Internet Phones

[Lee_D]

Anyone else using one?

I just got a Tesco one which is a cracking bit of kit - you can actually get away without needing a physical phone and just use speaker and mic via the computer.

When you set up it lets you select from many STD codes (not all) and then allocates you a Landline with that STD (you get to chose from 9 for one which has the most a apeal to you)

The conference call facility is good :-)

You do pay for landline / mobile calls but the cost is very reasonable and at £9.99 for the phone I just got you get a £5.00 call voucher so in effect the phone cost £4.99.

The phone will also work through skype too instead of the mic and speakers.

If your computer is off then peeps just get your free answerphone or get diverted(I don't know if costs are involved here mind!) to a number of your choice.

[strapping young lad]

that sounds quite good!

the advantage of skype is that you can deal with calls abroad. does this do a similar thing?

[Disco Matt]

The only tricky part is this: What do you do if there's a power cut? We were caught out not that long ago when the cordless phones went off. Digging the old corded phone out and plugging it in restored service!

[strapping young lad]

you can get mobile phones on 3 that have unlimited data access (at cost of course) and have skype installed

[Disco Matt]

Yes - in this case I ended up charging my mobile from one of those 12v jump start packs (has standard cigar lighter sockets on the front) as my phone was almost flat when the power went off!

[Lee_D]

http://interactive.pcw.co.uk/2006/08/every_little_he.html

Lot of info out there.

Appears you can run Tesco and other VOIP software as long as it's not at the same time or you get conflicts.

Dunno how you would go on the phone but those 3g Vodaphone broadband modems suddenly seem more sensible if you can get them to really work for there keep.

We would really only use on when caravanning and thats usually where the reception is poorest. That said if I gor European cover  (very expensive at the mo) then I suppose if for instance when I retire in 16 years it would be making sense to have one fitted in my winnebongo as I tour the world.

Lee D

Lee D

[Yoshi]

The mobile phones from 3 which have skype on them allow 4000 mins of incoming/outcoming as long as you top up by £10 every month. (the 4000 mins includes incoming and outgoing calls).  

The phones themselves are £49.99 for the cheapest or £59.99 with a £10 credit voucher.

[cardiff_gareth]

I had skype installed on my 3 phone when it came out of the box, if you have a Nokia X series phone you can get an add on called X series Silver for £5 per month, this gives you unlimited skype calling, unlimited internet use, 1gb download per month, windows live messenger, mobile mail (emails sent to your phone) and mobilecat (like podcasts but for your phone)

X series gold (£10 per month) gives you all this plus a little gadget that plugs into your sky box so you can link all your sky channels to your phone so whereever you are you can watch sky  8)

[UKJeeper]

The only tricky part is this: What do you do if there's a power cut? We were caught out not that long ago when the cordless phones went off. Digging the old corded phone out and plugging it in restored service!

We have an APC Smart UPS 1500 under the desk. Basically a big battery that supplies power when the mains goes out. I have the PC, monitor, router, and cable modem running through it. The printer, external drive, speakers, etc (non-essentials) go to a mains supply.

If the power stays out for longer, i have 3-4 spiral cell batterys (optima's) on trickle in the garage that i can connect up for more juice.


Oh, and i use Skype and am happy with it so far. I have yet to get a SkypeIn number yet though.

[Sheddy]

The only tricky part is this: What do you do if there's a power cut? We were caught out not that long ago when the cordless phones went off. Digging the old corded phone out and plugging it in restored service!

If there's a powercut, there shouldn't be an issue.  I sell business class VoIP telephones for a living and they afford you a level of redundancy flexibility and disaster recovery that ordinary telephones can only dream of.  Whether it is a single handset or an international network, the VoIp telephones are superb.

VoIP telephones work over broadband but broadband currently has to be piggy-backed onto an ordinary telephone line, so if there is a power cut you would just use the ordinary line to make and recieve your calls.  I don't know if the redundancy features are built into the Tesco VoIP handsets but if it is, all you do is pre-programme the telephone to auto-divert to either your normal home phone or mobile in the event of the VoIP phone failing.  In that way you can have your VoIP number as your main home telephone number.  Should someone call into the VoIP number and it is unable to connect, the system would seamlessly divert it to you chosen alternative number.

The benefits in business are enormous but because companys like Skype launched thier products early, they essentially launched a product which was not robust enough.  People who tried the early releases of Skype were generally dissapointed with the call quality and reliability which formed an impression of VoIP that they carry to this day.  VoIP is an efficient carrier which makes it approximately 60% cheaper to use VoIP-landline/mobile and free for on network calls.

Todays VoIP solutions are extremely efficient and reliable.  If there are problems with it then it will be down to the bandwidth that your Internet provider has allocated you, not the technology.  A call to your provider will get it sorted out.

[Sheddy]

I just looked at the tesco IP call rates.  You'd be better off using a least cost routing provider, their rates are ridiculous.

[carbore]

I use vonage, find it to be good and pay 7.99 month.

Free all over Uk and some europe (for a samll 1 man business)

Other benefits is it diverts to my mobile if Im out and sends me emails etc.

[Disco Matt]

Fair enough then - I was just a bit intrigued as the IP phone I have (but haven't used) works via USB. Obviously you can keep a connection going armed with an inverter, 12v jump start pack and laptop PC but only for an hour at most before the 12v pack runs out of juice...

[Sheddy]

Fair enough then - I was just a bit intrigued as the IP phone I have (but haven't used) works via USB. Obviously you can keep a connection going armed with an inverter, 12v jump start pack and laptop PC but only for an hour at most before the 12v pack runs out of juice...

Fair play mate, didn't realise it is a USB phone.  The ones I deal with work over cat5 type sockets, direct into the network.

[Freelander1980]

Silly question

how do these work, after your intial pay out do you have to pay for calls to other computers etc if they have the phone .

[Lee_D]

Calls on the Tesco one are free to other Tesco ones.

Calls to other land line and mobiles attract a cost.

details here

http://www.tesco.com/internetphone/

You can get adapters from Tesco too that plug your existing phone in to a router so it's on all the time even if the computer is off unlike the USB one I have. USB for me is fine as it's in addition to our normal landline.

You can also get phones that do both the internet phone and traditional phone line should you wish.


Guy at work is emigrating to Canada and is taking one with him. He gets to ring family for free who also have tesco phones and also gets to retain a UK style phone number to encourage friends to call him and not be scared of a big bill for doing so (for those calling of a normal landline).

All very cunning!

I think one of it's best features is the free voicemail too if your puter (if you get the USB type) is off.

[Disco Matt]

Fair enough then - I was just a bit intrigued as the IP phone I have (but haven't used) works via USB. Obviously you can keep a connection going armed with an inverter, 12v jump start pack and laptop PC but only for an hour at most before the 12v pack runs out of juice...

Fair play mate, didn't realise it is a USB phone.  The ones I deal with work over cat5 type sockets, direct into the network.

This was spotted in the Maplin bargain bin - £5 for an optical mouse that doubles as a Skype-compatible phone seemed worth a go.  8)