UKVoIPTalk.com

I'm going to the USA for a period soon and will be staying in
wi-fi-enabled (ie, free) homes. Will be taking a laptop with me.

It's just occurred to me that buying a Skype (or other VOIP?) phone
would be a good idea, to keep down my costs of calling within the USA
and home to the UK. Dos this sound a Good Plan? Don't know a whole lot
about voip but from what I've read to date I can't find any info about
taking a UK-based phone away with me. Will that work OK (ie,
economically?) or do I need to procure one in the USA with a US number
or something?

Am also wondering whether a wifi voip phone would be a good option,
given that I'll have free access - no need to be tied to the laptop then?

(BTW I'll also have a roaming UK mobile with me as well).

Any thoughts most welcome.

Thanks
David

On Wed, 20 Jun 2007 07:56:54 GMT, Lobster
<davidlobsterpot601@hotmail.com> wrote:
[color=blue]
>I'm going to the USA for a period soon and will be staying in
>wi-fi-enabled (ie, free) homes. Will be taking a laptop with me.
>
>It's just occurred to me that buying a Skype (or other VOIP?) phone
>would be a good idea, to keep down my costs of calling within the USA
>and home to the UK. Dos this sound a Good Plan? Don't know a whole lot
>about voip but from what I've read to date I can't find any info about
>taking a UK-based phone away with me. Will that work OK (ie,
>economically?) or do I need to procure one in the USA with a US number
>or something?
>
>Am also wondering whether a wifi voip phone would be a good option,
>given that I'll have free access - no need to be tied to the laptop then?
>
>(BTW I'll also have a roaming UK mobile with me as well).
>
>Any thoughts most welcome.
>
>Thanks
>David[/color]
In my opinion it is not a good plan to limit yourself to Skype. If you
go for Skype you will be commiting yourself to a single provider. If
you go for SIP voip you will have the choice of hundreds of providers.
Some mobile phones are SIP voip capable - the E65, N80 for example (
though you do need to check that the SIP capability has not been
disabled by the mobile phone network that sold it.
As far as an incoming number is concerned you can get a free US one
and, of course continue to receive calls on a UK one also, if you have
the right set up.
In practical terms, as you say you know nothing about voip, it depends
on how much time you have to get a system up and running. I would
advise signing up with a suitable UK voip company and trying your set
up here first. e.g. voip.co.uk, voipfone.co.uk, vyke.co.uk (not as
reliable but 2p/call to Europe and the US.) Vyke does not provide
you with an incoming number it is just for outgoing calls.

If you are tied to wifi, as opposed to a wired link to the Net, then
you will not be able to easily use a wifi adapter. This means the use
of a wifi phone. I'll leave it to others to suggest what phone would
be best.
Alternatively, you could use a softphone on a laptop, if you have
one, that would cost you nothing but you would be tied to your laptop.
Such software could be x-lite. I would recommend a voxalot set up for
that as it would permit numerous incoming and outgoing providers.

I would also suggest that you read up a few basics on voip here:-
[url]http://www.voip-info.org/wiki/view/What+is+VOIP[/url]

Also, check out the services of
[url]http://www.voxalot.com[/url]

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On 2007-06-20, Lobster <davidlobsterpot601@hotmail.com> wrote:
[color=blue]
> I'm going to the USA for a period soon and will be staying in
> wi-fi-enabled (ie, free) homes. Will be taking a laptop with me.
>
> It's just occurred to me that buying a Skype (or other VOIP?) phone
> would be a good idea, to keep down my costs of calling within the USA
> and home to the UK. Dos this sound a Good Plan? Don't know a whole lot
> about voip but from what I've read to date I can't find any info about
> taking a UK-based phone away with me. Will that work OK (ie,
> economically?) or do I need to procure one in the USA with a US number
> or something?[/color]

Whatever Skype or SIP equipment you have configured in the UK should
function technically in exactly the same way in the US. Broadly
speaking, if the provider set up is economic for you to use here it will
be economic to use there.
[color=blue]
> Am also wondering whether a wifi voip phone would be a good option,
> given that I'll have free access - no need to be tied to the laptop then?[/color]

Skype WIFI phones seem to start at about the 70 GBP mark. A SIP WiFi
phone can be over 100 GBP. Does this fit with your plan to keep calling
costs as down?

Brian.

On Wed, 20 Jun 2007 10:38:08 +0000 (UTC), Brian <bandj@o2.co.uk>
wrote:

[color=blue]
>A SIP WiFi
>phone can be over 100 GBP. Does this fit with your plan to keep calling
>costs as down?
>
>Brian.[/color]
UTstarcom F1000G are now down to around 80 pounds I bought a second
one a couple of months ago the first one did cost me 100 .

Brian A wrote:[color=blue]
> On Wed, 20 Jun 2007 07:56:54 GMT, Lobster
> <davidlobsterpot601@hotmail.com> wrote:
>[color=green]
>> I'm going to the USA for a period soon and will be staying in
>> wi-fi-enabled (ie, free) homes. Will be taking a laptop with me.[/color][/color]

Thanks everyone for the advice - much appreciated.
[color=blue]
> In my opinion it is not a good plan to limit yourself to Skype. If you
> go for Skype you will be commiting yourself to a single provider. If
> you go for SIP voip you will have the choice of hundreds of providers.[/color]

Got it. Have signed up at sipgate.co.uk for now, and will see how I get
on (if ever they get round to emailing the activation link! :-( )
[color=blue]
> If you are tied to wifi, as opposed to a wired link to the Net, then
> you will not be able to easily use a wifi adapter. This means the use
> of a wifi phone. I'll leave it to others to suggest what phone would
> be best.
> Alternatively, you could use a softphone on a laptop, if you have
> one, that would cost you nothing but you would be tied to your laptop.[/color]

For now I have a earpiece/mic combo I can use to test it all out, but I
thought you could buy a voipy-type phone with a USB plug on the end
which connected to the computer... is that not the case (at least with
wifi?) What's the difference with a wifi and hard-wired connection?
[color=blue]
> Such software could be x-lite. I would recommend a voxalot set up for
> that as it would permit numerous incoming and outgoing providers.[/color]
[color=blue]
> Also, check out the services of
> [url]http://www.voxalot.com[/url][/color]

Seems to be n/a - is that temporary or is it defunct? Have downloaded
x-lite from Sipgate.

So... given that shortly I will be able to call a UK number from my
laptop here in the UK, at 1.2p/min, or a US number at a whopping
1.5p/min - am I right in thinking that when I go to the US and use the
laptop there, the tariffs will be identical when calling those countries?

Thanks
David

Lobster wrote:[color=blue]
> Brian A wrote:[color=green]
>> On Wed, 20 Jun 2007 07:56:54 GMT, Lobster
>> <davidlobsterpot601@hotmail.com> wrote:
>>[/color]
> So... given that shortly I will be able to call a UK number from my
> laptop here in the UK, at 1.2p/min, or a US number at a whopping
> 1.5p/min - am I right in thinking that when I go to the US and use the
> laptop there, the tariffs will be identical when calling those
> countries?
> Thanks
> David[/color]


Yes. That is the rate Sipgate charges.

On Wed, 20 Jun 2007 19:35:47 GMT, Lobster
<davidlobsterpot601@hotmail.com> wrote:
[color=blue]
>Brian A wrote:[color=green]
>> On Wed, 20 Jun 2007 07:56:54 GMT, Lobster
>> <davidlobsterpot601@hotmail.com> wrote:
>>[color=darkred]
>>> I'm going to the USA for a period soon and will be staying in
>>> wi-fi-enabled (ie, free) homes. Will be taking a laptop with me.[/color][/color]
>
>Thanks everyone for the advice - much appreciated.
>[color=green]
>> In my opinion it is not a good plan to limit yourself to Skype. If you
>> go for Skype you will be commiting yourself to a single provider. If
>> you go for SIP voip you will have the choice of hundreds of providers.[/color]
>
>Got it. Have signed up at sipgate.co.uk for now, and will see how I get
>on (if ever they get round to emailing the activation link! :-( )
>[color=green]
>> If you are tied to wifi, as opposed to a wired link to the Net, then
>> you will not be able to easily use a wifi adapter. This means the use
>> of a wifi phone. I'll leave it to others to suggest what phone would
>> be best.
>> Alternatively, you could use a softphone on a laptop, if you have
>> one, that would cost you nothing but you would be tied to your laptop.[/color]
>
>For now I have a earpiece/mic combo I can use to test it all out, but I
>thought you could buy a voipy-type phone with a USB plug on the end
>which connected to the computer... is that not the case (at least with
>wifi?) What's the difference with a wifi and hard-wired connection?
>[color=green]
>> Such software could be x-lite. I would recommend a voxalot set up for
>> that as it would permit numerous incoming and outgoing providers.[/color]
>[color=green]
>> Also, check out the services of
>> [url]http://www.voxalot.com[/url][/color]
>
>Seems to be n/a - is that temporary or is it defunct? Have downloaded
>x-lite from Sipgate.
>
>So... given that shortly I will be able to call a UK number from my
>laptop here in the UK, at 1.2p/min, or a US number at a whopping
>1.5p/min - am I right in thinking that when I go to the US and use the
>laptop there, the tariffs will be identical when calling those countries?[/color]
You could use Vyke for 2p/call to these destinations (not per minute).
voip.co.uk UK pack is very good and you will get a free geo number as
well.
If you want more outgoing providers though, with the free x-lite,
you'll have to use voxalot..
You are right re voxalot. I've never known their site go down before.
The voxalot phone service (Eu server) is still working well for me
though. No doubt the web site will be up again soon.



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Brian A wrote:[color=blue]
> On Wed, 20 Jun 2007 19:35:47 GMT, Lobster
> <davidlobsterpot601@hotmail.com> wrote:
>[color=green]
>> Brian A wrote:[color=darkred]
>>> On Wed, 20 Jun 2007 07:56:54 GMT, Lobster
>>> <davidlobsterpot601@hotmail.com> wrote:
>>>
>>>> I'm going to the USA for a period soon and will be staying in
>>>> wi-fi-enabled (ie, free) homes. Will be taking a laptop with me.[/color]
>>
>> Thanks everyone for the advice - much appreciated.
>>[color=darkred]
>>> In my opinion it is not a good plan to limit yourself to Skype. If
>>> you go for Skype you will be commiting yourself to a single
>>> provider. If you go for SIP voip you will have the choice of
>>> hundreds of providers.[/color]
>>
>> Got it. Have signed up at sipgate.co.uk for now, and will see how I
>> get on (if ever they get round to emailing the activation link! :-(
>> )
>>[color=darkred]
>>> If you are tied to wifi, as opposed to a wired link to the Net, then
>>> you will not be able to easily use a wifi adapter. This means the
>>> use of a wifi phone. I'll leave it to others to suggest what phone
>>> would be best.
>>> Alternatively, you could use a softphone on a laptop, if you have
>>> one, that would cost you nothing but you would be tied to your
>>> laptop.[/color]
>>
>> For now I have a earpiece/mic combo I can use to test it all out,
>> but I thought you could buy a voipy-type phone with a USB plug on
>> the end which connected to the computer... is that not the case (at
>> least with wifi?) What's the difference with a wifi and hard-wired
>> connection?
>>[color=darkred]
>>> Such software could be x-lite. I would recommend a voxalot set up
>>> for that as it would permit numerous incoming and outgoing
>>> providers.[/color]
>>[color=darkred]
>>> Also, check out the services of
>>> [url]http://www.voxalot.com[/url][/color]
>>
>> Seems to be n/a - is that temporary or is it defunct? Have
>> downloaded x-lite from Sipgate.
>>
>> So... given that shortly I will be able to call a UK number from my
>> laptop here in the UK, at 1.2p/min, or a US number at a whopping
>> 1.5p/min - am I right in thinking that when I go to the US and use
>> the laptop there, the tariffs will be identical when calling those
>> countries?[/color]
> You could use Vyke for 2p/call to these destinations (not per minute).
> voip.co.uk UK pack is very good and you will get a free geo number as
> well.
> If you want more outgoing providers though, with the free x-lite,
> you'll have to use voxalot..
> You are right re voxalot. I've never known their site go down before.
> The voxalot phone service (Eu server) is still working well for me
> though. No doubt the web site will be up again soon.
>
>[/color]

I had tried Voxalot in the past, but wasn't happy with the service.

On 2007-06-20, Brian A <no_spam_bca1000@hotmail.com> wrote:
[color=blue]
> On Wed, 20 Jun 2007 19:35:47 GMT, Lobster
><davidlobsterpot601@hotmail.com> wrote:
>[color=green]
>>Seems to be n/a - is that temporary or is it defunct? Have downloaded
>>x-lite from Sipgate.[/color][/color]
[color=blue]
> You are right re voxalot. I've never known their site go down before.
> The voxalot phone service (Eu server) is still working well for me
> though. No doubt the web site will be up again soon.[/color]

It is. There was a power failure at the datacentre housing their web
servers. The phone service was unaffected.

May I mention your signature delimiter. You might like to know there is
a space missing after the two dashes. "-- " is the norm. Without the
quotes of course.

Brian.

On 2007-06-20, {{{{{Welcome}}}}} <bhx___spam@trapped___hotmail.co.uk> wrote:
[color=blue]
> I had tried Voxalot in the past, but wasn't happy with the service.[/color]

I've always found Voxalot very reliable. Unless you want to use some of
the services they offer it is probably not needed with a single
provider. As has been said already though, it is great for handling a
number of different providers and the company is responsive to requests.

What was the cause of your unhappiness with them?

Brian.