GNU Free Call/SIP Witch and Skype, Free Call Will be AMAZING!

I decided to compare the GNU Telephony’s Free Call which is open source software that offers secure voice over internet protocol communications; this means it offers free internet phone calls for use by the general public. It will be similar to the well-known Skype. So I said “it will be” and there’s a reason for that – its still in the development phase. Even though it’s still not ready for prime time, I was able to download their SIP Witch, which is basically what Free Call will be based on. SIP stands for Session Initiation Protocol and it basically creates, manages, and terminates call sessions during its session (on the Internet).  SIP Witch has call forwarding, call distribution, holding, and call transfers. With SIP, the Witch provides secure telephone extensions for making calls over the Internet, and is an intercept/decrypt-free peer-to-peer audio and video program.

Ok so eventually, when Free Call is off and running, it will offer essential utility in public service by enabling the continuation of emergency services without requiring existing communication infrastructure. That is amazing! So I’ll be able to use Free Call (on my cell phone) during a crazy emergency, like during the crazy random earthquake we had in Northern Virginia last year.

This intercept/decrypt-free extension is a major milestone for the GNU Free Call team because Skype is surrounded by a wealth of major security concerns! But lots of people, like me, use Skype! So does this mean my computer is at risk when I use it? Probably.  While Skype encrypts users' sessions, unauthorized individuals can monitor call initiation. This topic even warrants a wiki page! A few years ago security flaws were discovered and patched. Those flaws made it possible for hackers to run hostile code on computers running vulnerable versions of the program. While these problems were fixed, no one still really knows how safe Skype is to use, especially since the source code is closed to the public. With open source software, one could argue there is at least some kind of accountability – especially when it comes to security! 

So while I really couldn’t test Free Call, I was really impressed by the tool’s potential. Based on my readings, it appears Free Call will greatly surpass Skype because it will offer users a more secure and reliable telephone service that will always be available, free of unwanted listeners!  And did I mention, IT'S FREE people.

Click here for more information on the GNU Free Call Project.