As we soldier onward into the 21st century, the convergence of telecommunications online and off continues unabated. One notable shining light is VoIP or Voice over Internet Protocol. Allowing for voice calls on any broadband Internet connection, VoIP can replace home land lines, enable conference calls, support corporate PBX systems and allow users on the go to make free calls using available Wi-Fi. Major VoIP service providers are improving their capabilities all the time. Here’s a quick look at what’s new with three of the top VoIP programs.
Facebook Using VoIP
After years of waiting on the sidelines, everyone’s favorite social network Facebook has thrown its hat into the VoIP ring by adding voice chat capability to their Messenger app. Taking a cue from Google Talk, it allows Facebook users to ring their contacts without an actual voice plan. Available for Android and iOS, it’s a potential game changer that could shake up a VoIP market dominated by Skype. Since launching the service in Canada this January, Facebook now offers free VoIP calling to US residents.
Viber App Updates
Already a popular application for both Android and iOS, Viber has pushed out into the desktop sphere by offering clients for Mac and PC users. More importantly, the new desktop apps allows for video calling. Boasting seamless integration with current mobile app installations, they allow for contact syncing and live call transfers to the desktop. In addition, the new desktop clients feature support for eight new languages as well as video messages. No doubt these substantial upgrades will keep Viber’s 200 million worldwide users more than happy.
Rebtel Revamps Its Offerings
One of the most forward-thinking VoIP companies on the market, Rebtel has rolled out some nifty new enhancements of its own. Their latest SDK empowers developers to use the service in creative ways such as embedding Rebtel-based calling into other apps. That means that free calls to other Rebtel users and incredibly cheap international calls can be made from a variety of third-party apps of all kinds. Though this development does little to change Rebtel’s existing features, it will make it easier to use them around the broader mobile landscape.
More Innovation on the Horizon
We’ve already seen plenty to get excited about in the VoIP world thus far in 2013. Due to the growing popularity of VoIP technology, you can expect the pace of development to accelerate in the near future. With bandwidth dropping in price and wireless availability rising, the triumph of VoIP is inevitable. Thanks to the aforementioned apps, it’s easier than ever to get started with VoIP without a lot of technical know-how. Just sign up, sign in and start chatting over the web with ease.
Author Bio: Jonny Grant is a regular writer on VoIP technology. From a personal interest, Jonny also writes about and reviews consumer apps, with a particular interest in free calling apps.