What's a good replacement for Yahoo's Internet phone service?

In My Humble Opinion
1

Well, Yahoo is killing off their “voice out” telephone service, along with a couple of other (let’s call them) features. For the last umpteen years, that particular program has been the way I’ve managed to stay in touch telephonically while I’m out of the US. I’ve been out of the US for going on nine years now and still need to use that program or something equal or even better.

So, here’s the question: What service do you recommend that meets the following requirements?

[ol][li]Internet based.[/li][li]Has a US telephone number that doesn’t change, so I can use it for incoming calls.[/li][li]Can be paid using a US Visa check-card, preferably with automatic re-charge for the service.[/li][li]Can be accessed from mainland China.[/li][li]Can call to the US, Hong Kong, and South Korea.[/li][li]Good to excellent voice quality even over a slow connection.[/ol][/li]
Thanks for your input!

2

Dunno about all your requirements, but can I assume you checked out Google Voice and it didn’t meet them?

3

Google voice looks like it needs an existing phone number. That’s the thing: the service I need must have a phone number to go with it; in other words, the service provides the US phone number.

4

GV definitely provides a U.S. number, got one myself, for free. It even spells out my name, too! :wink:

5

Looks like GV is supposed to only be available in the US, but I think that’s only for the initial signup. (there are workarounds)

Do you need it to forward to an overseas phone number, or will you only be accessing it through a computer/internet? If it’s only the latter, it looks like it should work: http://globiletraveler.com/2010/09/using-google-voice-internationally/

6

I need it to function like a regular phone so I can make outgoing phone calls with it, using the rates charged in the US as opposed to using the rates charged in China for calling to the US, HK, and SK.

Well, for various reasons, Google Voice is a wash. Any other takers?

7

Thanks for the suggestion. As it turns out, I’ve gone with another service that meets all six of the items I listed in my OP, Skype.