Windows Live Call
Encyclopedia
Windows Live Call was part of Microsoft
's Windows Live
services. It integrated into Windows Live Messenger
to allow users to make PC-to-PC and PC-to-Phone voice and video calls. Microsoft partnered with telecommunication companies around the world to allow users to use a PC equipped with a microphone and speakers and a high speed Internet connection to call almost any regular telephone anywhere in the world.
Windows Live Call offered three ways of calling:
The Phone Call service utilized Windows Live Messenger and Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP
) technology to provide users an inexpensive way to make domestic and international phone calls from a computer.
Microsoft also released the Windows Live Messenger Phone, which acts as an extension to Windows Live Messenger to make calls to other PC users or acts just like a normal telephone.
Windows Live Call was discontinued on June 1, 2010 because Windows Live Messenger
Wave 4 release no longer supports VoIP functionalities. However, the "Computer Call" and "Video Call" features are still supported, in the forms of audio and video conversations respectively.
or control software. The only requirement to take full advantage of the phone is the latest version of Windows Live Messenger.
There are two ways users can make a call with the Windows Live Messenger Phone:
Additionally, when a contact calls from Windows Live Messenger, the Windows Live Messenger Phone will ring, display information about the caller, and allows the user to answer the call.
Currently Uniden
and Philips
have manufactured the Windows Live Messenger Phone.
to provide the service.
Other partners who hosted the Windows Live Call service included:
Microsoft
Microsoft Corporation is an American public multinational corporation headquartered in Redmond, Washington, USA that develops, manufactures, licenses, and supports a wide range of products and services predominantly related to computing through its various product divisions...
's Windows Live
Windows Live
Windows Live is the collective brand name for a set of services and software products from Microsoft, part of their software plus services platform. A majority of these services are Web applications, accessible from a browser, but there are also client-side binary applications that require...
services. It integrated into Windows Live Messenger
Windows Live Messenger
Windows Live Messenger is an instant messaging client created by Microsoft that is currently designed to work with Windows XP , Windows Vista, Windows 7, Windows Mobile, Windows CE, Xbox 360, Blackberry OS, iOS, Java ME, S60 on Symbian OS 9.x and Zune HD...
to allow users to make PC-to-PC and PC-to-Phone voice and video calls. Microsoft partnered with telecommunication companies around the world to allow users to use a PC equipped with a microphone and speakers and a high speed Internet connection to call almost any regular telephone anywhere in the world.
Windows Live Call offered three ways of calling:
- Computer Call - Free PC-to-PC voice calls to Windows Live Messenger contacts
- Video Call - Free PC-to-PC video calls to Windows Live Messenger contacts
- Phone Call - PC-to Phone voice calls to landline and wireless numbers anywhere in the world (charges applied)
The Phone Call service utilized Windows Live Messenger and Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP
Voice over IP
Voice over Internet Protocol is a family of technologies, methodologies, communication protocols, and transmission techniques for the delivery of voice communications and multimedia sessions over Internet Protocol networks, such as the Internet...
) technology to provide users an inexpensive way to make domestic and international phone calls from a computer.
Microsoft also released the Windows Live Messenger Phone, which acts as an extension to Windows Live Messenger to make calls to other PC users or acts just like a normal telephone.
Windows Live Call was discontinued on June 1, 2010 because Windows Live Messenger
Windows Live Messenger
Windows Live Messenger is an instant messaging client created by Microsoft that is currently designed to work with Windows XP , Windows Vista, Windows 7, Windows Mobile, Windows CE, Xbox 360, Blackberry OS, iOS, Java ME, S60 on Symbian OS 9.x and Zune HD...
Wave 4 release no longer supports VoIP functionalities. However, the "Computer Call" and "Video Call" features are still supported, in the forms of audio and video conversations respectively.
Windows Live Messenger Phone
The Windows Live Messenger Phone is a two-line phone. The first line plugs into a wall jack similar to a regular home telephone. The second line is a USB connection to the PC. The base/charger stays near the PC but the handset is wireless, allowing users to take it across their room. The Windows Live Messenger Phone does not require any installation of driversDevice driver
In computing, a device driver or software driver is a computer program allowing higher-level computer programs to interact with a hardware device....
or control software. The only requirement to take full advantage of the phone is the latest version of Windows Live Messenger.
- Make a call using the local telephone servicePlain old telephone servicePlain old telephone service is the voice-grade telephone service that remains the basic form of residential and small business service connection to the telephone network in many parts of the world....
- Users can also choose to open the Windows Live MessengerWindows Live MessengerWindows Live Messenger is an instant messaging client created by Microsoft that is currently designed to work with Windows XP , Windows Vista, Windows 7, Windows Mobile, Windows CE, Xbox 360, Blackberry OS, iOS, Java ME, S60 on Symbian OS 9.x and Zune HD...
interface. The user's current contact list will be displayed on the phone's color screen, including the contacts' display name and up-to-date information. Selecting a contact will give the user the choice to:- Call to PC - a free call anywhere in the world using the existing PC-to-PC calling feature
- If there is a stored contact phone number, and the user have signed up for PC-to-Phone service, the user can call them anywhere in the world at discounted rates
- If the user hasn't signed up for PC-to-Phone calling service, the user can still connect through their regular home phone servicePlain old telephone servicePlain old telephone service is the voice-grade telephone service that remains the basic form of residential and small business service connection to the telephone network in many parts of the world....
, as if they dialed their regular telephone
Additionally, when a contact calls from Windows Live Messenger, the Windows Live Messenger Phone will ring, display information about the caller, and allows the user to answer the call.
Currently Uniden
Uniden
is a Japanese company in the wireless communication industry.-History:Uniden was established on February 7, 1966 by its founder Hideo Fujimoto...
and Philips
Philips
Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. , more commonly known as Philips, is a multinational Dutch electronics company....
have manufactured the Windows Live Messenger Phone.
PC-to-Phone Partners
Verizon was the provider for the Windows Live Call PC-to-Phone service in the United States, but discontinued its Web Calling services for Windows Live Messenger as of September 1, 2008. Microsoft would instead partner with TelefonicaTelefónica
Telefónica, S.A. is a Spanish broadband and telecommunications provider in Europe and Latin America. Operating globally, it is the third largest provider in the world...
to provide the service.
Other partners who hosted the Windows Live Call service included:
- TelefonicaTelefónicaTelefónica, S.A. is a Spanish broadband and telecommunications provider in Europe and Latin America. Operating globally, it is the third largest provider in the world...
(USA, Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Peru and Venezuela) - NTTNippon Telegraph and Telephone, commonly known as NTT, is a Japanese telecommunications company headquartered in Tokyo, Japan. Ranked the 31st in Fortune Global 500, NTT is the largest telecommunications company in Asia, and the second-largest in the world in terms of revenue....
(Japan) - LG Dacom (Korea)
- Chief Telecom (Taiwan)
- Bell CanadaBell CanadaBell Canada is a major Canadian telecommunications company. Including its subsidiaries such as Bell Aliant, Northwestel, Télébec, and NorthernTel, it is the incumbent local exchange carrier for telephone and DSL Internet services in most of Canada east of Manitoba and in the northern territories,...
(Canada)
See also
- Windows LiveWindows LiveWindows Live is the collective brand name for a set of services and software products from Microsoft, part of their software plus services platform. A majority of these services are Web applications, accessible from a browser, but there are also client-side binary applications that require...
- Windows Live MessengerWindows Live MessengerWindows Live Messenger is an instant messaging client created by Microsoft that is currently designed to work with Windows XP , Windows Vista, Windows 7, Windows Mobile, Windows CE, Xbox 360, Blackberry OS, iOS, Java ME, S60 on Symbian OS 9.x and Zune HD...
- Windows Live TVWindows Live TVWindows Live for TV is a Windows Media Center application that was part of Microsoft's Windows Live services...
- Yahoo! VoiceYahoo! VoiceYahoo! Voice is a Voice over IP PC-PC, PC-Phone and Phone-to-PC service , provided by Yahoo! via its Yahoo! Messenger instant messaging application. Yahoo! Voice uses the Session Initiation Protocol , GIPS codec and the Dialpad engine for voice transport...
- AIM Phoneline
- Comparison of VoIP softwareComparison of VoIP softwareVoIP software is used to conduct telephone-like voice conversations across Internet Protocol based networks. VoIP stands for "Voice over IP". For residential markets, VoIP phone service is often cheaper than traditional public switched telephone network service and can remove geographic...