Talk is cheap, as the saying goes, but it couldn't be further from the truth. With VAT rising to 20 percent in January, and telecoms companies including TalkTalk and BT announcing 50p-per-month price hikes on their line-rental charges, the cost of staying in touch is set to rocket.

There are ways to avoid these price premiums, however. Coupling a webcam with a low-cost (or even free) VoIP service such as will enable you to hold a conversation with your loved ones and get some face-to-face time as you chat.

VoIP telephony has roots in business communications, and was originally used for inter- and intra-office communications. It depends on a solid internet connection - something home users have only recently been able to take for granted. Adding a webcam to the mix lets you conduct web-based conference calls or have video chats with friends.

Internet telephony makes sense for businesses. It's more economical than boarding a flight or jumping on a train to go to a two-hour meeting. And calls conducted over the web are far cheaper than using a traditional phoneline, too.