# Any recommended free PC to phone progs now that Skype won't be free anymore? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [December 15, 2006, 1:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-recommended-free-pc-to-phone-progs-now-that-skype-wont-be-free-anymore/384220 "2006-12-15T01:33:14Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Revtim](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/revtim/32/1042_2.png) [@Revtim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Revtim)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2006, 1:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-recommended-free-pc-to-phone-progs-now-that-skype-wont-be-free-anymore/384220/1 "2006-12-15T01:33:14Z")
Skype was letting people make free PC to phone calls this year, but that’s coming to an end. Has any other company stepped up to the plate and offered free PC calls to landlines? ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2006, 3:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-recommended-free-pc-to-phone-progs-now-that-skype-wont-be-free-anymore/384220/2 "2006-12-15T03:41:54Z")
Since you are looking for actual information rather than opinions, I’m moving this from IMHO to General Questions. ---
**Author:** ![Revtim](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/revtim/32/1042_2.png) [@Revtim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Revtim)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2006, 1:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-recommended-free-pc-to-phone-progs-now-that-skype-wont-be-free-anymore/384220/3 "2006-12-15T13:26:55Z")
Well, opinions of how well they work and recommendations are also welcome. ---
**Author:** ![C\_K\_Dexter\_Haven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b2d939/32.png) [@C\_K\_Dexter\_Haven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/C_K_Dexter_Haven)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2006, 1:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-recommended-free-pc-to-phone-progs-now-that-skype-wont-be-free-anymore/384220/4 "2006-12-15T13:57:46Z")
Are you sure you got this right? I signed up with Skype in February of this year, and although I haven’t used it much, I thought that PC-to-PC calls were free but there was always a charge for PC-to-phone …it’s about a cheap as can be believed, works out to around US$ 0.02 per minute to call anywhere in the world. ---
**Author:** ![Revtim](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/revtim/32/1042_2.png) [@Revtim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Revtim)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2006, 2:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-recommended-free-pc-to-phone-progs-now-that-skype-wont-be-free-anymore/384220/5 "2006-12-15T14:49:07Z")
Yeah, they made PC to phone calls free some time this year (to the US and Canada only, IIRC), but that’s coming to an end Jan 1. I should probably simply shell out the 15 bucks it’s going to cost next year, but of course if there’s a quality free service out there I’d like to hear about it. I was in the telecom industry for about 15 years until recently, and the consensus was national calls would be free “any time now”. I’d be a little surprised if somebody doesn’t take up the slack and offer free calls, maybe even with an app showing ads. ---
**Author:** ![NineToTheSky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/b5a626/32.png) [@NineToTheSky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NineToTheSky)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2006, 6:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-recommended-free-pc-to-phone-progs-now-that-skype-wont-be-free-anymore/384220/6 "2006-12-15T18:24:54Z")
Where did you hear that Skype PC to Skype PC calls will not be free from Jan 1? I’ve looked on the Skype and Googled it, and I can’t find any reference to it. ---
**Author:** ![Revtim](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/revtim/32/1042_2.png) [@Revtim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Revtim)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2006, 11:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-recommended-free-pc-to-phone-progs-now-that-skype-wont-be-free-anymore/384220/7 "2006-12-15T23:00:53Z")
[QUOTE=NineToTheSky] Where did you hear that Skype PC to Skype PC calls will not be free from Jan 1? [/QUOTE] I didn’t hear that. I’m sure Skype PC to Skype PC calls will remain free. ---
**Author:** ![NineToTheSky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/b5a626/32.png) [@NineToTheSky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NineToTheSky)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2006, 1:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-recommended-free-pc-to-phone-progs-now-that-skype-wont-be-free-anymore/384220/8 "2006-12-16T13:36:22Z")
Sorry - I misread you. ---
**Author:** ![Revtim](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/revtim/32/1042_2.png) [@Revtim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Revtim)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2006, 7:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-recommended-free-pc-to-phone-progs-now-that-skype-wont-be-free-anymore/384220/9 "2006-12-19T19:45:19Z")
No problem **NineToTheSky**. FYI, I haven’t had much luck finding a new provider. [http://gizmoproject.com/](http://gizmoproject.com/) looked promising, but then I saw that everybody you call must sign up as well, even if you are calling their standard phone. It’s kinda looking like I’m going to end up dropping the 15 bucks to use Skype. Not sure why I’m so hesitant, I spent almost that on lunch today without blinking. I guess it irks me because those calls were free. ---
**Author:** ![rowrrbazzle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rowrrbazzle/32/414_2.png) [@rowrrbazzle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rowrrbazzle)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2006, 9:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-recommended-free-pc-to-phone-progs-now-that-skype-wont-be-free-anymore/384220/10 "2006-12-19T21:10:55Z")
This site rounds up some of the services. > **[Finding your way in free telephony (Poll) at ProBargainHunter.com](http://probargainhunter.com/2006/12/18/finding-your-way-in-free-telephony-poll/)** > > News, Tips and Resources for Online Bargain Hunters