Free and Cheap Calls Without Skype - NYTimes.com

I suspect Google Voice was the biggest winner in Skype’s disaster this week

Skype keeps its costs down by sending its calls over the Internet using what’s known as Voice over Internet Protocol – VoIP for short. There are loads of VoIP providers.

To name a few alternatives, Fring is a very similar service that, like Skype, allows for voice calls and video calls, often at a price lower than Skype’s.

If you haven’t signed up for Google Voice, the Internet behemoth’s free phone service, I recommend it. Not only does it give you free and low-cost calls, but it also provides a rich suite of services, like voicemail and call forwarding.

Free and Cheap Calls Without Skype - NYTimes.com