By Sharla Sikes

Dating went high-tech when the plethora of web sites popped up to help those longing for romance find the right kind of partner. Or partners … At any rate, dating site eHarmony recently boosted the techno-geek side of its services when it added VoIP calling to bring romance seekers together.

eHarmony’s VoIP service may be attractive to daters who don’t want to give out their home, work or cellular phone numbers.

“Online services have brought a new way for people to meet, but the structure of how two people come together hasn’t changed since the beginning of time,” says Greg Waldorf, CEO of eHarmony. “People want to take gradual steps toward an ultimate relationship. The connection starts online, and it leads to a phone call.”

eHarmony’s VoIP service will be a click-to-call application that VoIP provider Jajah designed specifically for the dating site. A prospective suitor can click on the link to call, and eHarmony/Jajah sends an e-mail to the recipient announcing the incoming call. Both parties’ numbers are masked for privacy. Waldorf says he chose Jajah’s VoIP product due to its use of existing phone lines, rather than other services which connect via PCs.

The “bridge” conference calling feature will cost $5.95 per month, according to eHarmony.  

For Jajah, the service it has designed for eHarmony is a harbinger of “Voice 2.0.” He sees VoIP going beyond low-cost calling services, and becoming an all-encompassing smart solution for users focused on collaboration and the “intelligence” of the network. Additionally, eHarmony’s new VoIP service helps boost Jajah’s business model of using traditional phone networks to connect using VoIP.

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