Save the Guilt Trip, Ma: I use Talkster
Free phone services let families reconnect without breaking the bank
I must preface this article by saying that I have a LARGE, Lebanese family, scattered over 5 continents and upwards of 20 countries (we’re looking into the Guinness Book of World Records thing). I never realized the vastness of my family tree until my visit to the old country in 2004. In the village, the phrase “This is your cousin. . .” prefaces most introductions. My father was one of 11, and each sibling produced something like 67.2 offspring who all have children… you get the idea.
Staying connected with my ever-growing list of cousins is a daunting and almost impossible task, and as a new PR account executive with her first apartment, visiting is an expense that is definitely out of the question, especially after the holiday travel rush that nearly broke the bank.
This got me thinking.
With gas prices hovering at $3 per gallon and airline traffic becoming increasingly frustrating due to long lines and canceled flights, lots of people just like me don’t get many chances to visit family members. The holiday season, and, if I’m lucky, summer, are the only opportunities I have to physically connect with my relatives. (I am often reminded of this by my empty-nest afflicted mother back in Mississippi.) So how can we stay connected during the rest of the year?
Enter free Internet phone services and mobile and wireless technologies. Seeking to fill the need to stay connected across the miles without breaking the bank, a host of mobile technology companies have emerged to meet the demand for affordable, feature-rich communications services that leverage the equipment we already have—our home phones, and increasingly our computers and mobile phones.
Internet-based calling services like Skype or Vonage were all the rage last year, allowing tech-savvy families to chat for free through their computers.
But what if Auntie Fayzi doesn’t have a computer? What if, like me and so many others, she can’t afford pricy long-distance and international calls? No problem. This year services like Talkster expand free global calling to any phone; including mobile phones. Now, I can connect with my relatives without Internet access—any time of the year.
Some of the reduced cost or free calling services require registration and a credit card deposit, or limit where you can call and how many free minutes you receive. Not Talkster. Its service is ad-supported; callers are asked to listen to a 10-second audio ad after which they can talk as long as they like, all over the world, for the cost of a local call.
Another perk of the Talkster service is the ability to set up free group conference calls to connect your entire family at once; regardless of how spread across the globe you might be. This feature will be particularly helpful for me when reaching my aunts and uncles!
“Free group conference calling provides an alternative for those who find travel too costly,” says James Wanless, Talkster Co-Founder. “If you can’t spend time with your family as often as you’d like, being able to all get on the line and talk as long as you want is a priceless gift.”
So, check it out. Seriously. It’s really great. This Mobility PR client is definitely helping families connect all year round. I’m telling all my relatives. Talkster may need to get ready for a major usage spike!
