Tesco Voice Over IP Phone Line

blobby11

I thought these type of phone services were free(for calls i mean) once you have them installed??

BexTech

blobby11 wrote:

I thought these type of phone services were free(for calls i mean) once you have them installed??

VoIP - VoIP calls on the same VoIP network are free, some have peering agreements with other VoIP providers so you can call those they have peering agreements with for free too.

Using VoIP to call landlines and mobiles will cost money either by a per second / minute billing, or by paying for an inclusive calls package. The VoIP companies would soon go bust if they didn't charge for calling the PTSN or mobile network and they still have to pay the termination fees and the fees to deliver the call once it drops onto the mobile network or PTSN.

VoIP to PTSN calls will usually be cheaper than the regular PTSN to PTSN as the call can travel over the internet until it has to break out onto the PTSN.

Sipgate for example has no monthly fees and you get a regular phone number, calls to other Sipgate users and certain other VoIP providers are free, calls to the PTSN are a touch over 1p/min.

Then there is Vonage, you have to pay them around £8 per month to get inclusive calls, so isn't ideal for those who don't use the phone a lot. The vast majority of people are better off on the pay per call basis, than the high monthly fee from Vonage.

blobby11

Oh I see, thanks for that.

I'm gonna look into it I think. I'm payin £5.99 at the mo with Tiscali (bundle with broadband)

But I want to swap broadband provider.

overcharged

I will hardly use the VOIP much. I hardly used my landline anyway, so didn't see the point in continuing to pay line rental etc. A Pay As You Go service suits me perfectly since my usage is minimal anyway.

I have made an approximate £38 per month saving on my NTL bill. They will disconnect my dedicated landline in 1 month, and I will just be receiving the free NTL TV channels and 2mb BB, for £20 per month.

Here is some information I received from Tesco Internet Phone (the Tesco I.P.A. below refers to the Internet Phone Adaptor, which I think I will now buy, and return the cordless Tesco Internet Phone for a full refund):

http://buy.tescointernetphone.com/details.asp?idProduct=674

"With the Tesco Internet Cordless Phone, the base does need to be connected to the USB port on your PC.

With the IPA this just connects to a Router Via an ethernet cable. You could certainly purchase very very long ethernet cables for this. However what i meant
was a very long USB cable would not be viable for the Cordless Internet Phone.

With a router, there is no minimum specification for Tesco Internet Phone, the instructions for the IPA are step by step and will guide you right through
setting it up.

Yes, you could go online with your Laptop and setup the IPA, top-up with credit, disconnect the Laptop completely and carry on using the IPA through your normal telephone connected to the IPA until the credit runs out. Its just with the IPA, because it does connect to the Mains Power Supply, if power failed this would
stop you making calls (i.e emergency calls)"

Tribune

overcharged, I did look at the IPA but it seemed a bit expensive.

Should have checked it out, though.

Sorry for the hassle I've caused you.

overcharged

tribune no hassle whatsoever!!!!! I can return the cordless phone for a complete refund.

The thing is, I'm actually setting up a VOIP for my father, who isn't tech savvy. I'd be very happy indeed with the cordless phone tribune, but it needs to be constantly connected to the turned-on computer.

If the computer was turned off for some reason and I wasn't in the house, I'd say my father wouldn't have a clue as to how to restart the VOIP software, let alone know how to turn on the computer!

Using the IPA makes things a little more user-friendly for my father since it's plugged straight into the broadband with no need for the laptop to be switched on, except when the internet phone account needs topping up with money.

Much appreciated suggestion tribune, and very much appreciated suggestions from the rest of you! This is a real eye-opener for me! Just to clarify it's NTL cable broadband I'm using. Sorry I wasn't clear about that in my opening post. My fault.

BexTech

If you want a device to plug into the router, and £50 is too much (the PAP2) then the £33 device from Play.com will do the job. You could then use a service such as Sipgate.

overcharged

Thanks BexTech !:) Going to take me a hour or two to digest all your really valuable info. Really comprehensive!

dave111

Found a dedicated Forum for all things Zoom. Focusing on VOIP
https://www.newtonfield.org/zoom

jrs0000

Tesco Internet Phone - Talk easily over the internet. ... PC and its broadband Internet connection to make voice calls over the Internet. We do not provide you with any other telephone numbers, a telephone line, or any other telephone,






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