VoipStunt is an international VoIP service based in Germany. It works in a manner similar to Skype, in that it has a softphone application installable on a computer, and a service which can be obtained online. VoIPStunt has gained some popularity lately among softphone users due to its free calls to PSTN (landline) phones over some common destinations. There is a list of countries to which you can call free, according to www.voipstunt.com, but how free is free?
Using VoIPStunt, you can make calls to landline phones in the free destination countries, but these calls last only a minute! The reason given for this by the VoIPStunt marketers is to prevent misuse of their network. Anyhow, it's only logical: anyone on business needs to make some money, besides Santa Claus!
If you want to make lengthier calls, you have to pay 10 Euros (you can of course pay in dollars as well). This done, you can make calls to those destinations for the next 120 days.
When these 120 days are over, your credit remains, but a rate applies for the free destinations. This rate varies according to the destination country. Read more on these rates here.
Here is the explanation of the asterisked ‘free’ given on the home page: “Max 300 minutes per week of free calls, measured over the last 7 days. Unused free minutes cannot be taken to the following week(s). If limit is exceeded, a minimal rate will be charged".
You can also send text messages with VoIPStunt, each message costing 5 dollar cents.
First, download and install the softphone application. You have to register andn get a user name and password to be able to make calls, even the free 1-minute calls. You will use these same credentials to buy credit.
You can however make a trial call without installing the software, by just entering your phone number and the destination phone number in the special area provided on VoIPStunt home page, and clicking Call.
- Some users have complained of poorer quality in VoIPStunt calls, many saying it has much to improve to compare with Skype. The quality depends on the location of the call and the destination.
- Globally, the communication cost is slightly lower with VoiPStunt than with Skype, and this is the factor that is actually giving VoIPStunt its growing popularity. Rates keep changing, so keep checking the different rates for Skype and those for VoIPStunt for the different locations.
- With Skype, calls to other Skype users, using the Skype softphone is free, independent of the destination country. Calls to non-Skype (landline) users can be made by subscribing to and paying for the SkypeOut service.
- Skype voicemail is available for a fee of 5 Euros for 3 months or 15 Euros for 12 months. VoIPStunt provides no voicemail facility.
- Skype allows you to chat and hold videoconferences, with multiple participants, while VoIPStunt does not.
- The VoIPStunt user interface is quite similar to that of Skype, and is therefore quite user-friendly, but provides much less features. Maybe more is to come in the future, depending on the popularity and healthy growth of the ‘baby’.
- VoIPStunt has a commercial banner at the bottom of the application window, while Skype does not. Is this worth considering in a comparison? Well, it actually is for many, while others just don’t care.
Many people ask whether VoiPStunt will be overshadowing Skype. I don't see this happening, at least in the near future. Meanwhile, I believe your decision in choosing between the two will be based mainly on the price of calls to landline phones, which also depends a lot on your calling destination, as the rates vary so much.
