Personally one of the things that like the most about the internet is the ability to communicate with people in many different locations throughout the world. VoIP software is fantastic for this, and personally I like Skype software, which offers users a wide range of different options. The problem is that VoIP software is blocked in many different countries, because of concern about the impact that VoIP programs can have on telecommunication companies. If I am travelling in a country where VoIP is restricted, then VoIP VPN (Virtual Private Network) services is a very good way to go.

So, what is VOIP and why would you want to use it?

VoIP services differ slightly in what they offer, so I will talk about Skype, because it probably the most well VoIP service out there, and also the most widely used. Currently, it is estimated that there are more than 600 million people who use Skype throughout the world.

Skype offers three main services. The first of these is instant messaging, which lets users communicate with one another through live text chat. This is actually the service I use the most, although it is something that many other programs offer, and it is not limited to VoIP. The second and third services are voice calls and video chat. These services allow uses to communicate with each other verbally and through video without using a telephone.

Because you are using a computer, the service is very convenient, and it is much cheaper than actually using a telephone. I put ten dollars credit on my Skype account at a time, and sometimes it lasts a few months, and other times close to a year, depending on what I am using Skype for. If you are calling from your computer to another person’s Skype, then the call is free. However, even if you are calling landlines or cell phones, it is much cheaper through Skype, or other VoIP programs, than it is through a telephone company.

The low prices of VoIP are the main reason that governments restrict access to VOIP programs like Skype. Many governments have financial interests in telecommunications companies, and sometimes the government even runs these companies. Because of this, they use censorship to block these sites, and prevent users from gaining access to them. VoIP VPN services provide the user with an effective way of getting around the restrictions that prevent users from accessing any VoIP software.