With the variety of phone packages available, free calls are something many of us have got used to in recent years. However, calling abroad can be quite expensive – especially if you’re calling a mobile number rather than a landline – but there is a way to significantly reduce (or eliminate entirely) your international call costs.

You can make phone calls over the internet, which can be far cheaper, using VoIP (which stands for Voice over Internet Protocol).

There are many different providers to choose from and what you pick will depend on your needs. Do you want to pay cheaper rates on international calls or do you just want to chat for free with friends who are already signed up to a particular VoIP service? Are you happy to make calls through your computer, using your microphone and speakers or a headset or ‘USB phone’ plugged into your computer, or would you prefer to use a handset like you use with a landline?

If you just want to chat with friends who already use a VoIP system, such as the well-known Skype for example, it’s a simple process. Firstly, go to the relevant provider’s website and download software on to your computer to enable you to make calls. Then register for an account and a username, and add your friends as contacts. You will be able to see when they are online and you simply use the internal microphone and speakers on the computer, or plug in a headset or USB phone. You then click on your friend’s name and, assuming they answer, you can chat away for free.

If you have a webcam on your computer you can turn this on and whoever you’re talking to can see you.

Many other systems work in this way, even email providers. Gmail, the email arm of Google, has a facility where its users can talk with other Gmail or Google Talk users, using video as well if they wish. Yahoo! also allows its email users to call each others’ PCs and also allows calls out for a fee.

However, things get a tiny bit more complicated if you want to make calls at cheaper rates. There are many international VoIP brands, including a few Irish ones such as Freespeech.ie and Blueface.ie.

International calls can be made through a subscription service or pay-as-you-go options. Savings can be made but it is very important to compare the costs of varying VoIP and landline providers to ensure that you are getting the best deal for your needs.

As well as making calls out, it’s also possible to receive calls from normal phones by purchasing ‘internet numbers’, which have the same area code as the area in which you live.

Once you get used to making cheap or free calls through your PC, you’ll want to do the same when the PC is off. If you have a broadband router, you can buy special phones or equipment that enable you to make calls when your broadband is on but your PC is off.

To do this, you will need to purchase – through the online shop of your VoIP provider, eBay, Amazon or any online VoIP accessory store – an ATA adaptor or an IP phone/dualphone.

The ATA adaptor plugs into your existing touch-tone phone; the IP phone/dualphone plugs into your broadband router and works as a regular phone (if you have a landline) and an internet phone (once your broadband is on).

However, if you’re one of the tens of millions of Skype customers worldwide, you may need to buy a phone that works specifically with Skype. This may not work with another VoIP provider so check these details before making a purchase.

Although it may sound very technical and too difficult for an average PC user to set up, it is not. Just follow the instructions given. Remember though, to make and receive calls using VoIP, your broadband needs to be on.

There are downsides to using VoIP; you may not be able to contact emergency services or directory enquiries so, if these are important to you, see if you can find a VoIP provider that offers these services.

Broadband speed is also important. Try the free options before you spend any money – there’s no point calling someone at a reduced rate if the sound is garbled because your broadband isn’t fast enough.