Skype and Younger Programs Revolutionizing VoIP Options

Business communications have increased tremendously since the incorporation of VoIP services into popular use. Perhaps the most well-known of all VoIP programs as of late is Skype, the popular chat and video conferencing software that came out in 2003. When Skype first came onto the scene, VoIP was still widely unknown. As of 2009, however, Skype has become a $1.9 billion dollar company, and business VoIP has blossomed into a standard business service because of its unlimited call volume over the internet.

With broadband internet service now widely used (a study by the Consumer Electronics Association recently reported that over three quarters of American households are connected), many VoIP software developers have popped up to try and stake their claim in the internet telephony market. While Skype has practically become the industry standard for voice over internet protocol, many other options have been catching up quickly and some have even surpassed many of Skype’s options.

Here are a few of the highest rated programs that are giving the VoIP giant a run for its money.

Apple’s iChat program is perhaps the one with the most hipster cred. iChat is preinstalled into Macbooks, as well as most of Apple’s newer hardware devices. It offers nearly all of Skype’s capabilities in a streamlined easy-to-use format that follows Apple’s quest to target “techno-noobs.”

Like most recent VoIP software, iChat is technically free since it comes prepackaged, though it has a heads-up on many other programs because Macbooks are sold as revolutionary computing devices. With the Macbook’s built in webcam, iChat is also the hipster crowd’s gateway to video web conferencing.

MegaMeeting is one of the most business-ready of all the VoIP programs on the market. Along with offering video conferencing like iChat, it also supports up to 16 participants as well as an unlimited amount of “sit in” users who can watch conversations. This is perfect for business meetings as well as long-distance seminars.

On top of the multi-user support that Skype does not have, MegaMeeting also allows users the ability to share screen displays as well as live applications, which works well for remote PowerPoint presentations. While MegaMeeting is free if accessed directly through their website from a browser, it can also be purchased for just under $30 as a standalone program (this version provides encrypted privacy).

MegaMeeting is not the only program that can be accessed through a browser. Zoho Meeting and Palbee are both web-browser specific VoIP designs. Palbee is slightly newer than the other options, but does allow up to 5 participants in one chat. It also supports an interactive whiteboard application that can be shared, as well as the option to record video chats for broadcast or playback in the future.

Zoho Meeting is good for residential VoIP and allows single 1-on1 chats for free, and charges for additional users. Perhaps the most intuitive aspect of Skype is that it can be used in conjunction with other VoIP clients, such as Zoho, to allow contact transferring and long distance connections.
 

David Liu is a writer and comedian based in San Diego, California. He writes extensively for Resource Nation and VoIP Service, online resources that provide expert advice on purchasing and outsourcing decisions for small business owners and entrepreneurs.