Moving abroad away from family and friends can be traumatic, leaving everything you’ve known and dealing with isolation from the rest of the family. Well, that’s how it used to be, but in this modern, globally orientated, technology-filled world, moving abroad is almost as easy as moving next door when it comes to keeping in touch.
Many will remember the moment in Star Trek when Captain Kirk stood on the Bridge of the Enterprise in front of a giant screen filled with the image of an alien on a nearby spaceship or planet, and spoke to them directly through the screen. Well, now you can do the same, simply using your computer and a webcam. Well, not exactly communicating with nearby extra-terrestrials, but at least you can talk to friends and family totally free of charge if you use the latest technology available on your PC.
VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) technology combined with fast broadband has enabled, not only an internet revolution, but also a communication one. Now, computers can be used for so many more things than merely processing information, playing music, DVDs, and acting as a TV; it is also an effective and cheap communication tool and fast replacing the telephone as the primary means of communication in many households.
Indeed, thanks to the widespread roll-out of mega-fast broadband, it is possible to place video calls to just about anywhere in the world while sitting in front of your computer. Anyone who has moved abroad can easily be contacted via instant messenger and VoIP software; very handy if you or your folks have upped sticks and moved overseas. Leaving your family behind no longer means losing touch, so there is absolutely no reason to miss birthdays, anniversaries or other special occasions. Although a few years ago this form of communication could have been frustrating due to the number of calls dropped or that suffered from delay, the technology is now so much better it is instant; just like talking to someone over the garden fence!
So, if you live a long way from your family and you want a cheaper option to expensive phone calls, or even if you tried using messenger communication a couple of years ago and thought it wasn’t worth the effort, give it another go. You’ll be surprised at the quality of the calls and the images, especially if you link up to a professional quality webcam.
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