Having had long hard looks at a number of offerings I am now more confused
than ever.
I'm looking for a reliable voip offering that can make (cheap!) and receive
calls with the public telephone network, and also make and receive free
calls over sip and voip from other voip providers.
A geographic number in the south of the UK would be a great advantage!
Henry Hooray wrote:
> Hi
>
> Having had long hard looks at a number of offerings I am now more confused
> than ever.
>
> I'm looking for a reliable voip offering that can make (cheap!) and receive
> calls with the public telephone network, and also make and receive free
> calls over sip and voip from other voip providers.
>
> A geographic number in the south of the UK would be a great advantage!
>
> Any suggestions? - TIA.
>
>
I do just that with voip.co.uk, but there are others available.
"Henry Hooray" <yri6tus02@sneakeLEAVETHISOUTmail.com> wrote in message
news:4rj9tgFrga69U1@mid.individual.net...
> Hi
>
> Having had long hard looks at a number of offerings I am now more confused
> than ever.
>
> I'm looking for a reliable voip offering that can make (cheap!) and
> receive calls with the public telephone network, and also make and receive
> free calls over sip and voip from other voip providers.
>
> A geographic number in the south of the UK would be a great advantage!
>
> Any suggestions? - TIA.
>
I'd recommend www.voip.co.uk have been with them for around 3 months and
they have been 100% reliable, very good value and customer services is
excellent. I am on their optional UK pack which is £19.99/year or
£1.99/month and for this they give you free off peak calls of up to an hour
and peak rate calls are 2p per call for up to an hour. I just hang up and
redial before the hour is up to make sure I don't get charged after the hour
is up. You get a free incoming geographic number for the area code of your
choice.
"Phil" <nospam@nospam.co.uk> wrote in message
news:45548d3c$0$18049$db0fefd9@news.zen.co.uk
[snip]
> I'd recommend www.voip.co.uk have been with them for
> around 3 months and they have been 100% reliable, very
> good value and customer services is excellent. I am on
> their optional UK pack which is £19.99/year or
> £1.99/month and for this they give you free off peak
> calls of up to an hour and peak rate calls are 2p per
> call for up to an hour. I just hang up and redial before
> the hour is up to make sure I don't get charged after the
> hour is up. You get a free incoming geographic number for
> the area code of your choice.
I love it when people say "£1.99 a month for free calls" ;-)
Ivor Jones wrote:
> I love it when people say "£1.99 a month for free calls" ;-)
Look at it as a monthly subscription fee if you want, not unlike mobiles
where you have inclusive minutes. You dont really have to make many
phone calls for it to become over £2 a month.
I too have been with voip.co.uk for around 3-4 months and they have been
great - in fact I dropped my NTL line altought and use voip.co.uk as my
main incoming phone line.
"Ivor Jones" <ivor@despammed.invalid> wrote in > I love it when people say
"£1.99 a month for free calls" ;-)
>
> Ivor
>
Not this again. I nearly put in a note f.a.o Ivor: I know there is a
monthly/yearly charge. Yes you pay a charge but after that the call charges
are as stated.
Ivor just for future reference could you tell me how to word things
regarding voip.co.uk's off peak charges so as not to get your back up
because I'm not praising your beloved Sipgate.
Ivor Jones wrote:
> "Phil" <nospam@nospam.co.uk> wrote in message
> news:45548d3c$0$18049$db0fefd9@news.zen.co.uk
>
> [snip]
>
>> I'd recommend www.voip.co.uk have been with them for
>> around 3 months and they have been 100% reliable, very
>> good value and customer services is excellent. I am on
>> their optional UK pack which is £19.99/year or
>> £1.99/month and for this they give you free off peak
>> calls of up to an hour and peak rate calls are 2p per
>> call for up to an hour. I just hang up and redial before
>> the hour is up to make sure I don't get charged after the
>> hour is up. You get a free incoming geographic number for
>> the area code of your choice.
>
> I love it when people say "£1.99 a month for free calls" ;-)
>
> Ivor
>
>
Ah yes, I remember in the early days we had Diamond Cable in this area.
They advertised their 'free' calls to other users without mentioning
their £10 per month line rental!
> "Ivor Jones" <ivor@despammed.invalid> wrote ini
>> I love it when people say "£1.99 a month for free calls" ;-)
>>
>> Ivor
>>
> Not this again. I nearly put in a note f.a.o Ivor: I know there is a
> monthly/yearly charge. Yes you pay a charge but after that the call charges
> are as stated.
> Ivor just for future reference could you tell me how to word things
> regarding voip.co.uk's off peak charges so as not to get your back up
> because I'm not praising your beloved Sipgate.
Please consider continuing to word your posts exactly as you see fit and
without having to look over your shoulder for a hobbyhorse bearing down
on you. The one in reply to the OP was on topic for this group, accurate
and very helpful.
"Phil" <nospam@nospam.co.uk> wrote in message
news:4554ac08$0$23317$fa0fcedb@news.zen.co.uk
> "Ivor Jones" <ivor@despammed.invalid> wrote in > I love
> it when people say "£1.99 a month for free calls" ;-)
> >
> > Ivor
> >
> Not this again. I nearly put in a note f.a.o Ivor: I know
> there is a monthly/yearly charge. Yes you pay a charge
> but after that the call charges are as stated.
> Ivor just for future reference could you tell me how to
> word things regarding voip.co.uk's off peak charges so as
> not to get your back up because I'm not praising your
> beloved Sipgate.
You won't get my back up for not praising Sipgate, despite what Dexter
would have you believe.
All I said was I find it funny when people say so much a month for "free"
calls. They're not, they're inclusive, which is the word that should be
used.
"Brian" <bandj@o2.co.uk> wrote in message
news:ej2em8$rl7$1$8300dec7@news.demon.co.uk
[snip]
> Please consider continuing to word your posts exactly as
> you see fit and without having to look over your shoulder
> for a hobbyhorse bearing down on you. The one in reply to
> the OP was on topic for this group, accurate and very
> helpful.
"Free for £x a month" is accurate..? This must be a new definition of the
word accurate of which I am unaware, please enlighten me.
On 2006-11-11, Ivor Jones <ivor@despammed.invalid> wrote:
> "Brian" <bandj@o2.co.uk> wrote in message
> news:ej2em8$rl7$1$8300dec7@news.demon.co.uk
>
> [snip]
>
>> Please consider continuing to word your posts exactly as you see fit
>> and without having to look over your shoulder for a hobbyhorse
>> bearing down on you. The one in reply to the OP was on topic for this
>> group, accurate and very helpful.
>
> "Free for £x a month" is accurate..? This must be a new definition of
> the word accurate of which I am unaware, please enlighten me.
The post accurately reflects the information at www.voip.co.uk.
Ivor Jones explained on 11/11/2006 :
> "Brian" <bandj@o2.co.uk> wrote in message
> news:ej2em8$rl7$1$8300dec7@news.demon.co.uk
>
> [snip]
>
>> Please consider continuing to word your posts exactly as
>> you see fit and without having to look over your shoulder
>> for a hobbyhorse bearing down on you. The one in reply to
>> the OP was on topic for this group, accurate and very
>> helpful.
>
> "Free for £x a month" is accurate..? This must be a new definition of the
> word accurate of which I am unaware, please enlighten me.
>
> Ivor
On Sat, 11 Nov 2006 01:23:51 -0000, "Ivor Jones"
<ivor@despammed.invalid> wrote:
>"Brian" <bandj@o2.co.uk> wrote in message
>news:ej2em8$rl7$1$8300dec7@news.demon.co.uk
>
>[snip]
>
>> Please consider continuing to word your posts exactly as
>> you see fit and without having to look over your shoulder
>> for a hobbyhorse bearing down on you. The one in reply to
>> the OP was on topic for this group, accurate and very
>> helpful.
>
>"Free for £x a month" is accurate..? This must be a new definition of the
>word accurate of which I am unaware, please enlighten me.
I prefer £2/month for inclusive off peak geo UK calls.
....and, yes, I think voip.co.uk are good and reliable. They still
haven't sorted out the anomalies to my account, due to the the
software problem in March creating incorrect debits for calls , but
its cool because they did put up £10 to keep the account floating -
what'll happen at the 1 year 'anniversary', later this month, I have
yet to see.
Vyke.co.uk also appear to offer a good deal but the waters are
uncharted as far as this group is concerned.
Remove 'no_spam_' from email address.
"Jono" <nothanks@blueyonder.invalid> wrote in message
news:mn.5a8f7d6b8b1319f8.48968@blueyonder.invalid
> Ivor Jones explained on 11/11/2006 :
[snip]
> > "Free for £x a month" is accurate..? This must be a new
> > definition of the word accurate of which I am unaware,
> > please enlighten me. Ivor
>
> Perhaps "inclusive for £x month" would be better?
Exactly, you are 100% correct. The use of the word "free" is misleading at
best and deceptive at worst.
"Ivor Jones" <ivor@despammed.invalid> wrote in message
news:4rlp5aFrc3r9U1@mid.individual.net...
> "Jono" <nothanks@blueyonder.invalid> wrote in message
> news:mn.5a8f7d6b8b1319f8.48968@blueyonder.invalid
>> Ivor Jones explained on 11/11/2006 :
>
> [snip]
>
>> > "Free for £x a month" is accurate..? This must be a new
>> > definition of the word accurate of which I am unaware,
>> > please enlighten me. Ivor
>>
>> Perhaps "inclusive for £x month" would be better?
>
> Exactly, you are 100% correct. The use of the word "free" is misleading at
> best and deceptive at worst.
>
> Ivor
<pedant>
The calls are free. The standing charge is not.
</pedant>
But hey, that's just my opinion and others have theirs. Just so long as the
OP finds the information, however it is expressed, helpful and understands
the meaning I guess.
"Henry Hooray" <yri6tus02@sneakeLEAVETHISOUTmail.com> wrote in message
news:4rj9tgFrga69U1@mid.individual.net...
> Hi
>
> Having had long hard looks at a number of offerings I am now more confused
> than ever.
>
> I'm looking for a reliable voip offering that can make (cheap!) and
> receive calls with the public telephone network, and also make and receive
> free calls over sip and voip from other voip providers.
>
> A geographic number in the south of the UK would be a great advantage!
>
> Any suggestions? - TIA.
Thanks everybody for their responses.
I asked voip.co.uk about calling and receiving calls from other VOIP users,
eg Sipgate, Vonage, VoipCheap etc etc, and got the following reply:
"You can make and receive calls from all these providers - but via
their 'phone numbers' as you would from 'BT' for example and not direct
voip - voip."
This would seem to mean that you cannot make (or receive) 'free' calls from
other voips? That doesn't sound very impressive to me, if I've understood
them correctly.
Henry.
PS On the subject of the concept of 'free', which seems to be hotly debated:
how Sky can advertise Free Broadband - and simultaneously state that you
need to pay for such and such a package, AND you have to pay a £40
connection fee!
"Henry Hooray" <yri6tus02@sneakeLEAVETHISOUTmail.com> wrote in message
news:4rtlqgFt1cfqU1@mid.individual.net...
> "Henry Hooray" <yri6tus02@sneakeLEAVETHISOUTmail.com> wrote in message
> news:4rj9tgFrga69U1@mid.individual.net...
>> Hi
>>
>> Having had long hard looks at a number of offerings I am now more
>> confused than ever.
>>
>> I'm looking for a reliable voip offering that can make (cheap!) and
>> receive calls with the public telephone network, and also make and
>> receive free calls over sip and voip from other voip providers.
>>
>> A geographic number in the south of the UK would be a great advantage!
>>
>> Any suggestions? - TIA.
>
> Thanks everybody for their responses.
>
> I asked voip.co.uk about calling and receiving calls from other VOIP
> users, eg Sipgate, Vonage, VoipCheap etc etc, and got the following reply:
>
> "You can make and receive calls from all these providers - but via
> their 'phone numbers' as you would from 'BT' for example and not direct
> voip - voip."
>
> This would seem to mean that you cannot make (or receive) 'free' calls
> from other voips? That doesn't sound very impressive to me, if I've
> understood them correctly.
>
> Henry.
>
> PS On the subject of the concept of 'free', which seems to be hotly
> debated: how Sky can advertise Free Broadband - and simultaneously state
> that you need to pay for such and such a package, AND you have to pay a
> £40 connection fee!
>
>
>
if you have a sipura ATA you can put in a dial plan to use sipbroker to call
voip users on other networks for free - you need to use their networks code
but you can look this up on the sipbroker site. I do this (and calls
starting 18 i.e. us toll free numbers go via fwd) - all other calls are sent
via voip.co.uk
On 2006-11-14, Henry Hooray <yri6tus02@sneakeLEAVETHISOUTmail.com> wrote:
> Thanks everybody for their responses.
>
> I asked voip.co.uk about calling and receiving calls from other VOIP users,
> eg Sipgate, Vonage, VoipCheap etc etc, and got the following reply:
>
> "You can make and receive calls from all these providers - but via
> their 'phone numbers' as you would from 'BT' for example and not direct
> voip - voip."
>
> This would seem to mean that you cannot make (or receive) 'free' calls from
> other voips? That doesn't sound very impressive to me, if I've understood
> them correctly.
I have heard that voip.co.uk describe the facility to phone a user on
their network using username@voip.co.uk as 'unsupported'. It might work
or it might not. I'd take that to mean it won't work.
Also, none of the three providers you mention accept a SIP URI from
outside their networks, although Sipgate is reported to have a special
arrangement with Gradwell and FWD.
So, as you say, not very impressive. But that's what you get with closed
networks. Inbound SIP-to-SIP calls are not blocked by all companies.
Gradwell, voipfone and voiptalk are among the open networks.
On 2006-11-14, Roger <roger@rwbarrett.co.uk> wrote:
> "Henry Hooray" <yri6tus02@sneakeLEAVETHISOUTmail.com> wrote in message
> news:4rtlqgFt1cfqU1@mid.individual.net...
[Snip]
>> Thanks everybody for their responses.
>>
>> I asked voip.co.uk about calling and receiving calls from other VOIP
>> users, eg Sipgate, Vonage, VoipCheap etc etc, and got the following reply:
>>
>> "You can make and receive calls from all these providers - but via
>> their 'phone numbers' as you would from 'BT' for example and not direct
>> voip - voip."
>>
>> This would seem to mean that you cannot make (or receive) 'free' calls
>> from other voips? That doesn't sound very impressive to me, if I've
>> understood them correctly.
[Snip]
> if you have a sipura ATA you can put in a dial plan to use sipbroker to call
> voip users on other networks for free - you need to use their networks code
> but you can look this up on the sipbroker site. I do this (and calls
> starting 18 i.e. us toll free numbers go via fwd) - all other calls are sent
> via voip.co.uk
Sipbroker can assist you to connect to users on open networks. Sipgate,
Vonage, VoipCheap and voip.co.uk are closed to incoming voip calls.
"Brian" <bandj@o2.co.uk> wrote in message
news:ejcbob$r5j$1$8300dec7@news.demon.co.uk
[snip]
> Sipbroker can assist you to connect to users on open
> networks. Sipgate, Vonage, VoipCheap and voip.co.uk are
> closed to incoming voip calls.
Sipgate are only closed to networks which have no peering authorisation.
You can call Sipgate from FWD and Gradwell, to name but two, there are
others, see the website.
On 2006-11-14, Ivor Jones <ivor@despammed.invalid> wrote:
> "Brian" <bandj@o2.co.uk> wrote in message
> news:ejcbob$r5j$1$8300dec7@news.demon.co.uk
>
> [snip]
>
>> Sipbroker can assist you to connect to users on open networks.
>> Sipgate, Vonage, VoipCheap and voip.co.uk are closed to incoming
>> voip calls.
>
> Sipgate are only closed to networks which have no peering
> authorisation.
So - not an open network.
> You can call Sipgate from FWD and Gradwell, to name
> but two, there are others, see the website.
I've referred to those two providers elsewhere in this thread. As for
the others: there is no confirmation IPtel, SIPphone or Telio have the
same sort of arrangment with Sipgate.
> Ivor Jones wrote:
>>
>> I love it when people say "£1.99 a month for free calls" ;-)
>>
>
> Its not free. Its un-metered.
>
> But its not really un-metered because of the 1 hour thing.
So. What's a simple, concise and easy to remember word or phrase to describe
such calls? Off-peak half-metered?
--
<http://ale.cx/> (AIM:troffasky) (UnSoEsNpEaTm@ale.cx)
21:13:39 up 21 days, 4:59, 2 users, load average: 3.01, 3.16, 3.14
This is my BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOMSTICK
"Brian" <bandj@o2.co.uk> wrote in message
news:ejd9e9$g4u$1$8302bc10@news.demon.co.uk
> On 2006-11-14, Ivor Jones <ivor@despammed.invalid> wrote:
[snip]
> > Sipgate are only closed to networks which have no
> > peering authorisation.
>
> So - not an open network.
I don't think they have ever claimed to be this.
> > You can call Sipgate from FWD and
> > Gradwell, to name but two, there are others, see the
> > website.
>
> I've referred to those two providers elsewhere in this
> thread. As for the others: there is no confirmation
> IPtel, SIPphone or Telio have the same sort of arrangment
> with Sipgate.
Having said that, they may not work since Sipgate introduced the
authorisation procedure, it took a while to get Gradwell and FWD back on,
I don't have accounts with those you mention so can't comment. Try it and
see. I noticed when FWD and Gradwell came back on the dialling procedure
had changed, instead of **777 followed by the Sipgate SIP ID you now have
to dial 44 followed by the full PSTN number without the initial 0, so for
my speaking clock on Sipgate, SIP ID 1431320 or PSTN 020 7043 1320, you
would dial from Gradwell or FWD:
**777442070431320
If you have accounts with IPtel or the others you mention, check the
dialling format quoted there and try it, if not try the format above and
let me know if it works or not, then I can pass the info on.
FWIW I don't agree with what Sipgate have done, but I understand why they
did it.
Ivor Jones wrote:
> "Brian" <bandj@o2.co.uk> wrote in message
> news:ejd9e9$g4u$1$8302bc10@news.demon.co.uk
>> On 2006-11-14, Ivor Jones <ivor@despammed.invalid> wrote:
>
> [snip]
>
>>> Sipgate are only closed to networks which have no
>>> peering authorisation.
>> So - not an open network.
>
> I don't think they have ever claimed to be this.
LOL, you just did in the post above. But it was 2am when you posted
this, so I will let you off. :)
"Scope" <scope@somewhere.com> wrote in message
news:4554a4cb$0$12612$c3e8da3@news.astraweb.com...
> Ivor Jones wrote:
>> I love it when people say "£1.99 a month for free calls" ;-)
>
> Look at it as a monthly subscription fee if you want, not unlike mobiles
> where you have inclusive minutes. You dont really have to make many phone
> calls for it to become over £2 a month.
>
> I too have been with voip.co.uk for around 3-4 months and they have been
> great - in fact I dropped my NTL line altought and use voip.co.uk as my
> main incoming phone line.
What do you do for your outgoing calls (including 999 calls etc)?
Do you rely on a mobile?
divoch
"Brian" <bandj@o2.co.uk> wrote in message
news:ejcb03$q0s$1$8300dec7@news.demon.co.uk...
> On 2006-11-14, Henry Hooray <yri6tus02@sneakeLEAVETHISOUTmail.com> wrote:
>
>> Thanks everybody for their responses.
> Also, none of the three providers you mention accept a SIP URI from
> outside their networks, although Sipgate is reported to have a special
> arrangement with Gradwell and FWD.
>
> So, as you say, not very impressive. But that's what you get with closed
> networks. Inbound SIP-to-SIP calls are not blocked by all companies.
> Gradwell, voipfone and voiptalk are among the open networks.
>
What is the advantage of using a SIP standard when you cannot simply
make free calls between various VOIP services? Isn't the reason for SKYPE
popularity that the number of users is large and so it is more likely that
the calls
between two users can be arranged to be free? What are the disadvantages of
SKYPE compared to the mentioned VOIP services?
divoch
divoch wrote:
> What do you do for your outgoing calls (including 999 calls etc)?
> Do you rely on a mobile?
> divoch
I use voipdiscount.com for outgoing calls to landlines, in the UK and
abroad, and I am fortunate to have a company mobile from where I call
any UK mobiles if I need to. As for 999, well, luckely I havent had to
call them yet, but if I ever needed to I would probably pick up the
mobile, just in case.
voipdiscount works out great for me, because I need to call abroad to
countries that are not free, so I use my credit that way. Even if you
didnt use the credit (but you probably would if you called mobiles from
it) I think they are great value for money.. Just keep in mind their T&C
tend to change without warning, but for the 6 months I have used them
they havent made any changes that has effected me (only added the 300
minutes a week, which is fine for 99% of users, and stops the few that
take the pi$$).
If you dont make many overseas calls the £1.99 package from voip.co.uk
might be what you are looking for. Compare it with some of the others
and see who is best for you.
"Scope" <scope@somewhere.com> wrote in message
news:455b15f6$0$30192$c3e8da3@news.astraweb.com...
> divoch wrote:
>> What do you do for your outgoing calls (including 999 calls etc)?
>> Do you rely on a mobile?
>> divoch
>
> I use voipdiscount.com for outgoing calls to landlines, in the UK and
> abroad, and I am fortunate to have a company mobile from where I call any
> UK mobiles if I need to. As for 999, well, luckely I havent had to call
> them yet, but if I ever needed to I would probably pick up the mobile,
> just in case.
From their website: "To counter misuse of our network we have limited these
free* calls for our trial users. If you want to enjoy longer free* calls to
these destinations, just top up your account by buying credit. " but
-it does not say anywhere what is the min. credit one has to purchase. As
the country I would call most is free, it is important information to have
to at hand to asses how best to spend the credit.
-it does not go on to explain how "limited" these free calls are for trial
users.
Currently, using override providers, I pay 0.5min for calls to Czech
landlines, which is less than for my calls to UK landlines
On 2006-11-15, Ivor Jones <ivor@despammed.invalid> wrote:
> "Brian" <bandj@o2.co.uk> wrote in message
> news:ejd9e9$g4u$1$8302bc10@news.demon.co.uk
>> On 2006-11-14, Ivor Jones <ivor@despammed.invalid> wrote:
>
> [snip]
>
>> > Sipgate are only closed to networks which have no peering
>> > authorisation.
>>
>> So - not an open network.
>
> I don't think they have ever claimed to be this.
It would be difficult for them to do so.
>> > You can call Sipgate from FWD and Gradwell, to name
>> > but two, there are others, see the website.
>>
>> I've referred to those two providers elsewhere in this thread. As for
>> the others: there is no confirmation IPtel, SIPphone or Telio have
>> the same sort of arrangment with Sipgate.
>
> They're listed on Sipgate's website:
>
> https://secure.sipgate.co.uk/user/ta...show=6#sipcall
>
> Having said that, they may not work since Sipgate introduced the
> authorisation procedure, it took a while to get Gradwell and FWD back
> on, I don't have accounts with those you mention so can't comment.
> Try it and see. I noticed when FWD and Gradwell came back on the
> dialling procedure had changed, instead of **777 followed by the
> Sipgate SIP ID you now have to dial 44 followed by the full PSTN
> number without the initial 0, so for my speaking clock on Sipgate, SIP
> ID 1431320 or PSTN 020 7043 1320, you would dial from Gradwell or FWD:
>
> **777442070431320
>
> If you have accounts with IPtel or the others you mention, check the
> dialling format quoted there and try it, if not try the format above
> and let me know if it works or not, then I can pass the info on.
My curiosity doesn't extend to obtaining voip accounts I do not need and
investigating the correctness or otherwise of Sipgate's information on
that page.
> FWIW I don't agree with what Sipgate have done, but I understand why
> they did it.
It's their network to operate as they determine. Not being able to
divert a phone number there or receive a SIP call from most other
networks might not be seen as a disadvantage by the majority of Sipgate
customers. If it is, there are alternative companies to choose from.
Which service for both BT and voip calls? 
Linear Mode
