Ekiga
Ekiga, an open source alternative to Skype, offers a similar feature set. It can be installed using the Ubuntu Software Center and is available from Applications ➤ Internet ➤ Ekiga Softphone. When the software is launched for the first time, you’ll be prompted to create an Ekiga.net account, which will give you a SIP address (the VoIP equivalent of an e-mail address) and an option to purchase call-out credit.
After you’ve signed into the service, it works in a similar way to Skype, with a buddy list and, as shown in Figure, a standard numerical dial pad for calling land lines or mobile numbers. Ekiga’s integration with the Ubuntu desktop is very good—for example, you can receive alerts in the notification area if one of your contacts makes a call to you.
Figure . Ekiga is an open source alternative to Skype.
