Vonage

Vonage's internet telephony kit does two jobs: it gives you access to phone calls over the internet; and it's a router and hub for your home network.

We have been seeing an influx of internet telephones recently and this kit is of the type that doesn't need a computer in order to work. In fact, apart from setting up and checking your account, it doesn't use a computer at all.

The way it works is similar to a mobile phone contract: you sign up on the website for the residential talk plan that costs £10 per month, which gives you free calls to UK and Irish landlines (mobile and international calls are charged separately).

A few days later, a courier will drop off a package containing a Linksys RT31P2-VU router. You plug it into the mains, plug a normal telephone into the back using the supplied adapter and then connect it to your network.

There is only one trouble spot in the process. You will need to have an ADSL or cable modem, with an Ethernet port, already set up. The kit won't work with the USB modems supplied with most broadband connections so make sure your existing kit is compatible.

An Ethernet-ready ADSL modem costs around £40 so it's not the end of the world if you don't have one already, but it could be an unpleasant surprise if you don't check first.

Other than that, installation is painless either using the supplied set-up CD or just configuring it yourself using the set-up application and the supplied quick-start guide, which is easy to follow.

It works perfectly well as a network router and hub, allowing you to connect more than one PC to your internet connection, although if you have an Ethernet-enabled modem as required, you may already be able to do this so it may not be much use on that score.

Call quality is very good. Your £10 monthly fee includes all local and national calls but not calls to mobiles, which cost 5p per minute at weekends, 10p in the evenings and 15p during the day. International calls are similarly cheap, starting at 2p per minute to the US.

These rates aren't as cheap as you can get from a calling card but the convenience is undeniable. Instead of having to dial any codes or enter a Pin, you simply pick up the phone and dial.

There was a little 'ghosting' on some calls where there is a slight echo on the line but the quality of most of our test calls were as good as from a normal landline. You can also use it without the PC turned on, as the phone plugs straight into the ADSL network.

You have to pay your ADSL subscription and your BT line rental, so it's not quite as cheap as it looks. There's also no way to connect to another provider, as your settings are embedded into the router's memory.

But there is a 14-day money-back guarantee and you can cancel the contract at a month's notice after that and return the kit if you're not satisfied.

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