Guide to VoIP in Australia

VoIP Netphones
Netphones are easy to install and in many instances free to use -- as long as you get your friends and family to install and use the same netphone software you're using. It's simply a matter of downloading and installing the appropriate software, creating an account, putting your friends and family on your contact list and voila -- you're ready to make a call. If you want to do more with your netphone -- such as the ability to call any phone or have any phone be able to call you -- you'll probably have to pay for the privilege.

One of the most well known netphones is Skype, which boasts more than 146 million downloads so far. Such is its popularity that several phone manufacturers are releasing phones that can be used to directly interact with Skype, freeing you from your computer (although it still needs to be on). New products include DUALphone's 2-in-1 Skype Internet phone and Doro's USB telephone 212 IPC for Skype. Skype also has SkypeOut, a paid service which allows you to call landlines and mobiles, and SkypeIn, which gives your Skype account a physical phone number that anyone can call (although this service isn't available for Australian customers yet). You can download Skype here.

Other popular netphones include BuddyTalk and Glophone, both of which are free to use between other subscribers but do offer advanced services for a fee.

But it's not only international companies getting in on the act. Melbourne-based Freshtel has developed Firefly, a free netphone that, like Skype, allows you to talk for free to other Firefly users (and charges for calls to landlines and mobiles).

Another option is to use your favourite instant messenger application, many of which now have features which allow you to make VoIP calls. The latest versions of MSN Messenger and Yahoo Messenger, for example, now incorporate voice chat capabilities.

VoIP options


Service About
Skype What's not to like about Skype 1.1? It's free and ad-free, and it offers clear calls to other Skype users anywhere in the world.
Yahoo Messenger Free voice calls and voicemail, built-in Web searches, and drag-and-drop photo sharing make Yahoo's new instant messenger a fun, powerful IM tool.
MSN Messenger Smooth videoconferencing and customisation add appeal to this IM client for any aficionado of multimedia messaging.
Firefly Local company Freshtel has created Firefly, a free to download software application which allows you to make and receive VoIP calls from your computer.
BuddyTalk BuddyTalk is Internet voice-communication software that offers four ways of communicating with anyone in the world.
GloPhone Download GloPhone Blue and you'll be able to make calls to and receive calls from any other GloPhone anywhere in the world for free.
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Talkback 5 comments

  1. There are many more other Australian providers Anonymous -- 05/09/05

    There are many more other Australian providers than listed in this story. The site http://www.ozinternetphones.com/ provides a much better reference (disclaimer, I have no connection with this site)

  2. NeoInvent Voip for business Anonymous -- 08/09/05

    I have just stumbled across a company here in Australia that actually does Voip. It does this for business only but the equipment they use is of high standard same kind of thing as the rest of them but i found also a couple of extra features.
    1. Follow me Phone
    2. Remote desktop Access
    3. All calls within Australia are charged at a local call except for mobiles.
    4. no line rental fee

    there phone number is : 1300554271

    1. neoinvent Anonymous -- 02/11/06

      i Wouldnt touch neoinvent with a bargepole if I had to again. I got my fingers well and truly burnt. I paid what they asked and then it was more bills on top of more bills from them , which I refused to pay. They couldnt even get the system up and running ,they disconnected my alarm system, which cost me a further $500 to fix, because they couldnt even fix that. Lots of smiles and "yes Yes we will fix this"alex beaumont and NOTHING. lOTS OF PROMISES TO GIVE ME BACK MY MONET , NEXT WEEK, NEXT WEEK AND A YEAR LATER nothing!!!!!!!!!!!

  3. voip - skypeIN availale in Australia Tom Schofield -- 13/08/06

    You can get a skype In phone number in Australia now

  4. Cheaper mobile calls lucas -- 13/05/08

    Just like to point out two things:
    Mynetphone national calls are 10c untimed, not capped at a $1.50 like it says above (might apply to the softphone version only) and
    Mobile calls start at 16c/min which is 40% off the price of everyone else in Australia!

    I've been using mynetphone.com.au for a year now with my cable internet and no line rental (!). I don't pay a monthly fee use my mobiles for backup phones but never needed to anyway

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