Did you know that even celebrities use VoIP? It’s true. Here is a list of 18 celebrities utilizing the technology. You’ll be surprised by the big names we found!
According to Vontoo Voice Marketing, these 6 celebrities have all sent recorded calls via VoIP. The Vontoo service allows people and businesses to send opt-in phone messages to fans, customers and other interested parties with updates, personal messages, reminders, promotions and upcoming event information.
1. Larry Bird, retired American NBA basketball player. Considered one of the greatest of all time.
2. Jenna Fischer, American actress
3. Paris Hilton, Hilton family heiress and movie star
4. Dierks Bentley, American country music artist
5. Matt Ryan, American football quarterback for the Atlanta Falcons
6. Rudy Gay, American professional basketball player on NBA’s Memphis Grizzlies
On Jan 28, 2009, this celebrity failed to make a scheduled appearance at the Sundance Film Festival. Although fans were slightly disappointed, the celebrity did take the time to say a few quick words over Skype.
7. Olivia Newton-John, Australian singer and actress
While it is not confirmed that this celebrity actually uses VoIP, we do know that she is a VoIP supporter. On Sept. 13, 2006, this celebrity gave away two Ojo 1000 Video Phones and free service activation for an entire year. Ojo is a broadband/video phone.
8. Ellen DeGeneres, twelve-time Emmy award-winning American comedian, television hostess and actress
We know for a fact that these celebrities have used VoIP. In 2006, Skype ran a charitable campaign on EBay allowing people to bid on a Skype call with certain celebrities. The feedback was almost all positive. Here are a few of the big names.
9. Seth MacFarlane, American animator, composer, writer, producer, actor and voice actor
10. Penelope Cruz, Spanish actress
11. Matthew McConaughey, American actor
12. Brooke Shields, American actress, bestselling author and supermodel
This celebrity was the first person in the world to have 1,000,000 followers on Twitter. Not a surprise then that he is savvy in other technologies too. Not only does he use VoIP, he is also “creative director” for a Silicon Valley start-up called Ooma. The company is responsible for creating a device that allows users to make VoIP calls to any phone in the U.S. for one flat fee. Guess who it is yet?
13. Ashton Kutcher, American actor and former fashion model
This is definitely one of the most well known celebrities to use VoIP. According to VoIP-Weblog.com, she conducts video chats – via Skype – with people in odd places – citing locations such as a Canadian town near the North Pole, from a submarine, and even from a Virgin America flight.
14. Oprah Winfrey, American media personality, actress, producer, literary critic and magazine publisher
This controversial figure was recently seen using VoIP on television. According to TMCnet, Skype conducted a smart publicity stunt on the new reality show, I’m a Celebrity… Get me out of Here! Stranded in the jungle of Costa Rica, these two outspoken members of the show needed to get a hold of someone in the outside world, fast. This call quickly showed what Skype could accomplish.
15. Gov. Rod Blagojevich and Patti Blagojevich, American politician and wife
This next figure is definitely well known enough to be recognized in most places around the world, and hopefully everywhere in the U.S. It is already known that he used cutting edge technology in his campaign to reach the youth, but did you know that many of his staff used Skype to cut costs? According to Share.Skype.com, this politicians Silicon Valley marketing group had 18 computers, each with headsets and SkypePro accounts.”
16. Barack Obama, President of the United States of America
As a basketball all-star in the NBA, this VoIP user is so good, that in 2008 he was invited to the Beijing Olympics to play on the United States basketball team. But even big basketball superstars miss their family. As reported by the New York Times Olympic Blog and ESPN, this athlete used Skype on the regular to talk to his toddler son back home.
17. Carmelo Anthony, American professional basketball player for the NBA’s Denver Nuggets
At one time the world’s richest man, and still darn close, this celebrity-like businessman has touted the benefits of software-based computing and the power of integrating presence and click-to-talk features into business applications.
Also, when asked by CMP Channel why he decided to enter the VoIP market, this business leader said his company was” evolving to meet the new opportunity.” Known as a genius, we like the fact that this guy is not only a VoIP user, but also a VoIP investor.
18. Bill Gates, American business magnate, philanthropist, author, and Chairman of Microsoft
Know of a celebrity using VoIP that didn’t make the list? Comment about it below!
