Use a computer as a phone

[sosueme]

Quote from zf trader:

Okay how about this.

I'm at my Grandmothers house and her old rotary phone goes dead. She need to call the church to say that the turkey isn't quite ready for the 4:30pm first sitting at the supper.

She has no internet of course. I have my computer that I can plug into a land line and my headset. How do I make an outbound call?

lucky that Ganny is cooking a turkey.
If she had been cooking pigeons you would have lost all your communications.

 

[Surdo]

When in history has an old rotary phone been known to go dead?

 

[Bolimomo]

Just Twitter your friends to make a phone call on your grandma's behalf.

 

[Tester]

Check out this:

http://www.worldstart.com/tips/tips.php/443

Also, I seem to remember that the fax software that came with US Robotics modems would serve the purpose. I think it is called RapidCom? Pretty much any fax software should be able to do what you want. Windows also has fax functions that may enable this as well.

 

[haramarcuse]

With desktop call control system offered by hosted virtual PBX provider, you are able to manage and organize calls using your internet connected PC.

 

[haroldherling]

Quote from zf trader:

The other day I found myself without an alarm clock so I did a search and now I use my computer for that purpose everyday.

So say I found myself with out a telephone but I had my IBM thinkpad, a landline and a head set. There must be a way that I can use those three things to make a phone call?

You need a VoIP service in order to use your computer as a phone. Before the advent of this service users can utilize a fax modem card, a phone line, headset and a telephone software.

 

[mgookin]

I can't help but chuckle.

Who runs around with a think pad, headset, data cables, etc. but no cell phone?

Forgot your cell phone? Borrow one from an 8 year old kid.

 

[Steven.Davis]

+1 Vonage, especially for international calling.

Had to dump VOIP when latency got bad just a couple days after my DSL provider sent a survey asking how people were using their DSL lines. (I had a DSL from the phone company without phone service.)

 

[dandxg]

skype is great, I use it for primary long distance. For biz purposes hosted VoIP phones are amazing, feature rich.

 

[stinkyfelix]

Quote from zf trader:

She has no internet of course. I have my computer that I can plug into a land line and my headset. How do I make an outbound call?

Google Voice. You can call anywhere in the USA for free until the end of the year...

http://googlevoiceblog.blogspot.com/2010/08/make-and-receive-calls-in-gmail.html