voip phone box

normal

So I also need voipstunt installed at the same time then?

chinnie

Sorry to have upping this, but I'm interested in buying one of these.

So I am in student accommodation and have a spare analog phone now but no telephone line (i.e. the BT number) and no RJ11-BT cord/adapter. Will this box work OK?

In that case, what kind of cord/adapter will I need?
http://www.maplin.co.uk/images/full/4898i0.jpg
http://www.broadbandbuyer.co.uk/images/products/f8v031-5cm.jpg

It seems there is an issue of power to make the phone ring for incoming calls?

eilz

chinnie wrote:

Sorry to have upping this, but I'm interested in buying one of these.

So I am in student accommodation and have a spare analog phone now but no telephone line (i.e. the BT number) and no RJ11-BT cord/adapter. Will this box work OK?

In that case, what kind of cord/adapter will I need?
http://www.maplin.co.uk/images/full/4898i0.jpg
http://www.broadbandbuyer.co.uk/images/products/f8v031-5cm.jpg

It seems there is an issue of power to make the phone ring for incoming calls?

Depends need more info about your setup. Are u intending to use the internet line from the uni, if so its prob diasbled access to use voip.

chinnie

Thanks eliz. In fact, I tried VOIP with built-in mic/speaker and there's no problem about it. I just want to improve a bit of call quality/convenience.

I only have broadband connection and a spare analogue telephone here.

vinylmusic

Has anyone had any experience with Vonage?

I am wondering if I have made a good choice

To start with I cant have a phone line. Im on a shared internet connection at the end of an 80metre ethernet cable so my only option is VOIP

I chose to go with Vonage because I got a phone number thrown in and the deal included a Wifi phone and unlimited UK calls for a total of £74.96
I'm using a Fon wireless adapter at the end of the ethernet cable in order to be able to use the wifi phone
The main reason for choosing this was because I have a virtual landline number and being wireless I dont need to have my computer turned on all the time. Also I get voicemail.

Now I'm wondering if I have made the right choice

I also registered with both Voiptalk and Sipgate just to try them out and both have given me virtual numbers and also I got to choose my area code as with Vonage.

With Vonage the call quality isn't always so great so I'm wondering if I've made the right choice. I've tried everything to improve it.
Vonage comes with a 30 day no quibble guarantee as long as I return everything including any documentation.

If I go with Voiptalk or Sipgate I will have to have my computer on all the time I'm at home

My first question then is has anyone mad the experience with Vonage and how quick or reliable are they at giving the "no quibble" refund?

Also which is the better VOIP provider?

These are my fors and againsts so far which may be useful to others in similar decisions to make

VONAGE
Fors:
Landline number of choice
Unlimited UK landline calls for £5.99 first 6 months then £7.99 a month
Voicemail to email
Wifi possibility
Wifi phone for £89.99 less £40 rebate
30 day money back guarantee
Againsts:
Appears to only work with Vonage equipment
Poor call quality
stuck with phone locked to vonage if I change mind after 30 days
£9.99 activation fee
£5.99 fee to upgrade or downgrade service
£23.99 cancellation fee when cancelling after first 14 days

VOIPtalk
Fors:
Free phone number chosen area code
Free software
£9.99 for unlimited calls to UK, most of Europe, USA and Canada
Free voicemail when on a paid package
Call quality seems to be fair but not as good as on a landline
Works with a USB head/handset
Againsts:
Slow support. I'm waiting over 24 hours for a response to fix an issue.
Support process not very user friendly. I found it a bit confusing.
Call quality could be better
Voicemail only works when in credit

Sipgate:
Fors:
Free phone number chosen area code
Free software
1000 minutes a month to UK landlines for £5.99
Call quality seems to be fair but not as good as on a landline
free voicemail
Works with a USB head/handset
Againsts:
Unused minutes expire at end of monthly period
Call quality could be better

I havent made any experience with Sipgates customer support yet

Skype:
Fors:
Free software
Works with own equipment
webcam
conference chat(keyboard)
1 to 1 chat(keyboard)
Occasional free promotional minutes
Againsts:
Must pay for a UK number
Must pay for voicemail
UK numbers limited to just a few major cities
No all in packages including UK calls

I'd like to hear other peoples experiences and their fors & againsts.
Also about other providers I have not mentioned.
Please respond to this thread and hit the "thanks" button if you found it useful

BritBrat

I have never tried Vontage and new to VOIP myself but from what I have been reading Vontage are expensive.

I have been looking at this:

voip.co.uk

Optional UK pack £ 1.99 per month OR £19.99 per year

UK 01/02* Peak 2p per call for up to 60 minutes, then 1p per minute

UK 01/02* Off Peak FREE for up to 60 minutes, then 1p per minute

UK 01/02* Weekend FREE for up to 60 minutes, then 1p per minute

* - Mobile charges to Vodafone, O2, T-Mobile and Orange

** - "UK 01/02" means: UK Telephone numbers beginning with '01' and '02' that are not on our network

*** - Integrated ADSL / Wi-Fi / Voice

http://www.voip.co.uk/res_products.html

BexTech

vinylmusic wrote: »

If I go with Voiptalk or Sipgate I will have to have my computer on all the time I'm at home

That is only true if you use software with or without a USB device.

If you use hardware such as a Linksys PAP2 ATA this attaches to your router and as long as you don't have the Vonage locked device, then you can use any SIP VoIP service that allows Bring Your Own Device.

Sipgate, VoIPTalk, OrbTalk, VoIP.co.uk, VoIPDiscount, VoIPStunt, VoIPCheap.com and many many others all allow BYOD and therefore you use these services without the need of the PC being on.

I use a PAP2 and have VoIPStunt on one line and Sipgate on the other, no one knows I'm not using a real phone service unless I tell them, not had any bad comments on on how crisp and clean the call is, though I do use the G711a codec only as I have no issues with bandwidth.

(Linksys PAP2s on eBay)