I love Skype!

As the owner of a small business, I'm always looking out for deals that help me keep my overhead low. And since we all know the landline phone companies are still making a killing off of services that are overpriced and almost obsolete, I turned to Skype to help modernize my telecommunications and save some money.

For those of you who aren't aware - Skype is a VOIP phone service. It is best known for its Skype-to-Skype calling options which allows users to download a software package and communicate with eachother solely through their PCs, free of charge. Skype-to-Skype features free international video and voice calling, but is restricted to PC-to-PC calling.

Luckily Skype also permits both inbound and outbound calls from landlines and mobile phones, assuming you take advantage of their pay services.

I purchased a local number in the 215 area code which allows me to receive unlimited inbound calls from landlines and mobile phones and paired that number with an unlimited outgoing call plan for US and Canada. I know have the equivalent of an expensive landline that comes with some free features like visual voicemail and caller ID - for much less than if I was paying through a traditional phone company.

Keeping my costs down helps me pass the savings onto my clients.