Kings of the consumer frontier, Which?, have awarded Skype the top spot in their road-test of VoIP services - which they reckon to be the phone choice of the future.

The latest issue of Computing Which? magazine pits six free VoIP services against each other for ease of use, effectiveness and range of features. Skype took pole position for its "fuss-free approach, easy set-up and exceptional voice clarity", with second-placed Yahoo! Messenger lauded for a wide range of features. Poor old Google Talk was deemed "less helpful".

“Using your PC as a phone can be so cheap, often even free, that pricey landline and mobile bills could be in danger of becoming extinct," said Computing Which? editor Jessica Ross. "With mobile phone services entering the broadband market, VoIP looks set to be the choice of the future."