VOIP Cheap www.voipcheap.com Review

Overall Rating

Cheap, Cheap, Cheap...at the moment
Free call time with some destinations
Works with simple headset and pc sound card
Can log on from and use it from anywhere with your profile/contacts listed
Text messages (SMS) at 4p each
Easy to use interface
Voip out phone number that any one can call you on
Good quality
Convenient if your pc is switched on
Adding buddies (IM, Skype, etc.) is easy

No Customer Service
Watch for sudden tariff increases and charging scheme changes
Confusing 'free call' entitlement schemes
No rollover of credit (currently 4 months) without buying more credit
Lots of software updates
Inconvenient if your pc is switched off
VAT charged on call credit (£10 min)

Keep the following points in mind when making your decision:

Calls to destinations are from 1p per minute

If you have call credit you may get 300 minutes per week of free calls to certain
destinations or If you have call credit you may get 120 free days of free calls to certain destinations (points 1 & 2 are confused in their online info and lack details; not sure which is valid)

VoipCheap do not notify you of any changes to their tariffs or charge schemes.
they do, however, show in real time how much each call is costing and include
online itemized records

VoipCheap do not answer their feedback email which is currently non-operational.
There is no customer service

The call quality is usually very good with only the occasional incomprehensible
connection.
You can make calls through your normal landline and phone for a 3p connection
charge using Direct Call

There have been countless updates with VoipCheap, almost, but not quite like your
daily download of definitions for your AV software

On paper VoipCheap looks like a dream come true for all those ladies that like a good chin wag (ok, blokes too - I always thought PC meant personal computer - lol). The issues in my 'Bad Points' section will need to be addressed by VoipCheap as they increase their charges and curtail users' free call entitlement. They will loose users that are used to getting their VoIP calls for free and don't mind the 'less than perfect' service.

I have been with VoipCheap since the outset and have suffered through the many changes. Frankly, I preferred the old service when they were just starting out, before they charged you £5, then £10+VAT (although I didn't mind the credit charges, as long as the calls were un-metered). It's a mental thing. Why should a user have to worry about how much every call costs? In the States telecoms are charging a flat rate monthly premium (Vonage), covering even international calls.

as their prices creep up to the level of the other providers they will loose more customers - unless they build in a good customer services dept.

My 'Recommend to a friend' rating is getting near the border and based on current service. We'll see how the next wave of changes at VoipCheap affects the balance.

All the best...Keithe