Why Everyday people and even businesses use VoIP to make cheap calls to Pakistan

The problem of how to make cheap calls to Pakistan is still a bugbear for friends, family and businessmen alike. With millions of Pakistanis living across the globe, most of whom have close friends and relations in Pakistan, the demand for cheap calls has risen considerably. But costly international charges mean that friends and family have often gone for several weeks at a time without speaking to each other.

Of course, there is email, but that can come across as impersonal. Sometimes, only a phone call will do. If you live in London, and your cousin is celebrating a significant birthday in Islamabad, you probably wouldn't want to just send her an email. This is especially true of business communications: there are certain exchanges for which email will do, but there are other times when it has to involve a phone call. With Pakistan's resurgence as a business supporter and generator across the globe, it's easy to see why telephone communication is becoming such an issue.

Fortunately, developments in communications technology now mean that cheap calls to Pakistan are a reality for friends, family and businesses worldwide. VoIP technology offers convenience and cost-efficiency in one package. Users who decide to take advantage of the cheap calls to Pakistan offered by VoIP service providers typically need three things:

1. a traditional landline or digital phone
2. a broadband connection
3. a VoIP adapter

This adapter connects their ordinary landline telephone to their existing broadband connection. This set-up allows them to then make and receive cheap calls to and from Pakistan. With few wires to maintain and much less paperwork to worry about, VoIP providers are able to keep their costs right down, and pass on the savings to their customers. VoIP calls to Islamabad, Peshawar, Karachi or anywhere else in Pakistan are a fraction of the cost of traditional phone lines. Depending on the call plans the VoIP provider offers, you'll probably be able to make calls to landlines in various other countries for free.

Of course, different VoIP providers offer different benefits. Some may offer a low cost per minute rate to specific countries. Others offer a capped or unlimited subscription fee. You simply work out which country or countries you want to be able to call and pick a package that suits you. Your bill will be capped and include unlimited calls to the countries in that package, no matter how many times you call. This means that you can call much more frequently, at a fraction of the cost of standard phones. It's perfect for friends and family who live in different parts of the world, and vital for businesses that need to stay in touch with international colleagues or clients. At the end of each month, your bill will be the same. If you need to call a country that's not in your call plan, you can do that, too, as VoIP providers can offer international tariffs that are extremely competitive. The best advice for potential customers is to shop around.

Another major breakthrough of VoIP services is call manageability. This means that there are many more ways you can keep track of any calls you make to Pakistan, or anywhere else, thanks to the extra web-based services that VoIP offers. For instance, you can set up your account to reject anonymous calls, forward calls to another number your mobile, for example, return calls alert you to a call waiting. So you'll never miss an important call from family or clients in Pakistan. You can manage all these features from your web based control panel, which means that you have full control over your VoIP line, no matter where in the world you are.

With the cost of International calls climbing, it's probably just a matter of time before we all turn our backs on conventional telephones and use VoIP to make all our calls.

Costas Kariolis - Online Marketing Manager of Vonage UK. Vonage are leading VoIP providers of cheap phone calls for home & small business users. Offering cheap calls to Pakistan landlines via an internet phone service for a set monthly fee.

For interviews, quotes, images or comments contact:
Costas Kariolis
Online Marketing Manager
E-mail: theteam@vonage.com