Free Unlimited International Calling - Startel.pt?

Hi,

Another interesting candidate here...

www.startel.pt

Appears to be offering unlimited international calling (to 30 destinations),
no proprietary / own softphone (they promote X-Lite and hence provide and
support full SIP functionality and therefore any SIP soft/hardware).

The basic completely free service appears to allow 1 minute calls to the
free destinations - or any length calls if you register the destination
number in ENUM.

The main "pro" service - appears to provide unlimited international calling
to the free destinations provided you have topped up by E10. I can find
nothing about credit expiry or limits (e.g. their does not appear to be any
max. 300 minutes a week Betamax type limits stuff).


Any experience, thoughts, etc. welcomed.

This could be very good and entirely what I could / would hope for. If this
is a long-term, non-promotional / non-beta service - then that strikes me as
great value.


Best wishes,



News Reader

"News Reader" <no@email.invalid> wrote in message
news:et6cf9$pje$1@inews.gazeta.pl...
>
> Hi,
>
> Another interesting candidate here...
>

<SNIP>

>
> The main "pro" service


I should have written - "VIP" service... Appologies.
>
> Best wishes,
>
>
>
> News Reader
>
>
>


Bye :)

"News Reader" <no@email.invalid> wrote in message
news:et6cf9$pje$1@inews.gazeta.pl...

> The basic completely free service appears to allow 1 minute calls to the
> free destinations - or any length calls if you register the destination
> number in ENUM.

What do you mean by "if you register the destination number in ENUM" ??
As far as I know, only owners of a phonenumber can register their own number
!!
If anyone would be allowed to register any number > this would be complete
chaos ...

"Philippe Deleye" <Philippe.Deleye@blablabla.advalvas.be> wrote in message
news:45f808d9$0$13865$ba620e4c@news.skynet.be...
>
> "News Reader" <no@email.invalid> wrote in message
> news:et6cf9$pje$1@inews.gazeta.pl...
>
>> The basic completely free service appears to allow 1 minute calls to the
>> free destinations - or any length calls if you register the destination
>> number in ENUM.
>
> What do you mean by "if you register the destination number in ENUM" ??
> As far as I know, only owners of a phonenumber can register their own
> number
> !!
> If anyone would be allowed to register any number > this would be complete
> chaos ...
>
>

lol - I think this is a generous interpretation of their Portuguese
translation (on my part) - I think what I probably mean / meant from my
interpretation or reading of their site is that if the destination you wish
to call can be persuaded to register their number in ENUM then they will
permit you greater than 1 minute calls to that destination.

I have been communicating with them a little... and it appears credit
"might" (or does) expire after six months (at the moment?)... (this is not
apparent from the main website as far as I could tell - but it might be
either loosely or accurately and specifically referenced in the Portuguese
terms and conditions presented on the registration page - automated
translation tools don't always do to well).

Further, they did mention that destinations may change or disappear with per
minute rates appearing (as their chosen wholesale providers vary the free
destinations they offer - apparently).

Thus I am little unsure! If someone is able to clarify this / has any
further information or experience, any input would be greatly appreciated.
When asked if this was a temporary offering or a beta service they clearly
state that it is not, that it is a permanent service, and they intend to
operate this model permanently (however the drill down on my part did seem
to suggest that this may actually be subject to variation... hmm... so
long-term >6 months i.e. 1 / 2 years plus of the free calls doesn't sound
altogether so certain...).

Anyhow, certainly at the very least nice in idea... and I would expect,
perhaps, that they may / would actually maintain the service for >6 months -
i.e. up to my idea of long-term(ish) (or a minimum version or measure of
thereat) (namely 1- 2 years plus).

Lastly, if additional credit is applied to an account before the six months
"expiry" (maybe) period arrives then the credit is preserved and rolled over
into / for the next period and so on.

This all needs clarification I think and where / as if possible firming up.

Any assistance / input / etc. appreciated.


Best wishes,




News Reader


P.s. With respect to the ENUM bit, I expect or imagine that what they are
saying is you can have longer than a 1 minute call (as a non-VIP user), if
the destination is registered in ENUM (rather than a user registering a
destination number in ENUM! - lol - such that either by fortune /
coincidence a destination is already in ENUM or is persuaded, invited or
encouraged to enter their number in ENUM) then they will allow unlimited
length calls to that destination as a result of it being able to be
connected to via SIP or some such (refer / redirect, etc. without requiring
PSTN). Thus, I imagine, that if a PSTN destination is ENUM with an entry
indicating no alternative SIP / internet routes (i.e. PSTN only) (or if the
route falls / fails over to PSTN - e.g. if the SIP route is off-line, etc.)
then their systems / service will not permit >1 minute calls to it(!) -
still who knows! It would be nice to think that even PSTN only ENUM entries
or those that have failed over SIP entries to PSTN route were still
permitted at >1 minute for free without VIP status (as a way of promoting
ENUM or for whatever reason they might be doing this / keen on this).
Still... hopefully we will find out / it is all good! :) etc.

On Mar 14, 3:50 pm, "News Reader" <n...@email.invalid> wrote:
> "
>
> I have been communicating with them a little... and it appears credit
> "might" (or does) expire after six months (at the moment?)... (this is not
> apparent from the main website as far as I could tell - but it might be
> either loosely or accurately and specifically referenced in the Portuguese
> terms and conditions presented on the registration page - automated
> translation tools don't always do to well).
>
> Further, they did mention that destinations may change or disappear with per
> minute rates appearing (as their chosen wholesale providers vary the free
> destinations they offer - apparently).
>
> Thus I am little unsure! If someone is able to clarify this / has any
> further information or experience, any input would be greatly appreciated.
> When asked if this was a temporary offering or a beta service they clearly
> state that it is not, that it is a permanent service, and they intend to
> operate this model permanently (however the drill down on my part did seem
> to suggest that this may actually be subject to variation... hmm... so
> long-term >6 months i.e. 1 / 2 years plus of the free calls doesn't sound
> altogether so certain...).
>
> Anyhow, certainly at the very least nice in idea... and I would expect,
> perhaps, that they may / would actually maintain the service for >6 months -
> i.e. up to my idea of long-term(ish) (or a minimum version or measure of
> thereat) (namely 1- 2 years plus).
>
> Lastly, if additional credit is applied to an account before the six months
> "expiry" (maybe) period arrives then the credit is preserved and rolled over
> into / for the next period and so on.
>
> This all needs clarification I think and where / as if possible firming up.
>
> Any assistance / input / etc. appreciated.


Question and answer were both a lot more succinct when I got an reply
a few minutes ago

> Could I ask a couple of questions about your VIP version? Is there a
> limited validity period for the calls to free destinations (like the
> freedays on Betamax accounts), or the credit balance, or a requirement
> to top up the credit every so often?

yes, you need to re-charge your account every 6 months.

"andy" <andy.ggrps@googlemail.com> wrote in message
news:1173900898.053994.146590@y80g2000hsf.googlegr oups.com...
> On Mar 14, 3:50 pm, "News Reader" <n...@email.invalid> wrote:
>> "
>>
>> I have been communicating with them a little... and it appears credit
>> "might" (or does) expire after six months (at the moment?)... (this is
>> not
>> apparent from the main website as far as I could tell - but it might be
>> either loosely or accurately and specifically referenced in the
>> Portuguese
>> terms and conditions presented on the registration page - automated
>> translation tools don't always do to well).
>>

<SNIP>

>> This all needs clarification I think and where / as if possible firming
>> up.
>>
>> Any assistance / input / etc. appreciated.
>
>
> Question and answer were both a lot more succinct when I got an reply
> a few minutes ago
>
>> Could I ask a couple of questions about your VIP version? Is there a
>> limited validity period for the calls to free destinations (like the
>> freedays on Betamax accounts), or the credit balance, or a requirement
>> to top up the credit every so often?
>
> yes, you need to re-charge your account every 6 months.
>
>
>


Hi,

Thanks for your input. I have since recently received a pretty specific and
helpful e-mail reply to. My only slight concern or thought was that in light
of the "tactics"? of the likes of Betamax (varying free destinations,
pulling or reducing the number of free destinations, free minutes, credit
expiry terms, etc. - whilst one is still enjoying the use of the service
under the arrangements at the time of their original credit being applied to
their account - without opportunity to exit the contract without penalty /
reject the change in terms of operation or continue use of the service under
the conditions prevailing at the time the credit was applied until such time
as it would otherwise or would have expired, be used up naturally, or
otherwise end as a condition of the then in force conditions [then as in
when the credit was originally applied]) - it seemed prudent to try to sure
up what the permanency or prospective likelihood of change in / of the
service was / is. (I.e. it seemed worth asking / trying to ascertain as far
as possible if the terms, free destinations, credit policy, etc., fair use,
etc. are likely to change / be introduced, etc. and how likely! - as far as
possible to predict, guess, offer, etc.).


Best wishes,




News Reader

On Mar 15, 1:16 am, "News Reader" <n...@email.invalid> wrote:
> "andy" <andy.gg...@googlemail.com> wrote in message
>
> news:1173900898.053994.146590@y80g2000hsf.googlegr oups.com...
>
> > On Mar 14, 3:50 pm, "News Reader" <n...@email.invalid> wrote:
> >> "
>
> >> I have been communicating with them a little... and it appears credit
> >> "might" (or does) expire after six months (at the moment?)... (this is
> >> not
> >> apparent from the main website as far as I could tell - but it might be
> >> either loosely or accurately and specifically referenced in the
> >> Portuguese
> >> terms and conditions presented on the registration page - automated
> >> translation tools don't always do to well).
>
> <SNIP>
>
>
>
>
>
> >> This all needs clarification I think and where / as if possible firming
> >> up.
>
> >> Any assistance / input / etc. appreciated.
>
> > Question and answer were both a lot more succinct when I got an reply
> > a few minutes ago
>
> >> Could I ask a couple of questions about your VIP version? Is there a
> >> limited validity period for the calls to free destinations (like the
> >> freedays on Betamax accounts), or the credit balance, or a requirement
> >> to top up the credit every so often?
>
> > yes, you need to re-charge your account every 6 months.
>
> Hi,
>
> Thanks for your input. I have since recently received a pretty specific and
> helpful e-mail reply to. My only slight concern or thought was that in light
> of the "tactics"? of the likes of Betamax (varying free destinations,
> pulling or reducing the number of free destinations, free minutes, credit
> expiry terms, etc. - whilst one is still enjoying the use of the service
> under the arrangements at the time of their original credit being applied to
> their account - without opportunity to exit the contract without penalty /
> reject the change in terms of operation or continue use of the service under
> the conditions prevailing at the time the credit was applied until such time
> as it would otherwise or would have expired, be used up naturally, or
> otherwise end as a condition of the then in force conditions [then as in
> when the credit was originally applied]) - it seemed prudent to try to sure
> up what the permanency or prospective likelihood of change in / of the
> service was / is. (I.e. it seemed worth asking / trying to ascertain as far
> as possible if the terms, free destinations, credit policy, etc., fair use,
> etc. are likely to change / be introduced, etc. and how likely! - as far as
> possible to predict, guess, offer, etc.).
>
> Best wishes,
>
> News Reader- Hide quoted text -
>
> - Show quoted text -

I'm not surprised Betamax don't often reply to emails!