Aug 13, 2006, 11:17 GMT
Berlin - Internet telephony is still falling short on sound quality: calls placed using Voice over IP (VoIP) are frequently cheaper than traditional landline communication, but the signal quality is also nothing close to crystal clear.
This was the finding of German consumer testing organization Stiftung Warentest, which took a closer look at 13 different VoIP offerings recently in its test magazine. The testers also complained that installation of the devices and software needed for VoIP are difficult for the non-technologically gifted.
Internet telephony enables globetrotters to be contacted at a single number no matter where they are. Calls within the network of their own VoIP provider or a partner provider are free. Calls into the landline network are similar to those that can be achieved through dial-around prefix services, but phone calls to cell phones are even more expensive in Germany.
On top of that, there are connection costs for DSL, which should have a download tempo of two megabits per second. Several providers also charge a base fee.
Less technically inclined users are best served by what is known as a softphone. These require only the computer, the software, and a headset. Softphones are also good for people who are frequently online, as an extension of their landline.
An adapter can also be used to run VoIP through a traditional landline telephone. This variant is best for classic telephone callers who want to save money. Those who buy an internet telephone from the start need only a DSL router and no adapter. This solution is also the least technically mature, however.
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