Inbound callers dial that telephone number from a standard phone, connecting them to the Net2Phone network. From there, the call is carried over the Internet to your Internet-based Net2Phone telephone. To make Net-based calls, simply plug a telephone into either the Aplio Rave or Linksys device. Then connect the device to your cable or DSL modem. At launch, only New York City phone numbers are available, but Net2Phone expects to soon offer exchanges for all major U.S. cities.
Inbound calls cost the receiver nothing.
But callers pay applicable toll rates. Outbound Net2Phone calls cost about 3.4 cents per minute. You can track your VoiceLine usage online and view call logs and bills. Also, over this summer, inbound telephone service will be extended to other Internet telephony devices, and eventually to the Net2Phone software found in popular instant messaging clients like America Online's Instant Messenger. Growing Interest in Net Talk Internet calls cost less than conventional calls because they are routed over the public Internet network in packets that don't tie up a dedicated line, as traditional circuit-switched calls do.