Voice over Internet Protocol or VoIP as it is commonly know as can either save you lots of money or cost you lots of time. There are several options to consider and each has their own positives and negatives, you should think about what you want to accomplish before looking at all the different companies providing VoIP solutions.
For example, do you just want to make voice calls, or do you want to do video as well? Who will you be calling and where do they live? Will you be asking others to make changes so that you can call them on your new VoIP system and what will that cost them? Do you want lots of extra features, such as chat, computer integration, MS Office integration, desktop sharing, conference calling, etc.
Once you have made a list of options you want then start looking at providers. Some of which only supply a single solution while others have various options. Two main options are Vonage and Skype. At their core both provide a basic VoIP solution but do so in very different ways. Vonage is a pay for service and you get a hardware device that plugs in line with your current phone. It provides a low cost calling plan to the US and many countries around the world.
Skype is a software solution that has varying degrees of setup and scalability. At the beginners level you can create an account for free, install the software on a computer and within minutes be calling someone (that also has a Skype account). With Skype's free account you are limited to who you can call but for a small yearly price you can extend that calling group and give yourself a phone number that allows anyone to call you. Skype offers a wide array of options with hardware, software and calling plans.
Take a look at what your needs are and then begin looking at all the options, I have only listed two here but there are many more.
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