One thing that I have enjoyed so much here in Japan is the ability to make phone calls over the Internet.The bandwidth this side is very good. I am now able to make those free PC-to-PC Skype calls. I have had several conference calls with friends in other countries already. Apart from Skype, there is a wide range of other companies offering VoIP services.Their rates are generally low such that I talk with friends and relatives back in Malawi for long periods.

Apart from Skype, I also use Vyke and Nationalcallingcards. As of today (19 July, 2008, 21:00hrs-Tokyo Time), the PC-to-phone rates on these services are as follows:

• Skype -  9.9 US cents/min (including VAT)
• Vyke - 17.5 US cents/min
• Nationalcallingcards - 5.8 US cents/min

Note: I got these rates from the companies’ websites. They apply to both Malawi landlines and mobile phones.These rates may change at anytime especially when they realize that their competitors are offering cheaper rates.

Because Nationalcallingcards offers the cheapest rates for PC-to-phone calls, I am now sticking to them until such a time when another company offers cheaper rates than them. Just today, a friend of mine has introduced me to Nonoh who offer web call services just like Vyke and Nationalcallingcards do. Nonoh’s major advantage is that they offer free landline and mobile phone services to the following countries: Canada, China, HongKong, Singapore and USA. They also offer free landline phone services to the following countries: Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Japan, Malaysia, New Zealand, Panama, Peru, Rusia,  South Korea, Taiwan and almost all European countries. Compared with Nationalcallingcards‘ web call rate ( 7.5 US cents/min ) from Japan to Malawi, Nonoh’s rates are on the higher side as shown below:

• Malawi (Landline) - 8.3 eurocents/minute
• Malawi (cell) - 29.8 eurocents/minute

Therefore, Nationalcallingcards will continue to be my preferred VoIP service. But I will get nonoh on board so that I should be making  free calls to my friends and relatives who are staying in countries to which Nonoh is offering free landline and/or mobile phone services.

If you know VoIP companies that offer cheaper or free calls, please leave a link in the comment section. Also feel free to share with me and other readers your experience with VoIP services.No spammers, please because I will delete any spammy comments without notice.

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