Going overseas to study is like taking a big step towards adulthood. Wherever you go, you cannot bring your friends and family along. It is true that today’s modern technology can help shorten the distance between you and your family and friends, but students usually do not have deep pockets. And with that in mind, Tribune has come up with a short list of cost-efficient ways for you to communicate with your loved ones back home.

The Hype Surrounding Skype

One of the slogans for Skype essentially encompasses the whole service – ‘The whole world can talk for free’.

Skype is a peer-to-peer Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) network that is growing rapidly in popularity. University of Wisconsin-Madison Industrial Engineering undergraduate, Timothy Yeo, 21 uses Skype quite frequently as well, and ?nds it “more personal” than MSN Messenger.

“The software allows me to make callsto my family and friends, just through my laptop. It makes things more intimate as it is always better to hear voices [as opposed to] reading what they type. And as long as whoever I talk to has Skype too, it is free.”

Free Skype features include video calling with your webcam, conference calling, a global user directory, ?le transfer, call logs and even instant messaging, which is similar to MSN Messenger.

There are also other features such as being able to use Skype to call landlines and mobile phones (also known as SkypeOut), getting a Skype number so that even those who do not have the software can call that number (SkypeIn), sending SMSes to your Skype contacts and more, but that is only if you’re willing to pay.

For example, a Skype SMS would cost you US$0.05 (S$0.08) a message and a Skype number would set you back US$30 (S$46.19) a year.

Skype is available for both Mac and PC. Download Skype for free at www.skype.com.

Going ga-ga over JAJAH

As opposed to Skype which requires you to have a microphone and speakers because your conversations are held over your laptop, JAJAH connects “two standard telephone machines, whether … landline or mobile, local or anywhere else … regardless if the owner is connected to the Internet or not.”

“JAJAH is quite convenient because I can make calls … without having to lug my laptop around. All I [have to] do is enter my number and the number I am calling, and it will connect our phones automatically. It is very easy,” said Timothy.

The main difference between JAJAH and Skype is that while Skype is the software that allows you to make calls, JAJAH simply “initiates your call[s]”, letting you use your regular telephone machine and “not a headset connected to a computer”.

Upon entering your own number and your desired destination number, click the CALL button and your phone will ring. Pick it up and hold and JAJAH will then connect your call through to the number you want to call.

JAJAH is free for a trial call of five minutes to any landline destination. The rates of subsequent calls are stated on the website. Registration is also required. Phone-to-phone calls between registered users of JAJAH are free.

The best thing about JAJAH is that since you are making your calls through the website, no installation of any software is needed at all.

You can access JAJAH now at www.jajah.com.

No more holes in my pocket

Of course, there are many other programmes offering even more affordable means of communication. Freecall.com and VOIPstunt.com are two examples of the trend of free calls through the Internet.

However, if you are an “IT Dinosaur” and would like to just stick to the ole’ telephone, here is some advice.

“Buy a phone line in whichever country you are going, and always try to scout for good deals for phone lines. If you are going to UK, it would be pretty easy because they o?er good deals from time to time here,” said University College London (UCL) Economics undergraduate Philibert Leow.

For the very traditional, there is always the postage service. “Write letters! It is very vintage,” Timothy advises. “Postage will not cost that much [anyway].”