VoIP ! VoIP !! VoIP !!!
Everyone is talking about VoIP…! Specially who calls internationally, or calls between US and India. VoIP still having some limitations, so cant replace PSTN but certainly, for long distance calls it is quite cheaper and better way.
I will not go much in technical depth, like protocol … codec’s… encryption … but this is just an overview….!
First let understand what kind of VoIP solutions available in market. PC-to-PC calls like yahoo IM also falls under VoIPs but I will talk here specifically those VoIPs, who are connected to PSTN network. Simply… A VoIP service that can communicate with a normal phone line or mobile.
There are many different providers available in market. Technically I will classify:
1. Based on Proprietary protocol. – eg. Skype, yahoo.
2. Based on Open/Common protocol. – eg. betamax and so many.
Based on there service, I can be classified:
1. PC to Phone only (soft phone based)
These services basically usage software phone client to call out side on PSTN network. Yahoo is good example of this service ( http://voice.yahoo.com/phone_calls.php ). There are so many other providers.
+ : Good voice quality
+ : Good customer support.
- : You must need your computer on.
- : Very less provider offers ‘dial-in-number’ facility
2. Bundled: Phone device + Voip service ( may or may not be contract)
Vonage VoIP System
Most of providers using this model. They offer bundled service where you need to buy a complete package with hardware phone device as well as service. Most of provider needs time based contract to cover initial setup/hardware cost.
Vonage is good example for such service. Vonage also hold title of VoIP leader in market, having more then 2.5 million subscriber base, nobody can simply beat them.
+: Good service support and customer care.
- : You are totally bounded with there contract or monthly fees.
-: Not much choice for handsets, or mobile .
-: Cant integrate with other equipments/services.
3. Open/Common protocol based VoIP Services.
These kind of provider just sale there VoIP service. Mostly are based on SIP protocol. Betamax is good example, it is said, they are offering lowest rates, no body can beat them. (And also, nobody can beat them in doing fraud). Betamax rate comparison can be found here.. http://www.backsla.sh/betamax
Skype is kind of mixed service. They run on proprietary protocol. They offer PC-to-Phone on large level, they sale phone devices, they allow other manufacturers to make and sell phone devices for skype.
+: Mostly no long time contracts
+: Pay as much you use as pre-paid system
+: You can buy phone device by your choice.
-: Bad support/customer care or can say … no customer care.
-: You need to setup/configure your device own (BTW, its quite easy but people afraid).
Now it all depends, what kind of service you are looking, where you want to make most of calls, and what rates are suitable for you.
You need to choose now !
I generally prefer SIP based services. Basic reason is freedom, free from contract, I can choose phone device of my choise, I can change service provider any time without changing my device. It can integrate easily with other VoIP systems. And majorly…. these services are much cheaper then any other kind of services.. Like Skype, Vonage, Allvoi etc.
Let see.. how you can use SIP based voip services. When you buy SIP service, it will give you SIP server name, username, password.
1. PC-to-Phone.
X-Lite VOIP (SIP & IAX2) Software
- Most provider supply (download) software for this.
- Even if you don’t get, there are so many available freely. X-lite & Zoiper (supports SIP and IAX2 both) are my choice.
2. Phone-to-Phone
There are so many device now available for SIP, you can just chose them based on need and cost.
VOIP Connections
1) Router (or modem or adopter) with VoIP – Many routers are having VoIP facility, and provides a port for traditional analog phone connection. I am using this setup only, having a zoom router with voip, and connected a wireless telephone with it.
VoIP Router/Adopter/Modem Connection
2) USB VoIP Phones – These phones primarily require USB connection to the computer
 QBest Lite |
 Premier Noblesse VoIP - USB Wireless Phone |
VoIP Telephone/deskphone – There are so many SIP based phones available starting around $50. Most of these have LCD panel, which allow displaying incoming no, dialing no, and setup option.
 Grandstream BudgeTone 200 - VoIP phone - SIP |
 Cisco IP Phone 7905G - H.323, SCCP, SI |
 Linksys SPA941 |
2) Mobile – There are many mobiles phones available, few are just for VoIP, few comes with GSM+VoIP. Nokia has a complete series that provides SIP as well as GSM. A popular phone Nokia N-95 having this beauty.
 Nokia N95 - Support SIP VoIP. |
 Linksys WIP330 |
 Siemens Gigaset SL75 |
Other then this, you can SIP on iPhone, and windows mobiles. There are few software available which can be installed on these phones. Fring is one of the most popular SIP client for iPhone and other many mobile phones too.
iPhone with Fring SIP & Skype VoIP
So just explore the possibilities, and buy best suitable option for you.
And comment for questions/suggestions/updates
Traditional calling is becoming very expensive and nobody would want to spend so much just on calls..and VoIP helps you cut down the phone bills and saves a lot of money…The calls from landlines are so expensive that customers like me cannot even think of making international/long distances calls.Thanx to this new VoIP technology which is making it possible to call so cheaper that now we can make long distance call with out thinking too much about its cost even from our mobiles.
Now we can make cheap international calls from our mobile phones..thanx to mobile VoIP service providers.. New technologies like mobile VoIP are bringing many facilities for customers like me who live abroad and need to call their family n friends back home oftenly..) I have heard a lots of good things about mobile VoIP, but also heard from my friends who have been using VoIP from quite some time that some service providers have cheap rates but not good quality some have support issues etc. Having said that they still believe that using a good VoIP service provider saves a lot of your money on daily phone calls whether it’s a local or an international calls or sending SMS.. So I am also thinking of permanently switching to some good mobile VoIP service. Last week I happen to try this new service called http://www. vopium. com on my Nokia N82 as they provide you with 30 free minutes to test their services. At first I felt there was some distortion but as i continued it faded, and then I talked for about half an hour with my family and friends back in my home country without worrying too much about my pocket…
[...] Everyone is talking about VoIP …! Specially who calls internationally, or calls between US and India. VoIP still having some limitations, so cant replace PSTN but certainly, for long distance calls it is quite cheaper and better way. …[Continue Reading] [...]
Betamax has yet again launched a new VOIP service and adds more variety to their existing VOIP offering. The good part of this new VOIP service ActionVOIP is of course the best and most cheapest calling rates to India.
India was offered by a few VOIP services at around 1.39-1.70 cents per minute range by VOIP Providers such as nymgo and Mediaringtalk. As we already predicted that this would trigger further competitive prices for India and Betamax has again managed to lower down the prices to a rock bottom .07 cents per minute. That means first time ever, calling india is cheaper than 1 cent per minute and that means you can call India at around 35 paise per minute, this is cheaper than a local call in India lol. Now you know you are being treated like a slumdog in India by telecom companies and mobile operators in India such as Vodafone, Bharati who charge anywhere between 35paise-1 rs for calls within India. WOW and a international ISD calls originating from outside of India is charged at 35 cents much cheaper than local calls.
Neverthless, 0.7 cents per minute is damn cheap and hats off to betamax to offer such price. Lets hope more popular VOIP Providers like localphone , nymgo start offering these prices very soon. This would not just eradicate low quality VOIP operators offering horrible quality calls but we would have more choice and quality at great prices.
You can start using ActionVOIP by downloading their softphone or you can use SIP with ActionVOIP.
India (Landline) 0.005 Euro/min -> 2000 mins in 10 Euro
India (Mobile) 0.010 Euro/min -> 1000 mins in 10 Euro