[LINK] Home VoIP?

[rene]

On Mon, 20 Dec 2010 15:28:39 +1100, Michael Skeggs mike at bystander.net 
wrote:
>> On Mon, Dec 20, 2010 at 11:10 AM, <stephen at melbpc.org.au> wrote:
>>
>>> But i guess 2.9 million Aussies can't be wrong.
>>>
>>> Any advice from Linkers regards home VoIP now? Eg, tips, traps
>>> etc etc?
>
> Take a look at the Whirlpool VoIP forum to get up to speed. The
> easiest way to stick a toe in the water is with MyNetfone's Whirlpool
> special.
> They will sell you a box that plugs into your LAN on one side with a
> standard PSTN port on the other for about $30.

And be aware that any VOIP service provider that sells VOIP-capable 
hardware devices for ~$30 most probably has them locked to their network 
(i.e. if one subsequently wants to change to another VOIP provider, it 
may/would be necessary to buy and install another device). Nevertheless, 
such a method is a reasonably cheap method of testing for some people.

FWIW, for reasonably technically competent users, a way of testing likely 
'typical' VOIP call quality via 'your' Net access service - without 
spending any money - if you (and a friend) already have e.g. a headset with 
microphone - is to install free software such as SJ Phone, which enables 
persons to make IP address to IP address 'telephone' calls (via SIP - aka 
VOIP). If the call quality is fairly acceptable on such direct IP calls, 
then it may be even better via some VOIP service providers (e.g. whose 
service enables connection of calls to/from the PSTN - as distinct from the 
above IP to IP method - because some VOIP providers, AFAIK probably only 
some ISPs, prioritise VOIP traffic of their VOIP customers on their own 
network).

NB: One doesn't hear much about the ability to make free SIP/VOIP calls 
using free software, because doing that requires the caller to know the IP 
address of the party they want want to call, or the domain name, or the SIP 
address mapped to the IP address via some service such as e.g. IPTel's free 
SIP service: http://www.iptel.org/service. (IPTel looks like it's still 
operative, but it's about 3 years since I used it in the course of testing 
SIP/VOIP line/call quality, before subscribing to a VOIP serice provider 
that provides PSTN connectivity (Internode)).

Irene