Skype - useful add ons/extras

Doublespresso

Hi all

I am looking for an add on (extra) to enable Skype to function as a switchboard, i.e. you can receive a call, transfer it to a mobile, put it on hold, have conference calls, etc.

Is there anything like this available which is GOOD? I had a look at the extras section, but I would prefer to hear from MSE members' experiences.

Also any other useful Skype features/add ons others might care to share.

BexTech

Forget Skype Hype.

Go for proper VoIP using SIP or IAX

If you want all the features of a switchboard, then using a cheap PC load on Trixbox.

You can do all sorts of tricks, have music on hold, block callers depending on their CLI, place callers who you don't recognise in a queuing system, even fake the queue number they are in. Transfer calls.

You can even call into your system and make outgoing calls from it.

http://www.trixbox.org/

Doublespresso

Is the voice quality with Tribox better than Skype? Any other advantages?

How easy is it to use for a non techie?

everythingblogcast

It looks like you have to pay for that, try www.sipgate.co.uk and get a free 01 or 02 number please dont get a 087 or a 0845 number.

cledor

everythingblogcast wrote: »

It looks like you have to pay for that, try www.sipgate.co.uk and get a free 01 or 02 number please dont get a 087 or a 0845 number.

Will I need to buy any credits to receive calls on Sipgate? Just downloaded but cant make it take any calls.

everythingblogcast

cledor wrote: »

Will I need to buy any credits to receive calls on Sipgate? Just downloaded but cant make it take any calls.

No totally free, I do believe that you need credit to call people. But I just use sipgate to take calls.

BexTech

cledor wrote: »

Will I need to buy any credits to receive calls on Sipgate? Just downloaded but cant make it take any calls.

No, you don't need credit on the Sipgate account to receive calls, or to make calls to 0800 and 0808 numbers or other Sipgate members or members of other VoIP providers with peering arrangements.

BexTech

Doublespresso wrote: »

Is the voice quality with Tribox better than Skype? Any other advantages?

How easy is it to use for a non techie?

Trixbox is a PBX system, you use this with your various VoIP providers.

For example you may have Sipgate as your VoIP provider, or Sipgate, VoIPDiscount and VoIPTalk.

With Trixbox you have all various options, excellent system, not bad for a completely free system.

Voice quality is dependant on the VoIP provider you use, this is just software to run on some spare hardware to create a PBX system using your chosen VoIP provider/s.

Most VoIP providers offer better audio on calls to landlines and mobiles than Skype. VoIP - VoIP calls are extremely good too.

BexTech

everythingblogcast wrote: »

It looks like you have to pay for that, try www.sipgate.co.uk and get a free 01 or 02 number please dont get a 087 or a 0845 number.

Trixbox is a free PBX system, you simply download the ISO and install it on a spare PC.

You need to have a VoIP account with whoever you want, this can be Sipgate, VoIPDiscount, FWD, VoIP.co.uk, VoIPTalk etc.

It allows you to set up a PBX system, where you can get it to answer a call for you if it's not on an approved list (like friends and family) and send them to voicemail, or put them in a queuing system or simple reject the call.

You can use it for calling in on one number and using a PIN dialling back out.

If you use several ATAs you can have numerous extensions and either let all extensions ring, or a main one ring, either way you can then transfer the call elsewhere.

It can do lots of things, you can make it as complicated as you want.

Trixbox wrote:

Price (and “free” as in beer and freedom)
The trixbox project is founded on the belief that software should be free. Fonality has no intention to change this basic principle. For this reason, we have licensed trixbox under the GNU 2.0 GPL. trixbox carries no restrictions on re-branding (rip out our logo, that’s ok!) and people are free to commercially re-distribute it.

BexTech

A Linksys SPA nnnn device or PAP2 device allows certain features such as call transfer, call hold, call waiting, 3-way calling.

You need a SIP VoIP provider such as Sipgate, Voip.co.uk, VoIPTalk, VoIPdiscount etc, to use these devices, and they don't require a PC to be switched on.

cledor

OK after a restart I managed to get Sipgate to work on the X-Lite Softphone downloaded from the same site. I also tried it with my Skype USB phone but (as expected) it would not take the calls there so I'll stick with the PC Audio device until I decide what to get next.