RH:
>SIP : Download software bang your head against brickwall to configure
>software and router, lots of testing needed to make sure it works, then
>family needs to find out the IP address they are using (as not static IP)
>so eventually it all works really well,

Buy a router with built in VoIP ports, you don't need to do anything at all
to dial IP numbers, it's not difficult for people to find and tell you their
IP no. (there are ways to get round dynamic ones). To use VoIP provider you
need to do no more then to input in log in details on a setup webpage, as
per manual.
Took me five minutes.
The only thing which can be hard is to set up the QoS parameters, but that
isn't essential.
Regards,
Martin