the receiver are using a VoIP carrier, VoIP calls should not cost either party a penny.

"You can speak as long as you like, whenever you like, wherever you like," Ms Atkinson said.

VoIP phones and other alternatives to traditional landline and mobile networks are increasingly being used to make international telephone calls, Ovum said recently.

International calls have traditionally been highly profitable for telecoms companies, but this revenue is now under threat from cheaper options like VoIP solutions, according to the IT industry analyst firm.