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VoIP software says that it makes phone calls over the internet. But using Skype and Google Voice, calls can be made to landlines and mobile phones. What are these services termed as? What is the name for the technology that permits this?

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Both Google Voice and Skype Out, and similar services, are still VOIP.

Your voice gets digitized and "carried" from your computer over the internet, until it reaches a gateway server that knows how to contact a phone number and de-digitize the info back into voice etc. But your voice is definitely making its way over IP to get to its destination (as well as the voice of whomever you're talking to).

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what is the gateway server service termed as, because my Viber VoIP software does not seem to have the functionality. –  Vass Oct 15 '11 at 9:30
so they are VoIP services plus a 'gateway' service which knows how to contact a phone number. –  Vass Oct 15 '11 at 9:44
Yes they are. And it's on their network, not in your client, so there's nothing for you to 'configure' –  Traveling Tech Guy Oct 15 '11 at 18:04

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