why is everybody not using voip?

BexTech

Skype is VoIP, just a Toy Town type of VoIP, it's proprietary, so you can only use equipment made to work with Skype and not the many SIP devices that are made for the 'open' VoIP service, also means only Skype - Skype calls are free and no getting around that, where as with SIP VoIP there are many SIP companies with peering arrangements or you can use workarounds, this means everyone can choice the type of package they want.


For example VoIP.co.uk offer fro £1.99 per month inclusive calls in the evening and weekends to 01 and 02 numbers (each call free for the first 60 mins) and calls to 01 / 02 numbers during the day are 2p for 60 mins
.

Other companies offer differing rates, but virtually all of them give you a local 01 or 02 number of any areacode you want for free and voicemail service for free.

You can use standard SIP devices, so if you decide you want to change VoIP provider, you simply enter the new details into the device and away you go.

Unlike Skype there is no worrying about that your computer is being used by other users to pass their calls through.

With SIP you can cheaply buy ATAs that connect to a router, or ATAs that are also routers, or routers with SIP ports on so you can connect up your usual DECT cordless or standard phones and are able to make and receive calls without the need of a computer being on all the time.

tshabs

In fact, you would be surprised to know how many calls in the UK are infact routed over voip.
Many "alternative" providers (this includes override numbers, cps providers etc) actually route their calls over voip, which is what allows them to compete with BT.
In a way, this is more efficient than each person running a VoIP ATA from their home internet connection, as these services run the VoIP services off specially dedicated servers and internet connections, to ensure maximum call quality and reliability, as most problems with VoIP occur in the "last mile" delivery of the service.
Now with providers having cheap and easy access to CPS, you will see many more providers offering VoIP like rates on home phonelines, which not only means there is no need for an ATA but also no need for an internet connection (with QoS setup).

As you may have gathered, I am currently working in a business setting this up, and hopefully it will be a great achievement in bringing true VoIP rates to the landline telephone market (by this I mean half the price of Skype :P)

I too am a university student so if you want any techie info or statistical data just drop me a PM.

Tom.

BexTech

Not difficult though being cheaper than Skype, they are one of the dearest VoIP providers.

rickyc_3

I have read this thread with interest, i am a university student and have access to high speed internet! I think it is interesting that this could be done however i still have not find a usb device so i can use a normal cordless phone. I also find it could that you can have different numbers from different part of the uk! Any recommendations for a student in halls would be appreciated

tshabs

If you are in halls and are connecting through the campus network, there is a high chance that regular VoIP (SIP) is blocked by your unis firewall, but a service such as Skype will still work.
If you are living off campus and have your own broadband connection, you can look into getting an ATA device, or an ADSL router with built in ATA device, which allows you to connect your standard telephone to it, and route the calls over SIP.

Take note that if you do use skype, not any old ATA (Analogue Telephone Adapter) will work, as skype uses its own propietary technology, and skype specific devices do tend to cost a little more.

bunking_off

The simple answer to the OP's original question is one of market structure.

There's two aspects to this, namely lack of naked DSL, and the competitive state of the UK market prior to the introduction of VoInternet providers.

Naked DSL is the ability to take a broadband line without the associated voice service. You can't do this on a BT line, although as others have said Virgin Media allows the equivalent on cable lines. The logic behind BT's position was historically that they wanted to protect their voice services. However, the reality now is that it costs precious little less to provide the copper without dial-tone, so if you got a naked DSL line you'd probably be paying nigh on the same line rental as you do for a full service. Once you've got the situation of all lines having voice provision, that means customers have the option of whether to use VoInternet services or other competitors using existing techniques (e.g. carrier preselection, IDA, 08 dial through providers etc).

...which brings us onto the 2nd aspect. The UK calls market is incredibly competitive and frankly there are an awful lot of traditional voice providers out there who are pricing at below cost. Logically, they'll go out of business, but illogically there seems a steady stream of entrepreneurs willing to lose their shirts in this market. A lot of this is because there's chronic oversupply of network capacity, and providers tend to treat the initial capex of the kit as a sunk cost. Looking at calls to e.g. a UK landline, this means that at best, retail pricing tends towards the regulated termination rates charged by the network to whom calls are directed (typically BT). At worst, they're well below that. Good examples of this are CPs who until reasonably recently were charging 2p per call flat, when their outpayments to BT must have averaged 1-1.5p per minute.

So, in this situation customers can get cheap deals without having to buy any equipment like ATAs to use VoInternet (or alternatively having to sit in front of their computers), so why go to the hassle of using it? Obviously, the on-net calls are more compelling, but when you've got the situation like myself where our calls bill is never more than £1.50 per month, I'm not going to start faffing about with VoInternet for the sake of saving 4p per call during the day (evening/weekend calls are free with some providers in any case).

Rather than looking at the USA, you might like to look the other direction. In France, for example, VoInternet is big business. The reason, I think, is because they liberalised their network later, and concepts like carrier selection never really gained a foothold before VoInternet came along. So over there, it's a more compelling proposition.

Finnicky point, but you'll notice I referred to VoInternet rather than VoIP. Many services that look like traditional plain old telephony are carried as VoIP internal to the provider's network. I'd be surprised if 1899 etc don't use VoIP technology. Even BT are replacing their network with a VoIP one. I could equally have used the term "Internet Telephony", but using the term VoIP is dangerous as it means different things to different people.

Saeed

rickyc wrote: »

I have read this thread with interest, i am a university student and have access to high speed internet! I think it is interesting that this could be done however i still have not find a usb device so i can use a normal cordless phone. I also find it could that you can have different numbers from different part of the uk! Any recommendations for a student in halls would be appreciated

I have a new netgear ta612v that is up for grabs which comes with a free incoming number and 555 minutes of free calls to UK landline, let me know if you're interested.

Saeed

I think BexTech and a few others have made some valid points about the lack of uptake of VoIP. I myself have been using VoIP for the past 8 or so months. The reason I did not use it earlier was that we had a BT line with CPS giving me free evening and weekend calls and using 1899 so it was a bit pointless going to all the trouble to save a couple of quid a month and adding another layer of complexity which the family would not be able to work which could COST me money. Sometimes they have been putting calls through 1899 in the evening when they are free through the CPS!

Recently I moved house and took out the virgin 3 for £30 service. Upon cancelling the TV and phone package which was not as flexible as BT, I started experimenting with VoIP and have found it excellent. Currently pay £10/month for internet and have a free incoming number from sipgate using the Netgear TA612V which is saving me £11/month in line rental to BT/Virgin!!!!

computerwoman

my son uses googletalk to talk to his friend that lives in another town now 21 miles away...and his friends that have moved away to go to uni...derby which is about 400 miles away he found that googletalk had a better reception than skype which we have had since the beta day's...I found that if he use's googletalk it keep's the landline open for other user's...and googletalk is free...:D

shaq

thanks for all of your valid points everybody, i got a First for my project through your help and i am extremely grateful. Personally being a uni student my experience of voip has been mixed, as it did not work on my uni network because they have blocked it, i decided to get mobile broadband with 3 network and they provided me with a usb modem for my laptop.

However when i attempted to make a Skype call or Voipstunt call with this connection it was very bad quality, i guess this has something to do with it being a mobile network and speed was 1.3mbps.
But when i tried Your Choice VoIP it was totally clear, i thought it might be because they have a mobile section about how you can use voip on your mobile so i gathered if they are offering this service they might be using a good codec over mobile internet.
but all in all i am satisfied now i pay £6.99 a month and i get 500mins to call family in venezuela and hong kong.