AOL to Give AIM Users Free Phone Numbers

5 May, 2006 at 7:33pm ET Article published in Tech

It will be interesting to see the effect this has on rival services.

AOL is set to offer its instant-messaging users a free phone number to use for incoming calls, and for a fee, the ability to call regular phones from the software.

The move brings AOL Instant Messenger, or AIM, closer in functionality to voice-oriented applications like eBay Inc.’s (EBAY) Skype and so-called voice over Internet services from Vonage Holdings Corp. and others.

Skype last week reached 100 million registered users. AOL has 80 million registered users of AIM and ICQ, a similar program.

AIM began a decade ago as a text-based chat program and gradually added voice and video communication tools. But without the ability to connect to the regular telephone network, AIM users were largely limited to conducting voice chats with one another.

AOL, the Internet unit of Time Warner Inc. (TWX), will start offering the free numbers this month. It won’t be possible to move existing phone numbers to the service.

AIM will alert users to incoming calls through display windows with ads on the user’s computer screen. When the user is not online, calls will go to voicemail

With all of the different options available these days, it’s getting harder and harder to justify sticking with “traditional” phone service.

Source: Associated Press

Comments

6 May 2006 ~ 11:19am ...or work for a company that already uses Cisco or similar VoIP. Connect to the corporate network with a cisco pix 501 firewall, and hook up a cisco phone and you got yourself a free phone service. (granted you have high speed internet and company provides all equipment)
6 May 2006 ~ 11:49am Esso Using Skype you can actually use the computer for VOIP.
It's also free of charge, peer to peer setup.
You only need an account to make phone calls to the switch network.

During this time you are able both to surf and talk at the same time.
It cost nothing to talk to a person in USA or Canada from Sweden, using skype.

There is also the possibility to send crypted files, peer to peer of course.
But the transfer speed is not high.

Interesting that AOL is going to start VOIP as well.

Note:
But one major drawback with Voice Over Internet "VOIP", is the lack of stability to make emergency calls.
6 May 2006 ~ 4:04pm Enverex and the fact that 95% of people don't have access to VOIP. I don't know a single person I could call (within this country) if I set up VOIP.
6 May 2006 ~ 4:08pm Thrax VoIP can dial landline.
6 May 2006 ~ 4:11pm Enverex What is the definition of VoIP? From what previous things I'd seen I assumed it was basically any program that was like a clone of a phone that allowed you to "call" other users (assuming they were using a compatible program) and then talk to them as if using a phone. Basically phone over the net. Or is there some other properly established VoIP that I'm not aware of? (I've heard of Cisco hardware and such for it which is what confused me a little before other than expecting there to be "phones" that aren't normal phones but use your existing internet connection to do the same style thing.
6 May 2006 ~ 6:19pm Esso Skype works likes this.

You have an audio card installed in your computer to begin with, I'm using the internal DFI Ultra-D sound circuits, connected to one head set with microphone.

You install the Skype software.
Create the account, lets say Enverex plus creating password.
Make an note of it in case you need to reinstall skype.
Then you make an test call to make sure your system works.
6 May 2006 ~ 6:22pm Enverex I know how Skype works, I'm not stupid. I was refering to what Thrax was on about, the actual proper definition of VoIP.
6 May 2006 ~ 6:33pm Esso Sorry.

VoIP = Voice Over Internet Protocol

You can find more information here ....
http://www.fcc.gov/voip/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/VoIP
http://electronics.howstuffworks.com/ip-telephony.htm

And here is the product that I have being testing during my time at Ericsson ///
http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0EIN/is_1999_April_14/ai_54368812
6 May 2006 ~ 7:46pm RWB Yeah VOIP is great for those on the go, alot of people I "support" are VOIP users(I work as support for like 80+ hotels across America) these people plug in the VOIP and geet free phone usage anywhere they go.. and call anywhere.
6 May 2006 ~ 8:02pm Thrax

Enverex wrote:

What is the definition of VoIP? From what previous things I'd seen I assumed it was basically any program that was like a clone of a phone that allowed you to "call" other users (assuming they were using a compatible program) and then talk to them as if using a phone. Basically phone over the net. Or is there some other properly established VoIP that I'm not aware of? (I've heard of Cisco hardware and such for it which is what confused me a little before other than expecting there to be "phones" that aren't normal phones but use your existing internet connection to do the same style thing.

The Vonage service here in the states, for example, uses an existing DSL or Cable connection to convert voice data to IP information, which gets (Through some internet faeries I'm yet unaware of) transmogrified into a landline phone signal. It's literally as easy as hooking up your VoIP-aware router/switch to your cable/DSL connection, and plugging in your TCP/IP phone. You dial numbers in a traditional fashion, people can dial you, etc. The great thing is that you can keep your phone number anywhere you go, because the number is not tied to the phone line, but your VoIP account.
6 May 2006 ~ 8:07pm Enverex I suppose the problem here is people's fear of technology in general added to the fact that for most people, a standalone basic handset that can't crash is easier to use than a program on their PC that needs to be set-up and with Windows being Windows. The lack of Joe Bloggs needing to call the opposite side of the world at peak times also probably makes people think they don't really need it. I think I've used it once or twice, but for general use I tend to prefer standard text IMs (to people that may possible have VoIP).

I'm sure landlines will be eventually replaced by them, but at the moment it seems like another one of "those computer internet fads" to the average person (that and I've not heard/seen/read a single advert for VoIP over here).
6 May 2006 ~ 8:20pm profdlp My dad will be 74 years old next month and is not exactly an "early adopter" when it comes to new technology, but he took to VoIP (in his case SunRocket) without blinking. One of my nieces lives in Japan and the money he saves on calling her nearly pays for the entire service.

He just bought a new house and was able to keep the phone number he's had since 1966. Also, the service does not rely on Windows to function. For that matter, you don't need to own a computer at all. The device plugs into his cable modem and grabs its own IP Address straightaway. There is an extra port on the gizmo which he plugs his router into, allowing for the standard NAT capability for his computers. Since that is downstream from the VoIP business it doesn't matter what the status of his computer is (On, Off, not connected at all) - the thing still works. With a cheap UPS in the mix, he also does not lose his phone service during a power outage.
6 May 2006 ~ 8:37pm Esso Just so that it will not be missed.

Emergency calls and VoIP is not 100 % proof.
The fixed network works when the power line is down, VoIP does not.
You need to be able to have battery backup at home (as profdlp mentioned)

I don't have battery backup (UPS), but I can still use my cell phone.
That of course if its charged.

They seems not to mention it but it is really important, when it comes to saving lives.

profdlp good solution for your fathers VoIP setup.
6 May 2006 ~ 9:33pm profdlp

Esso wrote:

Just so that it will not be missed.

Emergency calls and VoIP is not 100 % proof...

It was well after cell phones became ubiquitous that having emergency numbers available to all users became a reality. I would imagine that the day is not far off when this situation is corrected for VoIP as well. (Though until it is, that's an important thing to keep in mind if you're going to rely on it as your sole source of telephone use.)
7 May 2006 ~ 4:44am Enverex That would actually make VoIP pointless to an extent. If you can't make emergency calls on it then you'd need a landline still, and even if you don't use the landline it's still going to cost around £12 monthly so you'd end up paying the price of 2 phone services still.
7 May 2006 ~ 1:40pm profdlp Most people do have cell phones these days.
7 May 2006 ~ 1:56pm Enverex But they say you shouldn't rely on them for emergency calls either!
7 May 2006 ~ 2:36pm profdlp

Enverex wrote:

But they say you shouldn't rely on them for emergency calls either!

Who is "they"? The phone company?

If you're looking for a foolproof method I will save you some time and tell you right now that it doesn't exist.

Your cable modem could die. Your batteries could go dead in your cell phone. A storm could blow a tree over and knock your landline down. You might forget to pay your bill and get your service suspended. The guy at the Emergency Call Center could come down with explosive diarrhea and be parked on the pot just when you need him most. Sunspots could screw up all communication systems on the entire planet. Aliens could choose the moment you were having a heart attack to show up and take over the earth.

No, Enverex, I'd say that VoIP may not be for you.