Their VOIP service will allow O2 customers to make calls to others in the UK mobile or landlines via the internet, but unlike Skype it will be limited to just in the UK meaning users of the service will not be able to make international calls. According to 3G the service is to be trialed to begin with using 1000 smartphone owners who will be chosen and who get to experience the service free.

The company intends on bringing in certain charges when O2 Connect starts rolling out properly, although no details about how much the service will cost have been disclosed. Whether or not the charges will be inclusive on certain tariffs or will just be charged as added extras also remains to be seen. The service does not have to be used in just O2 hotspots it can be used over any Wi-Fi network.

For now O2 are only allowing Android and Apple iPhone users to apply for the service, but we expect other smartphone users such as BlackBerry owners will also be able to use the service when it becomes fully functional. Until then however we will all just have to carry on using Skype on our devices. Will you be using O2 Connect when it launches or will you prefer Skype?

This is said to be the quickest way to communicate while online, as there is no need to do any typing. All you need to do is hit the F7 button and you are ready to start speaking. What makes this software even more unique is how you can speak to an individual or your entire contact group at once.

From a business point of view Loudtalks is perfect, as it allows you to replay the entire conversation that you just had. Do not think for one moment that this service is anything like Skype, because it is so much different than that –for starters is has much less downtime.

So let’s take a look below to see what are the key differences between the three versions. First up we have “Loudtalks Lite,” which offers you instant voice communication on a Windows PC or Phone for free. This is more suitable for the home user.

“Loudtalks Mesh” is for the enterprise user and comes with a few key features: Free push-to-talk SDK, Web-based management console & API and more. However, this all comes at a price, from $650 per month to be precise.

Finally we have “Loudtalks Cloud,” which allows you to push-to-talk with your business groups. This service is private and secure, but you will have to pay from $59 each month. So there you have it, three different versions of Loudtalks, now you just have to decide which is for you. For more details visit the official Loudtalks website.