Information about VOIP/Skype etc needed for a presentation

My knowledge of this subject is practically zero.

I am involved with a local computer club and usually do presentations
about general computer topics. They have asked me to do a presentation
about using computers as a means of making telephone calls.

I searched for a Newsgroup dealing with the subject and found yours.
Last few days has moved me forward a little. The opinion I am forming
is that this is all more relevant to business usage at present but I
want to still give a presentation.

Can anyone guide me to a Web Site which gives a basic explanation of
it all. Covering Hardware needed, how it is connected, the various
ways of using it, Skype and other implications and what the current
services offer and cost comparisons.

Is there something similar to the ADSLusers sites?


KM

> Can anyone guide me to a Web Site which gives a basic explanation of
> it all. Covering Hardware needed, how it is connected, the various
> ways of using it, Skype and other implications and what the current
> services offer and cost comparisons.
>
> Is there something similar to the ADSLusers sites?
>
>
> KM

This site has some good general info

http://www.pcreview.co.uk/articles/I...Voice_Over_IP/

as is the voip wiki

http://www.voip-info.org/tiki-index.php

Good Luck

Mark

km wrote:
> My knowledge of this subject is practically zero.
>
> I am involved with a local computer club and usually do presentations
> about general computer topics. They have asked me to do a presentation
> about using computers as a means of making telephone calls.
>
> I searched for a Newsgroup dealing with the subject and found yours.
> Last few days has moved me forward a little. The opinion I am forming
> is that this is all more relevant to business usage at present but I
> want to still give a presentation.
>
> Can anyone guide me to a Web Site which gives a basic explanation of
> it all. Covering Hardware needed, how it is connected, the various
> ways of using it, Skype and other implications and what the current
> services offer and cost comparisons.
>
> Is there something similar to the ADSLusers sites?
>

Someone asked me about Skype previously, so I wrote about it here:
http://ts86.blogspot.com/2005/08/voip-skype.html

km wrote:
> My knowledge of this subject is practically zero.
>
> I am involved with a local computer club and usually do presentations
> about general computer topics. They have asked me to do a presentation
> about using computers as a means of making telephone calls.
>
> I searched for a Newsgroup dealing with the subject and found yours.
> Last few days has moved me forward a little. The opinion I am forming
> is that this is all more relevant to business usage at present but I
> want to still give a presentation.
>
> Can anyone guide me to a Web Site which gives a basic explanation of
> it all. Covering Hardware needed, how it is connected, the various
> ways of using it, Skype and other implications and what the current
> services offer and cost comparisons.
>
> Is there something similar to the ADSLusers sites?
>
>
> KM

The majority of voip providers such as skype and vonage only offer
basic calling facilities whereas some companies such as
www.voipfone.co.uk offer a whole lot more you may find some useful info
on their site as well as an insight in to what is possible with
sip/voip

Mat

<Dexter@blueyonder.co.uk> wrote in message
news:55t2i117bsb0p5kfgd4o3msj7j3tikhj4q@4ax.com...
>
> Voipfone only offer the basic services for free just has Vonage do the
> rest have to be paid for has I have said before, Vonage just have the
> edge on Voipfone but only just in my book .

Vonage.co.uk defintely have the edge dex for sure,i cant understand why
people think paying9.99 or the 18.99 fo business option is a waste of time,
theyre clueless in my book, they dont realise they are missing out on the
best voip servbice around unlike another german company i could mention,
come to think of it, its the weekend so all pissgate useres watch out
because the Krauts will be off from the cow shed where they run it from to
the bars mid afternoon today so watch out for piss poor or even no service
on pissgate this weekend, if you email them expect a reply next year
sometime.

On Fri, 09 Sep 2005 10:02:31 +0100, km <kev@m.fr.co.uk> wrote:

>My knowledge of this subject is practically zero.
>
>I am involved with a local computer club and usually do presentations
>about general computer topics. They have asked me to do a presentation
>about using computers as a means of making telephone calls.
>
>I searched for a Newsgroup dealing with the subject and found yours.
>Last few days has moved me forward a little. The opinion I am forming
>is that this is all more relevant to business usage at present but I
>want to still give a presentation.
>
>Can anyone guide me to a Web Site which gives a basic explanation of
>it all. Covering Hardware needed, how it is connected, the various
>ways of using it, Skype and other implications and what the current
>services offer and cost comparisons.
>
>Is there something similar to the ADSLusers sites?
>
>
>KM


Thank you for the web addresses. I have saved them and will put
something together from the content.

Although "Googling" produced a lot of sites I feel that sites
suggested by members of a Newsgroup carry more weight.

Your help is appreciated. From what I know of the people attending the
Presentations there is little chance that they would take the plunge
at present but it will give them an insight, which will help them
decide as VOIP gathers momentum.

KM

Dexter@blueyonder.co.uk wrote:
> On 9 Sep 2005 03:45:24 -0700, "Mathew Curtis"
> <mathew.j.curtis@gmail.com> wrote:
>
>
>
> Voipfone only offer the basic services for free just has Vonage do the
> rest have to be paid for has I have said before, Vonage just have the
> edge on Voipfone but only just in my book .

Am I missing something here correct me if I am wrong dex but with
Voipfone you sign up for free and get a free uk number free call time
to test the service free sms to test the service you can add extra
numbers to your account for free you can have a free fax number free
fax to email free softphone download and thats just what i can think of
off the top of my head total cost £0.00 you have to shell out almost
£50 before you can even use vonage then you end up with equipment that
is locked to them your tied in to a contract and if at any time you
want to cancel you have to pay you pay extra for the privilege of using
a soft phone infact you have to pay for almost everything except for uk
calls and even that is questionable if you read and understand their
terms and conditions.

I chose Voipfone over vonage because I wanted the flexibility of being
able to add and remove features when I wanted to without having to pay
administration fees or cancellation fees I can use the phones I have
purchased from Voipfone with any provider I choose and I can cancel and
reinstate my services when ever I want to

Mat

so just out of curiosity dexter, how many calls do you make a day, are you
running a small business or something.

Dexter@blueyonder.co.uk wrote:
>Am I missing something here correct me if I am wrong dex but with
>Voipfone you sign up for free and get a free uk number free call time
>to test the service free sms to test the service you can add extra
>numbers to your account for free you can have a free fax number free
>fax to email free softphone download and thats just what i can think of
>off the top of my head total cost £0.00

>The UK Geo number or fax number doesn't come for free Matt but I got
>both for free thanks to the generosity of a Voipfone customer service
>rep and I didn't even ask he just gave them me but there is a little
>bit more to it than that though .

I never said geo numbers are free but they are still cheaper then
vonage and you get free fax to email

> you have to shell out almost
>£50 before you can even use vonage

>£ 39.98 to be precise Mat

i was referring to business thats about £50

>then you end up with equipment that
>is locked to them

>If you get the Linksys router which Staples have it is only the phone
>ports that are tied you are still left with a good usable 3 port
>router if you leave Vonage .

but you still have a unit that you have paid for that you cant use
thats like buying a car and then when the warrentee runs out you find
you are only allowed to use 3 of the wheels

>your tied in to a contract and if at any time you
>want to cancel you have to pay

>This is very debatable I was looking through their T&C's the other day
>has I have it in mind to close one of my Vonage accounts and the only
>stipulation I could see was that they required 30 days notice .

You should read again "If you cancel after the first 14 days of
service, you will be subject to the £23.99 termination fee."

> you pay extra for the privilege of using
>a soft phone

>I would want Vonage to PAY ME to use a soft phone Mat I do use
>Voipbusters own software and I also use Eyebeam with my Sipphone
>account but would never agree to using a soft phone for everyday use
>and I do not like fixed phones either.I like the ability to have a
>phone in every room in the house without the need for the accompanying
>cables cordless phones are great invention .

Yes exactly softphones in most cases are crap so why do vonage charge
users to use what is a free phone?

> infact you have to pay for almost everything except for uk
>calls and even that is questionable if you read and understand their
>terms and conditions.

>What you are referring to only applies to people who get up at 6 am
>pick up the phone and never put it down again until midnight when they
>go to bed

no it referrers to anyone vonage deceide is using the phone too much
they claim that calls are unlimited yet their terms and conditions
contradict that you need to read again i think dex

>I chose Voipfone over vonage because I wanted the flexibility of being
>able to add and remove features when I wanted to without having to pay
>administration fees or cancellation fees I can use the phones I have
>purchased from Voipfone with any provider I choose and I can cancel and
>reinstate my services when ever I want to

>What I like about Vonage is the fact that I do not have to be
>constantly checking how much credit is left in the account or having
>to keep topping the account up.

You dont have to with voipfone you can set your accout to top up once
yoyr credit is low

Mat

Dexter@blueyonder.co.uk wrote:
> On 10 Sep 2005 05:59:23 -0700, "Mathew Curtis"
> <mathew.j.curtis@gmail.com> wrote:
>
>
> >I never said geo numbers are free but they are still cheaper then
> >vonage and you get free fax to email
> But geo numbers are free with Vonage or included in the monthly
> service charge .

"Residential Customers Can Get a Dedicated Fax Line for Only £5.99 Per
Month"

"Less than a separate fax line from your old phone company, a Vonage
fax line is only £5.99 per month with a one-time £5.99 activation
fee. You get 250 minutes of geographic local and national outgoing fax
service plus unlimited incoming faxes each month. Extra geographic
local and national outgoing fax minutes are only 2p per minute.
Additional charges will apply for calls with metered rates. Outgoing
international faxes are billed at our low international rates."

dont look free to me the same facilities with voipfone costs me £1.99
a month with no activation fee and cost of calls to uk geographic local
and national numbers is 1.1p per min at all times or if like i do you
have inclusive minutes they will cost just under 1p and voipfone give
you free fax to email as well

> >but you still have a unit that you have paid for that you cant use
> >thats like buying a car and then when the warrentee runs out you find
> >you are only allowed to use 3 of the wheels
> At a cost of only 29.99 it would not bother me if I got rid of Vonage
> and threw the router in the bin what's thirty quid when we are having
> to pay a fiver a gallon for fuel and nearly ten pounds for 50 grams of
> tobacco ! . Well some of us have to I am off to Belgium at the end of
> the month to re stock tobacco at 2.00 bugger paying seven quid into
> the governments and store keepers pockets in this country .

*Confused* you dont mind wasiting £30 throwing away a router but you
wont pay an extra few pund for your tobaco :-)

> >You should read again "If you cancel after the first 14 days of
> >service, you will be subject to the £23.99 termination fee."
> Is that all I hadn't seen this to be honest Mat but if that is all
> that it is why worry .

no its not a worry you can afford to just loose the money after all its
only another £23.99 (how much tobaco could you have bought so
far)£23.99+£30+ the activation fee you paid when you signed up

> >Yes exactly softphones in most cases are crap so why do vonage charge
> >users to use what is a free phone?
> But they do not make customers have a soft phone now do they and it is
> up to the customer all their charges are stated quite clearly .

Correct i was just making a point

>
> >no it referrers to anyone vonage deceide is using the phone too much
> >they claim that calls are unlimited yet their terms and conditions
> >contradict that you need to read again i think dex
> I have yet to find a company that does not have this condition that
> offers unlimited calls Mat .

as far as i am aware under uk law if somthing is to be sold as
unlimited it should be unlimited if they want to impose restrictions
then these restriction should be made clear in the terms the words
trade descriptions act springs to mind

> >You dont have to with voipfone you can set your accout to top up once
> >yoyr credit is low
> I have nothing against Voipfone Mat apart from the fact that the call
> back service is still not working half the time for me but I still
> prefer the way Vonage works regarding payments etc even it they do
> cost a few quid more than anyone else .

I have no problem with vonage either dex i just think people are to
easly sucked in with the way vonages website and advertising is
misleading people should be informed of extra charges and limitations
at the point of sale for example your adaptor is locked to us and you
cant use it with another provider, set up fees, cancelation fees, usage
limitations and so on you only find this information once you start
digging

i am not having a pop at you dex nor do i care if you choose to use
vonage we all have the right to use any provider we wish or any
provider we feel best suites our needs what i am saying is that if you
are going to post information to a group that many people find a usfull
source of information you should at least post what is know to be fact
not fiction

Mat

> I have nothing against Voipfone Mat apart from the fact that the call
> back service is still not working half the time for me but I still
> prefer the way Vonage works regarding payments etc even it they do
> cost a few quid more than anyone else .

Dex have you tried the call back recently my brother said he has the
same problem as you from time to time but for the past few days call
back has worked perfectly for him i think voipfone must have fixed
their bug

Mat