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[MSE Archna]

This thread is specifically to discuss the content of the

Internet Telephony: Completely Free Calls Worldwide article

To discuss or ask a question about this article: click the reply button.

[Edinburghlass]

Welcome to any new users of the chat forum coming through from the recently updated article about Internet Telephony

We have a thread here which contains links to current threads regarding this subject on Home Phones and lots of experts that can help you with any queries you might have.

[JAB]

I have just discovered an absolutely brilliant voip provider - Sipgate (sipgate.co.uk)

Much better than proprietary software Skype. You don't need to have your computer on. You can use an ordinary phone (even cordless). No messy headphones. Calls are 1p per minute (and of course free to other voip users) to landlines anywhere. Quality is fab. Plus, you get a proper geographic phone number. I have just activated a new line and it's cost me just £58 - the price of an adaptor which connects to your broadband router. If you get this adaptor you can also take it with you to connect to any broadband router (so you can take your office away with you, the number follows you whereever you take the adaptor). No line rental, v low calls, great customer service, no min contract.
Thought everyone should know about this as this is missing from the article but they are a leading company and Skype has major drawbacks.

[utilitybroker]

www.voipdiscount.co.uk is worth looking at.

[f3lix]

Originally Posted by JAB

I have just discovered an absolutely brilliant voip provider - Sipgate (sipgate.co.uk)

Much better than proprietary software Skype. You don't need to have your computer on. You can use an ordinary phone (even cordless). No messy headphones. Calls are 1p per minute (and of course free to other voip users) to landlines anywhere. Quality is fab. Plus, you get a proper geographic phone number. I have just activated a new line and it's cost me just £58 - the price of an adaptor which connects to your broadband router. If you get this adaptor you can also take it with you to connect to any broadband router (so you can take your office away with you, the number follows you whereever you take the adaptor). No line rental, v low calls, great customer service, no min contract.
Thought everyone should know about this as this is missing from the article but they are a leading company and Skype has major drawbacks.

All sounds too good to be true, I've been thinking about using some sort of internet phone. will have to have a look at this!

[redux]

Originally Posted by JAB

I have just activated a new line and it's cost me just £58 - the price of an adaptor which connects to your broadband router. If you get this adaptor you can also take it with you to connect to any broadband router (so you can take your office away with you, the number follows you whereever you take the adaptor). No line rental, v low calls, great customer service, no min contract.
Thought everyone should know about this as this is missing from the article but they are a leading company and Skype has major drawbacks.

At first glance, it does appear odd that Martin omitted to mention the possibility of making and receiving calls without the PC on by using an adaptor plugged into the router, and seemed to highlight Skype over SIP providers.

But then consider that the article is called making completely free calls from the PC, so the hardware cost involved has probably made him leave it out of this, which deals with voice over internet at an introductory sort of level. There are plenty of other threads here about VoIP that are worth studying in more detail. Many SIP providers have peering agreements which means they do not charge calls to other SIP providers' customers.

On the other hand, as Martin mentions reaching destinations that are not free like UK mobiles, and other calling methods like override with callthrough providers, it's worth saying that some VoIP providers allow calls to the 0844 numbers that will reach UK mobiles cheaply.

[mobilegossip]

redux.

Can you let us know Voip Providers that allow calls to 0844 please?

[redux]

Voipfone do, all at 5p/min, but that doesn't matter really for calling mobiles as it's 4 or 5 anyway.

Sipgate has 0870 and 0845 at identical tariffs to BT, and links to BT tariff detail, so I think it would be quite likely - worth finding out.

I expect there are more, but I won't list one that charges all 08 numbers (except 0800) at 11p. Is it worth just trying from one of the Finarea VoIP ones?

[AP]

Originally Posted by utilitybroker

www.voipdiscount.co.uk is worth looking at.

Voipdiscount (and all its other sister companies like Voipstunt, internetcall, Voipcheap, Voipbuster, etc.) now requires a minimum of €10.00 + VAT (€11.60 = £7.98) to open and account which will expires after 120 days.

You have to consider how many minutes of calls you are going to make to their free destinations during this 120-day period and weigh it up against the total cost when using indirect access codes via Telediscount, Telestunt, Cheapest calls or similar companies to see if it is going to exceed £7.98.

[JAB]

To clarify some queries about Sipgate: You don't have to purchase an adaptor (ATA) at all - it's optional but allows you to use any standard phone so has advantages.

If you just want to buy an internet telephone you can plug that straight into your router and off you go - free voip calls (and not only to Sipgate users), a geographic phone number plus v low cost calls to non voip users. Plus the huge advantage that you don't need to have your computer on. So the fact that you can buy the adaptor shouldn't have been a reason to exclude Sipgate from the article. As far as I can see there's a big reason to choose Sipgate over Skype. Also they plan to bring in call divert and call forwarding within 'about a month'. I'm setting up a small business and this service gives me everything I need to have a second line and home office at almost no additional cost.

[Jelle Gregor]

Hi! Great site you are having. Helpfull to learn all the tricks to save money. I personally use voipdiscount to call with also to regular landlines. I must say Skype has a better sound quality, but of course voipdiscount is quite a lot cheaper! To compare more prices of companies who also offer free calling to some countries you could have a look at www.voipproducts.eu

[wlcnetwork]

I've been using VoIPCheap.co.uk and VoIPStunt for about six months without any problems. They're both great. When VoIPCheap.com emerged about three months ago I started using that and found it even better. In recent weeks, however, the call quality using VoIPCheapCom has deteriorated considerably and yet, VoIPCheap.co.uk and Stunt are still fine. Does anyone have any ideas?

I've tried e-mailing support but have given up holding my breath! At the fantastic rates they charge, I didn't really expect a [prompt] response.

Regards
Bill

[archie6]

I've been using VOIPCHEAP since it was launched and don't think that there's anything else to beat it. You pay the £10 + VAT deposit and it lasts for 90 days. Calls to most popular places are free, no matter how long.
I've been booking hotels in Florida recently and must have made 50 calls - all free. I use up the deposit for the odd occasion when I simply HAVE to call an 0870 or even 0845 number (same price as BT) - I usually find an alternative on www.saynoto0870.com so I don't call many.
I also have Call 18866 set up on all my house 'phones for when I'm feeling lazy and can't be bothered to go to the computer - still only 4p per call in UK for as long as you want to talk.
For calling mobiles I use Discount Dial 08445663232 which costs 5p per minute charged to my BT account.
My quarterly call charges are now BT: less than £5, VOIPCHEAP: £11.75 and Call 18866 about £5, all including VAT. I make that £7.25 per month for everything and I make hundreds of calls, many overseas!
I seem to be saving a fortune - or are there even cheaper options out there??????

[mobilegossip]

Originally Posted by archie6

I've been using VOIPCHEAP since it was launched and don't think that there's anything else to beat it. You pay the £10 + VAT deposit and it lasts for 90 days. Calls to most popular places are free, no matter how long.
I've been booking hotels in Florida recently and must have made 50 calls - all free. I use up the deposit for the odd occasion when I simply HAVE to call an 0870 or even 0845 number (same price as BT) - I usually find an alternative on www.saynoto0870.com so I don't call many.
I also have Call 18866 set up on all my house 'phones for when I'm feeling lazy and can't be bothered to go to the computer - still only 4p per call in UK for as long as you want to talk.
For calling mobiles I use Discount Dial 08445663232 which costs 5p per minute charged to my BT account.
My quarterly call charges are now BT: less than £5, VOIPCHEAP: £11.75 and Call 18866 about £5, all including VAT. I make that £7.25 per month for everything and I make hundreds of calls, many overseas!
I seem to be saving a fortune - or are there even cheaper options out there??????

1899 is only 3p connection. 18866 is now 5p.

18185 is 5p to mobiles peak and 2p offpeak .(4p connection) Unlike 0844 access numbers you dont pay if you dont get through.

Primus Saver 2 gives you Free 01/02 calls E&W.

[kingmonkey]

Dont think anyone has mentioned that voipcheap.com "free" minutes is defined as 300 min in any 7 day period.

Also voipcheap.co.uk is not the same as voipcheap.com, http://www.myvoipprovider.com/ has information about these companies.

Actually can I also suggest the following. Sipgate offer free UK geographical numbers which remain active if someone has phoned you in the lasy 80 days (I think),

You can use ENUM to register this free DID number to directly phone your voip phone, so that other people on voip can call you for free (bypassing providers). Providers that offer free ENUM lookup are sipbroker and voxalot. You dont even need to register to sipbroker to use their service.

You can use voxalot as a gateway between other providers, for example I have sipgate registered with them and therefore people on an ordinary phone can call me using my free DID costing whatever their tariff is. People on voip can call me on my DID for free if they use sipbroker's ENUM lookup. (or they can use peering codes (which are harder to remember))

I have also registered voipcheap.com with voxalot so that I can call normal phones for cheap.

This is great for people who dont have a highly configurable ATA, however voxalot is a beta service and I have noticed ocassionaly it fails to work (luckly I have workaround). If your needs are not critical its a good service to use as a gateway to other providers. Other services they provide are ENUM lookup, peering dial codes (same as sipbroker(probably provided by sipbroker)), dail plans, provider gateway, call forwading and voicemail.

[wlcnetwork]

You're correct in that voipcheap.co.uk and voipcheap.com are different. They are, however, owned by the same parent, as is voipstunt, voipbuster et al.

Bill

Originally Posted by kingmonkey

Dont think anyone has mentioned that voipcheap.com "free" minutes is defined as 300 min in any 7 day period.

Also voipcheap.co.uk is not the same as voipcheap.com, http://www.myvoipprovider.com/ has information about these companies.

Actually can I also suggest the following. Sipgate offer free UK geographical numbers which remain active if someone has phoned you in the lasy 80 days (I think),

You can use ENUM to register this free DID number to directly phone your voip phone, so that other people on voip can call you for free. Providers that offer free ENUM lookup are sipbroker and voxalot. You dont even need to register to sipbroker to use their service.

You can use voxalot as a gateway between other providers, for example I have sipgate registered with them and therefore people on an ordinary phone can call me using my free DID costing whatever their tariff is. People on voip can call me free using sipgate by calling my DID.

I have also register voipcheap with voxalot so that I can call normal phones for cheap.

This is great for people who dont have a highly configurable ATA, however voxalot is a beta service and I have noticed sometimes it fails to work (luckly I have workaround). If your needs are not critical its a good service to use as a gateway to other providers. Other services they provide are ENUM lookup, peering dial codes (same as sipbroker(probably provided by sipbroker)), dail plans, provider gateway, call forwading and voicemail.

[kingmonkey]

They are, however, owned by the same parent, as is voipstunt, voipbuster et al.

Yeah, your right its the betamax group. What I was suggesting was that all these companies do not offer the same rates to different countries/numbers, so if you do decide to sign up to one of these companies then look at each to find the one most suited to your needs, and be aware that they often change their deals at no notice.

If your running linux then you can use the script found hereto email you when they update their site's rates. Although there have been reports of them changing their rates and not updating their webistie.

[ElCid26]

I am surprised that nobody has mentioned JaJah yet.
Free telephone (landline) calls within zones 1 and 2 (most of the civilized world) you can use it even if you use dial-up access for your PC, simply by scheduling your call for 5 minutes later and then shutting down the PC.
Your fone rings first, you pick it up, then your connected to person you are calling.
All you have to do is register (free).
Calls to non-registered fones are as low as 2 eurocents a minute.
Go to www.jajah.com
Cheers.. EM

[Heinz]

Originally Posted by ElCid26

I am surprised that nobody has mentioned JaJah yet.
Free telephone (landline) calls within zones 1 and 2 (most of the civilized world) you can use it even if you use dial-up access for your PC, simply by scheduling your call for 5 minutes later and then shutting down the PC.
Your fone rings first, you pick it up, then your connected to person you are calling.
All you have to do is register (free).
Calls to non-registered fones are as low as 2 eurocents a minute.
Go to www.jajah.com
Cheers.. EM

Welcome to the MSE forums ElCid26.

It's not that it's not been mentioned, it's just that the reference to jajah is not immediately obvious (have a look at THIS THREAD and, in particular, at post #78 onwards).

That call-scheduling part is useful though!

[ElCid26]

Thank you Heinz, I have added comments on the other thread. Cheers EM