What is it?

Internet telephony means the voice goes through the Internet and not through the classical telephone network. The right name is 'Voice over IP' (or VoIP). Because long and short distance don't make a difference on the net, Internet telephony is free from a PC to another PC. Just like email.

Usually quality of sound is much better compared to phone because of broadband, whereas the old telephone system was designed to use narrow band. More signal goes through, the quality of voice increases the experience of proximity and intimacy.

Software

Proprietary software

• Skype
• Gizmo
• Windows Messenger
• <Please add other important software>

Free software

• Ekiga
• Wengo
• <complete the list>

Check a more exhaustive list, and a comparison of VoIP software on wikipedia.

Install

Download and install the version that matches your operating system. Create a login and password for each (better have the same ones on each, easier to remember for you and others).

Then you can add friends to your friends' list. Once your friends are in your list, you will be able to see when they are online, and if they are available (everyone can declare his/her status).

Get a headset

A headset can be bought for $20 in any supermarket or computer shop. Make sure you have the headphones + microphone, not just one of both. A mute button on the microphone is a must. When you are in a noisy environment, you can then mute so that noise doesn't pollute the whole online conference.

Creating the environment

Internet telephony is a more evolved technology than the telephone. Therefore new protocols and behaviors need to be adopted.

Avoid using the built-in microphone of your PC: using the built-in microphone and/or the external speakers of your computer is not recommended. The people on the other side of the line will then hear their own voice that comes back into the loop (from external speakers back into the microphone).

Check your settings before: don't wait for the conference call to check how your configuration works. Check your settings before with a friend or colleague.

Don't call someone directly, first ask permission by chat: the telephone is a very archaic tool that breaks your intimacy many times in the day. On the net the chat feature allows us to ask permission to call our contact. This is an efficient and soft way to create a synchronous space, based on mutual agreement rather than just hard intrusion.

Secure your (possibly noisy) environment: remember that 10 people in a conference call means 10 different intermeshed environments, in other words 10 times more chances for noise intrusions. Because the telephone sound was poor, it was not a big issue before in a teleconference. On the internet telephony world almost every sound is heard. A phone ringing in the room, someone whispering (expecting the others will not hear), traffic outside, kids running into the room... So make sure that your environment is safe so that the least noise intrusions can happen. Inform the people around you that you need privacy, turn your phones off or on mute.

Use the 'mute' function: In a conference call with many people, turn the 'mute' on when you are just listening. Skype and Gizmo have a mute button by software. It's even better when your headset has a mute button that you can easily put on or off. In the worst case, you can unplug your microphone jack.

Share written information on the chat window: urls, names, links, numbers... whatever information you share when talking, type them into the chat window that goes with the discussion group. Most programs automatically save the logs. You can then reopen the chat conversation and access the information. By doing so the collective memory of the conference call gets built.