Cheapest way to divert calls to mobiles

asbokid

Another option is to run your own PABX server.. There is an open-source PC-based PBX server called Asterisk. It's great fun to play with, but probably overkill for what most people want and need..

http://www.asterisk.org/

Paul_Varjak

redux wrote: »

I wouldn't publish the 0871 number - just forward your landline to your Flextel number

I had not actually thought of that! Could set up divert on busy/no reply all the time and divert ALL calls when no-one is available on landline number.

foxyruby

Ah, thanks Redux. Great idea to forward from the landline number.

As for asbokid's suggestion about running my own PABX server, many thanks. I've had a look at the asterisk site you suggested. As a complete and utter novice to the telecoms sector, I confess the telecoms jargon nearly blew my head off, :eek: but having gone to fetch a packet of Hedex and placed them reassuringly within reach, I've read through as much as my brain can stand and can appreciate that there are a lot of fantastic advantages. It's free, it runs on Mac OS X which I use, and it obviously offers a lot of flexibility in configuring telecoms setups. And I right so far?

Then I saw the word VOIP, and wondered if Asterisk is a software program that would let me set up all kinds of configurations so that I can create a mini switchboard centre from my landline and divert to all kinds of mobiles, maybe have conference calls etc., but I would still have the same situation I had at the beginning of this thread, i.e. that I would still have to pay for all the diverts etc. at whatever rate my landline provider will charge (unless I can use it with Flextel somehow?) In other words, am I right in thinking that asterisk will let me do all kinds of fancy things so that I can create all kinds of phone connections, but it won't help me with the basic connection charges? Sorry to sound thick, but for me the language on the Asterisk site is like reading a knitting pattern in Chinese!

benjus

If you decide to use Asterisk I would suggest using it with a SIP line such as one provided by Sipgate, rather than your own landline.

If you do this I don't think it makes much sense to use Asterisk and Flextel together - Flextel's 0871 numbers cost about the same to call as a mobile phone from Sipgate, so you'd just be adding another unnecessary diversion to complicate things further.

At the end of the day someone has to pay for these calls to be redirected to your mobiles, and it's up to you to decide whether you think it should be you or the customer.

There is one potential way I can think of to do it for free, but I don't know if it would actually work. If you could get a cheap mobile with Bluetooth and set it up so that it uses your computer as a hands free device, it might be possible to get Asterisk to take an incoming call from Sipgate and divert the call using this mobile phone. If you were to get a SIM card for the mobile that allows free calls to your mobile (e.g. some providers offer free calls between users of the same network) then you would be able to forward the calls for free. Of course, it would be a lot of hassle to set up and you would have to buy another mobile phone to leave permanently connected to your computer - so the volume of calls would need to be fairly high for it to be worthwhile.

foxyruby

Wow, thanks Benjus. That's great.

I'll now go and think about all the options you've all given me on this thread. Cheers! :beer:

bestyman

Ok, I have meade some calls.

BT local business will divert free. IF you rent a mobile from them for £5 a month and change home landline to them at £42.30 a quarter, no other charges mentioned by the salesman but I didnt go ahead as sadly the network they use is Vodafone which will not work around here. Certainly worth further looking into though if Vodas ok with you. Seems a good deal if you get a lot of diverts.
I forgot to ask the cost of dialing out on the mobile, but expect these will not be bargain prices and may ofset any savings made on the divert bill for heavy users. Im too old to carry two phones around( one for incoming , one for outgoing) , but like I say, this deal may be very good for some people. To me this deal, if I didnt call out on the mobile would save me £50 a month .



I also found another way to do it for free. Well almost free .
Burnside telecom do a little box that combines a landline with a mobile. It takes incoming calls on a landline and ring out on a SIM like a mobile. If you have 2 SIMs on the same network often calls are free ( I know this will work on O2 , I think on O2 PAYG top up £15 a month then same network calls are free)


So in my case instead of paying £60 a month (£720 yr)
I would pay
Equptment costs £395 (ouch)
then 12 x £15 £180
Total £575
making a saving of £145 in year one and £540 in future years., plus I could talk a lot longer than I do now without worrying about costs.

benjus

bestyman wrote: »

I also found another way to do it for free. Well almost free .
Burnside telecom do a little box that combines a landline with a mobile. It takes incoming calls on a landline and ring out on a SIM like a mobile. If you have 2 SIMs on the same network often calls are free ( I know this will work on O2 , I think on O2 PAYG top up £15 a month then same network calls are free)


So in my case instead of paying £60 a month (£720 yr)
I would pay
Equptment costs £395 (ouch)
then 12 x £15 £180
Total £575
making a saving of £145 in year one and £540 in future years., plus I could talk a lot longer than I do now without worrying about costs.

You might want to consider these products, which are a fair bit cheaper (£172.50 for a single channel one): http://www.discountphonesystems.co.uk/acatalog/Portech_VoIP_GSM_Gateways.html

I'm not an expert in this area but as far as I can tell these would allow you to bridge calls between a SIP phone number (e.g. a free one provided by Sipgate) and the mobile network without requiring a system such as Asterisk (they are compatible with Asterisk but I don't think Asterisk would be required for simple bridging between SIP and mobile - just a broadband Internet connection).

My earlier suggestion of using Asterisk with a mobile (if it works) would still be cheaper (assuming a computer is available to run Asterisk) - but one of these devices should be a lot easier to set up.

If you're prepared to go through a fair bit of messing about, these devices *should* help you to get cheap outgoing calls as well. You could configure it so that calls into the SIM card in the device are routed to a discount calls access number, then you dial the number you actually want to call...

bestyman

Thanks for the link, will that do the same thing?

I dont want something thats too complicated to set up and I cannot change landline numbers as in yellow pages so that rules out new voip numbers.

Cheers

benjus

bestyman wrote: »

Thanks for the link, will that do the same thing?

I dont want something thats too complicated to set up and I cannot change landline numbers as in yellow pages so that rules out new voip numbers.

Cheers

No, those devices are for VoIP (SIP) lines. I suppose you could set up a divert from your landline to a new VoIP line, as this would presumably cost very little.

If you want to divert directly from your landline to a mobile, something like this should do the job:

http://www.voipon.co.uk/portech-mt350-1-channel-fxofxsgsm-fixed-wireless-terminal-p-942.html

DonnyDave

benjus wrote: »

I don't actually know of any way to divert to two mobiles simultaneously and let the first one who answers take the call - I expect it can be done with the kind of systems used to control office phone networks, but that's not the sort of thing you're looking for.

This service is available from Andrews & Arnold (AAISP), a VoIP provider, see here:

http://aaisp.net.uk/telecoms-services.html

This costs £1.15 per month plus VAT and you get an incoming 03 number. Diversion costs are as per call prices:

http://aaisp.net.uk/telecoms-callprices.html

There is a minimum charge of 2.5p inc VAT. Call rates vary depending on which network's mobile number you are on.

Crucially, calls are not rounded up to the next whole minute or next whole penny. They also don't incur connection charges, like the major landline providers do today.

For example, a 30s call to a Vodafone mobile will cost 5p inc VAT. From BT it will cost 20.7p inc VAT.

At a glance you wouldn't think that the difference between BT's rate and AAISP's rate is so big. BT charges 12.234ppm inc VAT and AAISP charge 10ppm inc VAT. BT has a call set-up fee of 8p inc VAT. The rounding up to the next whole penny if before VAT is added.


Does anyone have any experience of AAISP? I am looking at a similar setup to the requirements of the OP.