MoneySavingExpert.com Discussion VOIP

Wintonian_2

thepearce wrote:

Just wanted to point out that this might be particularly beneficial to people like me who have their phone line and broadband with bulldog. Not only can we not use carrier prefixes but they seem to bar all of the cheap dial numbers out there. So for some, this is ideal.

Local Loop Unbuddlin (LLU) is a big yawn to date, why save £1 a month line rental to lose the flexibility offered by a BT line?

As a consultant in Telecommunications Regulation, I would strongly advise against going to an unbundled line until there is a truly competitive market out there. The main reason is that only BT (and Kingston Communications in Hull) have an obligation, as an Operator with Significant Market Power, to offer Carrier Select and Carrier preselelect.

Though not mandatory, BT is "expected" to offer an "any to any service" and, in my knowledge, does not bar calls to two-stage call set-up arrangements such as Telediscount.

I need not dwell on the issue of SERVICE, many of the new entrants have a lot to learn, and even the veteran C&W (now Bulldog) had a pretty mixed reputation with its Mercury service.

I use an ADSL internet provider which bundles in free evening and weekend calls, during the day its either 18866 (3p) or, if in my home office, their subsidiary Voipcheap for (free) UK calls. Overseas calls are normally made through Voipcheap or, if there is a significant saving, through one of the 0844 numbers publicised on Martin's site. I also programme in CPS overide to default to BT, where their rate for 0844 is better than my CS provider.

OK, this is all a bit nerdy, but I prefer to trial what I advise on.

BexTech

18866 4p now. 1899 3p.

LilacCow

Hi

I plan to move into a new flat in London after Christmas. I'm wondering whether I need to have a landline phone as I already have a mobile, and I'll get broadband internet.

I was thinking I could use VOIP to call landlines from my PC. I could register at my old house before I move: how easy is it to move location? Would I need a new 'phone' number?

Or, if I get ADSL broadband, some companies include free evening/weekend calls - is there any line rental for this though?

any advice is welcome. This is my first ever post: please be nice!

BexTech

With ADSL broadband, you need to pay for phone line rental on top of the ADSL monthly charge.

If you are going to go the ADSL route and have a BT landline, you might as well just use that for phone calls, by using a CPS provider like Just Dial Saver and get free evening and weekend calls, and then either use 1899 for daytime 3p calls and VoIP for completely free calls to UK landlines.

If you can, you want to go cable broadband, that way you can have broadband with no phone line, at least on Telewest you can.

At the moment I haven't heard of anyone moving their current landline number over to a VoIP provider, so you would have to get a new number from the VoIP provider, but once you have that number you can take it with you anywhere in the UK, anywhere in the world in fact.

richie_c_3

on the recommendation of this forum, just joined up with viopbuster and paid my 5 euros. however after one call i am being told i don't have enough credit to call again.

i am i being thick or has something changed?

any ideas

codetown

I think it is 10 euros now to get unlimited calls on VoipBuster.
On their plan/sign in form is written in a table with free and paid-for services compared in two adjacent columns.

Neptune

Thought I would would post to give my experience of voipcheap.co.uk.

They offer FREE calls to UK landlines and a number of other destinations (details on their website). On the trial calls are limited to 1 minute duration. (PC to Landline - Voip (Voice Over IP)

I trialed this and then decided to credit the account (used 'Pay by Phone') This costs £1.50 (cost of call) for a £1.20 credit (Didn't want to give CC details).

I have found the service brilliant and have made at least £25.00 of calls over the past 21 days, so have got my money back.

Calls have always been connected, quality is as good as a phone (I am using broadband). Even calls to mobiles are competive at £0.0975 p.m. (compared to Telewest)

The software front end is not quite as intuitive as I would like, and you need to concentrate when adding a contact!

I actually use my mobile bluetooth headset (via bluetooth dongle to make and receive calls - no wires! There is an option to set the audio device used for speaker / mic in the software - select 'bluetooth audio').

Even got my FREE landline number, works like a dream - phone users call my number and if I'm logged on I take the call on my PC - from anywhere that has the software installed - have used this successfully over WiFi connections using my laptop.

While this is free I will cane the pants off of it, I'm sure in time that they will charge for the incoming number and offer things such as voicemail for missed calls or when your not on line (I would gladly pay a SMALL fee for this).

All in all, works for me - intend to call like mad until it ends.

Re: Connection problems, found this info on Firewall configuration for VoipCheap:

http://www.wilderssecurity.com/archive/index.php/t-99567.html

markp10

seeing as how I'm on a capped internet service, does anybody have an idea of what amount of data i might be dowloading with, say a 10 min call using voipcheap?

Neptune

markp10 wrote:

seeing as how I'm on a capped internet service, does anybody have an idea of what amount of data i might be dowloading with, say a 10 min call using voipcheap?

Which PC OS (Operating System - Linux, M$) do you use?

markp10

Neptune wrote:

Which PC OS (Operating System - Linux, M$) do you use?

windows XP