newbie

You can subscribe to a free service like FWD ( freeworlddialup.com ) and talk with other people on that network and affialiate (like Vonnage subscribers) for free. If you want to make calls to PSTN numbers, you have to sign-up with a provider. You can get unlimited plans, plans with set minutes, and you can get a pay-as-you-go plan. For instance, Teliax has a PAYG plan with domestic minutes at 2 cents with a 2 cent connection charge, billed in 6 second increments. If you want a phone number, the fee is $5/month.

I wish I had a friend that would give me a cisco :(

You'll probably want to sign up with a normal provider rather than one of the free services b/c basically, you get what you pay for.