After I downloaded some add-ons for my Firefox, I discovered a good IP phone service. It was called Jajah which is a service initiated from the web. And it does not require any additional hardware/software on your computer, and it can connect your and your friends’ regular land line and mobile phones for free or almost free.
How to Start?
You normally have two starting options:
1) If you are currently using Firefox, I would suggest you go to Mozilza add-ons website to download Jajah’s firefox add-on. Open your Firefox browser and click Tools (in version 2.50) then select Add-ons. When the add-ons window appears, you click the link on your right called Get Extensions when you are on the Extensions tab. Then you will be forwarded to the add-on website. Click Recommended add-on link at your left and find JaJah add-on from the following webpage. When you see it, simply click “Install” green button, then you will be prompt another add-on installation window. Follow the instruction and you will be set after you restart the firefox browser.
Or you can go directly to the add-on webpage by typing the following URL:
https://addons.mozilla.org/firefox/2577/
2), If your favorite browser is not Firefox, then you can activate this service from Jajah’s own website. You can also take the 5-minute free trial with you landline/mobile phone to your family’s regular phone, even they are in China!!
How does it work?
Here is the beauty part. You fire your internet browser (make sure you are on the Internet with the online connection), if you are using Firefox and installed the add-on then you will see a new textbox on your right-to beside your search box. If you are using firefox or not installed Jajah add-on, just go to Jajah’s website.
Either way, you should active your phone number first. It is very easy for people using firefox, they just need to put their regular land line or mobile phone number and their email address in Jajah add-on side bar, can click “Activate” then you will be done. Next thing you need to do is to put your friends’ phone numbers and hit the Call button. On Jajah’s website, I guess you have to go through the whole Registration steps to active your phone number and make the first Jajah Phone call after you log on.
When you are ready to make the calls, just put your friend’s phone number as the call-to party. It does not matter whether your friends are in the same country as you or not. When you hit the Call button, Jajah will notice whether your call is free or not. And your phone will ring first, you pick up and your hear “Hold on, Jajah will connect your call…” then you hear the dial tone which means Jajah is connecting your friend’s phone. If your friend answers the phone, then you two can start to talk for free or almost free.
Why Jajah is great?
1), It does not need the Speaker and Microphone on your computer. You should use the computer to initiate your phone calls first, then all your talks are on the land line and mobile phones. And.. it will be even better, since Jajah is working on putting its product on your mobile phone directly. If your phone is compatible with its product, then you will be completely free from PC to make the IP phone calls.
2), Jajah will be free if you and your friends are both the registered users. You heard I said “Free or almost free” a couple time in this blog. Yes, it is not free even you make the local call with Jajah service if only you are the registered user. But if you and your friends are all the registered users of Jajah, and all of you are in the zone 1, zone 2 (like both USA and China are in zone 1) then your calls ARE FREE, NOT KIDDING! The Registration is free too.
3), Jajah has some good features like schedule calling, etc. As IP Phony vs. traditional phone service, VOIP always has the better functionalities. Jajah can let you schedule your phone calls. For example, you can get to the internet from your office, but you need to talk to you buddy while your are driving. Then you can use your firefox or Jajah website as I described above to schedule your call: like you put your phone number and your friend’s phone number, and select schedule call after 15 minutes. Then when you are stuck in the traffic 10 mins later, your phone will be rang and you will then talk to your oversea friend for free and almost free. (Updated: Schedule phone calls are not free) Is not that great? Of course, conference call is another good feature from Jajah also.
4), Jajah is especially good for people who live overseas and want to make International calls but do not have internet connections all the time. Like most of my family members are living in China, and some of them do not have internet connection at home. So regular VOIP service is not good for them, like Skype and Vonage. But after I registered them with Jajah, I can talk with them on their regular land line phone for free. And they can make arrangement to call my land line phone from their phone in China too. Of course, you will have to initiate the phone call from the web first. But it is easy to do so from internet cafe or call other friends who have internet connections. Because after the short-time initiation, all phone conversation are on the regular phones afterwards.
Some short-comings as well
Yes, it has some disadvantage too.
As I mentioned, you will have to initiate the phone call from the web first. I know Jajah is working on it, and it will be available on some mobile phone device in the near future. Untill then, you have to go to the Internet first.
And Jajah is not always free. And if people like me, after we get used to it, will use it to call other people who are not the Jajah user and will be charged with real money. But I guess Jajah’s calling rate is not bad if you consider the high International rate from traditional vendor like AT&T.
One more thing, you can not register for other friends in other countries since Jajah took your IP address and lock the register’s country code. Of course, you can register your phone number first, then put your friend’s phone numbers as your alternative other phone numbers in your Jajah account.
Updated: one more short-coming is that scheduled phone calls are not free even you are calling the registered Jajah users.
Other that, i can not think of Jajah’s bad points. Maybe I will find out more dislikes, but till then please join me to enjoy this great VOIP service. — JAJAh! yeah.
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