Possible Free Phone Calls

[circumnavigation]

Would like to pass on this snippet of information. Found an interesting English/French site for those of you that like to reduce your phone bills, or if you use Internet cafes when in port <A target="_blank" HREF=http:// [url]http://www.mpcee.co.uk/katoema.html >http:// http://www.mpcee.co.uk/katoema.html [/url]

 

[Salty]

Interesting. My French isn't good enough to completely decipher that, but I think there are a few people around offering IP telephony. I think there are some catches at the moment though, like you can only phone people who have a broadband connection and an IP phone attached to their PC which at the moment cost a couple of hundred quid.

I may have that wrong though - be good if anyone out there knows more?

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[l'escargot]

Click on the little Union Jack on top right of the page to get the English version.

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[Salty]

Merci.

Seems to be a little disingenious 'don't need a computer...' , no but you need a broadband connection and a SIP phone. Right, there must be loads of people paying £30 a month for a broadband connection who don't have a computer...

 

[circumnavigation]

I have registered and read through the FAQ. There are 3 ways to obtain the phone calls:

1/ Dedicated sip phone, which they are offering for under €100
2/ An adaptor for a standard telephone
3/ Softphone (freely downloaded software) with a normal PC Microphone

I am using the software and the nice thing about this is that they encourage you to have your friends and family register too! Yes, you need an internet connection with a speed greater than 128kbps., but the calls are FREE and the duration doesn't matter. The quality of communication is very good, but it makes sense to use the sip phone. I've ordered mine and is due to arrive in mid November. You do get a phone number and that can be used from wherever you are in the world.

No problem with this and if you read up on VOIP and SIP technology, it has arrived and from enquiries made, Free IP Call have lead the way to get this to the masses. It was for this reason alone I brought it to the Forum's attention because of knowing that for those when away sailing/cruising and want to keep in vocal touch with friends and family, it is costly at the best of times from a call box or roaming mobile phone bills.

Perhaps I should by shares in this company as it takes off and more people are connected to them, then with the profits I make I would be able to by the boat of my dreams, just like normal people do!

<hr width=100% size=1>http:// [url]http://www.mpcee.co.uk/katoema.html [/url]

 

[Salty]

Sorry, I wasn't being critical, just curious about exactly what you need to make the calls and who you can call as a consequence.

It is enormously useful to be able to link up broadband customers with free voice. In practice it might be difficult finding a broadband connection when on an cruising abroad? I think extending it wider than broadband-broadband is more problematic because of interconnect rates for conventional voice networks (ie the charge BT or others make for connecting a call to their network). Still likely to be cheaper than a conventional telco though.

Finally, the technology is certainly here in a big way: I'm moving offices soon and our new offices are IP-only for phone technology which means all intra-company calls will be free...

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[circumnavigation]

Being an MD of an International Co and a post within a UN Agency, I have become very aware of VOIP. You will be able to speak to those on on standard phone lines, but they cannot contact you at present.

Having spoke to Free IP Call, the company behind it are placing networks in the corporate sector in a very big way. Send them an email to get information, especially for your company to get their sip phone numbers. As there are different ways to receive Broadband, having a minimum of 128kbps will soon be available by many different forms, especially when you think that you will be able to use a portable phone and then that makes it a very useful means of communication when cruising.

Really though, for readers that will find it difficult to understand VOIP, it is no different as to what happened with fax machines in the early days. Now you can send and receive faxes from the PC.

My sip number is: 131-229-1010@sip.freeipcall.com and will be used when my sip phone arrives.


<hr width=100% size=1>http:// [url]http://www.mpcee.co.uk/katoema.html [/url]

 

[Salty]

Thanks Martin. I don't know about buying shares in this company, but looks like selling any shares in BT might be a good idea before it catches on more widely!

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[dk]

Are you actually using it? It could be a very elaborate scam couldn't it - you know, buy a SIP phone now for only £100 & get your calls for free. Anyone remember the Rabbit network - you bought a ridiculously expensive cordless phone, then stood in the street near to a Rabbit sign, where you could make hugely expensive mobile calls. Strangely enough it went down the pan with lots of people's dosh!
Call me an old cynic, but once they've lured enough members in they're bound to start charging. Remember Freeserve?

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[circumnavigation]

Yes, in short, but I can not use the Forum to go into the technicalities of new technologies like Voip and SIP. I suggest you use their (Free IP Call) website and read the valuable information in the FAQ's. <A target="_blank" HREF=http:// [url]http://www.mpcee.co.uk/katoema.html >http:// http://www.mpcee.co.uk/katoema.html [/url]