[LINK] Skype calls to feature large ads

[David Lochrin]

On 2012-06-18 thoughtmaybe  wrote:
> hey DavidL... OSS such as? i'd be great to get away from skype in any event

This Linux distribution includes something known as "ekiga":

> ekiga - A GNOME based SIP/H323 teleconferencing application
> 
> Ekiga (formely known as GnomeMeeting) is an open source VoIP and video conferencing application for GNOME.  Ekiga uses both the H.323 and SIP protocols.  It supports many audio and video codecs, and is interoperable with other SIP compliant software and also with Microsoft NetMeeting.


Probably the neatest solution is to subscribe to a VoIP service through your ISP.  Mine (Key Internet) offers 12-cent untimed calls to any landline number anywhere in Oz, and relatively cheap calls to many places overseas (I can speak to my brother in the U.S. for about $1 an hour), but mobile and some service calls are timed; I think these rates are only for domestic use.  I assume the ISP has an agreement with a carrier such as Optus, and calls to PSTN numbers are routed there.  Since I only use this service for outgoing calls I don't have a 'phone number, but numbers are available.

In this case there's no need to use a computer.  I have a common or garden POTS telephone plugged into a Netcomm V210P VoIP box running SIP & codec software, and that's connected to a port on my ADSL router.

Voice quality is excellent, but you need to know how to set it all up, especially if the VoIP box is firewalled.  I struck bad echo problems with an Engin service I used previously with one of their VoIP boxes.

I don't think I could afford to live here without VoIP service (:-).

David L.