We all know what VoIP (Voice over IP) has brought to our lives. Technology wise it allows you to make cheap calls over Internet as compared to conventional telephone. Still there are many competitors who are trying top attract more and more consumer share in order to build a benchmark.

We have picked two VoIP giants, Skype and Vonage to compare and jotted down a 30 second experience in this review. Let's see if we want Skype or Vonage. If we are going with Vonage which very much gives service equivalent to a traditional phone line, you are very sure to cut down on the telephone bills. Whereas, with skype, you plug the phone into your computer and its FREE.

With Vonage (www.vonage.co.uk), things work they way they do today with you landline with the main differences being

1. Your phone bill will be somewhere £5 - £20 per month
2. Cheap long distance rates
3. Free calling to another Vonage customer
4. Features like Call waiting, forwarding, Caller ID, Voicemail etc
5. A separate device that sits between your computer and broadband internet connection device.
6. Keep you phone number and get access to all emergency numbers
7. A nice web interface with all real-time accounting information
8. A splitter that can be used to get both your VoIP and regular Phone lines intact connected.

Apart from that this device can travel along with you to destinations and can simply plug-in the device with a phone line. That's all and you shall get a home like telephone experience, call wherever you want without changing anything on the device. Being an aggressive company at large scale, Vonage is very competitive in there current prices and would want to assist any business calling needs. Just keep your broadband Internet connection ready before hand.

Now lets see what happens when you plug your phone into your computer and its doesn't cost you anything 'The Skype'. Skype is a softphone which you can download from www.skype.co.uk and install in on your computer. The step is to use it by making calls to other skype members around the world for absolutely nothing. No pain but lots of gain. There are many people worldwide who have tested Skype VoIP communication standards and feel it's the greatest software they have used to contact almost anyone around the world. If you intend to call a regular user with a landline or mobile phone, then buy the credit from the company which is half of what Vonage offers and calls to any international country of your choice. If someone wants to call you on skype, then either they can use to FREE Skype interface -and reach you or now-a-days, many mobile phone company have introduced Skype application which keeps you online always. Buy a Voicemail service to listen to your recorded skype missed calls. Other features includes

1. FREE Skype to Skype calling through web interface
2. Call any landline or mobile at the cheapest rates almost half of Vonage
3. Get your own phone number for almost under £10 per month and get the Voicemail for free
4. Make conference call with 50 members and caller
5. Regular features include Caller ID, call waiting, call forwarding etc.
6. Great add-on like outlook contact, answering machine etc
7. Lots of Skype communities to have fun and not the least
8. An instant messenger with file sharing capabilities