[LINK] Home VoIP?

[rene]

On Sun, 19 Dec 2010 23:19:10 -0800, Scott Howard wrote:

> On Sun, Dec 19, 2010 at 11:02 PM, rene <rene.ln at libertus.net>
> wrote:
>
>> 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.
>>
>>
> Or, if they are using the same provider, just dialing there number.
>
> With some providers, such as MyNetFone, even calling another MNF's
> users standard PSTN phone number (DID for the VOIP-aware) is free -
> even if you're not even aware that they are using MNF.

Could you please clarify what you mean (see below for question) - because I 
am interested in what 'some' VOIP service providers are providing at this 
point in time.

I'd assume (based on past investigation, which maybe could be a bit out of 
date) that you're referring to when an MNF user calls another MNF's user's 
MNF-provided DID number - i.e. a number provided by MNF and which would 
operate across the PSTN - that such a call is free. 

However, I expect that if a MNF user called another MNF's user's "standard 
PSTN number" provided by some telephone company other than MNF [e.g. in the 
case of a called party who has both an MNF provided DID and a 'standard' 
(non VOIP) PSTN number provided by e.g. Telstra, Optus, all and sundry] 
then when the MNF user calls, via their VOIP account, the other person's 
"standard PSTN phone number" then they would get charged for making that 
call, because the call is not made to a number provided by MNF. Is that 
right or wrong in the case of MNF's offerings?

In other words, my current understanding is that the only way one can make 
free calls to other people, via AU VOIP service providers, is when the 
caller and called party *both* have DID numbers (or other SIP address) 
provided by the *same* VOIP provider. My understanding is that the reason 
for that is economic/profit - because if e.g. MNF allowed an MNF VOIP-user 
to call another MNF's user's e.g. Telstra provided "standard PSTN number", 
then MNF would have to pay the call connection costs for that call to 
connect to Telstra's PSTN network. I doubt MNF, or any other VOIP provider, 
would be wearing/absorbing that cost. In addition, typically AU VOIP 
providers block SIP/VOIP calls to SIP addresses that are not on their 
network, e.g. a call from SIP address "0299991111 at sip.ispA.com.au" to SIP 
address "0288882222 at sip.ispB.com.au" will typically be blocked by ISP A. 
The only reason for such blocking is profit-making (preventing callers from 
bypassing use of PSTN and related call charging by ISP A), not technical, 
although of course the block is technologically implemented.

My point is not to suggest/imply that MNF is doing anything 'abnormal'. 
Just that there's a lot of ifs and buts in relation to determining call 
charges and imo care needs to be taken with terminology.

The situation can, imo, compared with email:
* Customer of provider A sends an email to the email address of customer of 
Provider B - no cost.
* Customer of provider A tries to make a VOIP/SIP call to the SIP address 
(which may be a DID number) of a customer of provider B - blocked. 
* Customer of provider A tries to make a VOIP/SIP call to the DID 
number/SIP address provided to the called party by provider B - OK - call 
charges by ISP A apply.

Irene