VOIP access/ Override Call from Bahrain

Luke_Smith_2

Hi,

I have reviewed the comprehensive articles produced on VOIP and Override calls on the website. However, I am having difficulty in understanding what the best solution would be for me in my specific situation.

I moved to Bahrain (Middle East) earlier this year and I bought 2 Skype phones (one for me and the other for my mum). This setup works great so we can talk regularly. But I would like to know how I can utilise VOIP or an Override provider so that I can make cheap calls from Bahrain to UK mobiles and landlines.

I do not think that calling UK landlines/mobiles can be achieved by the Skype phones so I have also bought Siemens Gigaset C475IP. I understand that this can by used for VOIP calls where I can call UK landlines/mobiles? I have not set it up yet.

My first question is can override call providers be accessed from Bahrain (not a BT line) as I can't seem to find one?

My second question is which VOIP provider would be best when I am based in Bahrain making calls to UK landlines and mobiles only?

Alternatively, is there any better solution?

Many thanks and HAPPY CHRISTMAS! :beer:

Graham1

Luke_Smith wrote: »

My second question is which VOIP provider would be best when I am based in Bahrain making calls to UK landlines and mobiles only?

It depends.

If you want to be able to call most UK numbers (including 0844 etc.) and have an outgoing caller-id that propagates into the UK phone network choose a UK VOIP provider (e.g. VOIPtalk or VOIPfone).

If you want lowest cost (and "free" call days to landlines) choose one of the Betamax companies (justvoip, sipdiscount, voipbuster or any of the other brand names they use).

It doesn't matter where you are located as long as your Internet connection can support a continous 100 Kbps stream without dropping significant number of packets.

gavinp

It is possible to use a free Sipgate account to get an incoming UK number to use with your Siemens phones:

http://www.sipgate.co.uk/

I have a set of S685IP phones and it works well.

You can set the phones to use the voice codec G.729 which reduces the amount of internet bandwidth used to 40Kbps approx.

Be aware that Skype traffic is encrypted and SIP is not so it may be possible that local ISPs deliberately block this type of traffic so I would do some testing first.

Thanks

Gavin

emweaver

how can i anser a call with sipgate im receiving a call but it wont even ring on pc? just shows on sipgate as a missed call

vvvvvoip

Owing to VoIP Discount you can make free calls over the Internet to any of your online friends, as well as various popular destinations. We demonstrate you that IP is not only economy as well as a new technological phone process. voip-catalog.com Voip providers. Our user will understand that call is only data transfer and data can be transformed into different things that it is difficult for fixed phone. Our purpose is to bring closer IP-phone to everyone who uses cellular phone for private affairs or business.

therivierakid

I've just found this thread. My wife needs an IP phone for her small business. Its use will be mainly for receiving redirected calls from another number. There may be the odd outgoing call too.

Would something like the sipgate account work with any IP phone for this purpose? I've been looking at the VOIP phones on Amazon and it looks like we need to spend £60 - £100 on the phone so I'd like to keep the other costs to a minimum.

TIA,

Simon

boliston

therivierakid wrote: »

I've just found this thread. My wife needs an IP phone for her small business. Its use will be mainly for receiving redirected calls from another number. There may be the odd outgoing call too.

Would something like the sipgate account work with any IP phone for this purpose? I've been looking at the VOIP phones on Amazon and it looks like we need to spend £60 - £100 on the phone so I'd like to keep the other costs to a minimum.

TIA,

Simon

The main thing I would be wary of is handsets marketed as "skype" phones as Skype use a completely non-standard form of VOIP, so make sure that you get a handset that supports the "SIP" protocol which is the industry standard protocol for VOIP, so you are probably safe with phones such as Siemens Gigaset & Snom, although there are probably cheaper brands that will also work fine.

MarkLS12

I would suggest that instead of an IP phone you get an adaptor and use a normal phone.
You plug the adapter into your router and then plug any normal phone into the adaptor.
You can buy them from Sipgate themselves, they will even configure it for you for an extra £19.
The adaptor I have is this one:
https://secure.sipgate.co.uk/voipshop/linksys/pap2t

gavinp

I have done a fair bit of experimentation with different VoIP products (mainly on behalf of the inlaws in Spain) and different SIP providers and I would recommend the Siemens phones. They are not cheap but they are a very polished product and support "HD" VoIP which gives fantastic call quality.

I have also used with varying success:

Grandstream ATA486/496
Thompson Speedtouch 716/780
Billion BiPac 7402VGP
Zoom ATA 5800
Linksys PAP2 http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?t=96064

Please bear in mind that the broadband router you use may need ports forwarding to the IP address of the VoIP device on the network to work correctly - particularly for inbound calls.

Thanks

Gavin