What is VOIP?

[deniser]

BT have just offered me a new package which includes an activated VOIP channel with an 0560 number with free line rental and discounted calls. This is off a socket at the back of the free wireless router which they agreed to throw in.

Sorry to be so stupid but can someone please explain to me what VOIP is?

They've also offered me a free blackberry with unlimited email and free calls to my business line for £20.25 per month. Sounds like a good deal (but linked to their expensive but reliable broadband £300 pa and line rental £160 pa). Is it?

 

[heidi]

Voice Over IP (internet protocol)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Voice_over_Internet_Protocol

 

[Mattonella Tile Studio]

Our Orange home package offers the same thing. It is just like having a second line, but it uses the internet connection to make the calls.

Re Blackberry, my personal contract is £26.92 per month (inc VAT) and that gives unlimited internet, 100 text messages, 600 minutes to anybody, unlimited landline calls. 24 month contract and handset free.

 

[Cornish Steve]

VOIP (sometimes written as VoIP) is Voice over Internet Protocol. Instead of using Plain Old Telephone Service (POTS) lines, the usual copper wires that traditionally carry phone calls, the operator carries calls over a data connection - the same connection, in fact, that you use for your Internet connection. This makes the cost of phone calls almost negligible. It also means that completing a call next door is really no different from complete a call to Japan, so the cost of international calling drops dramatically. The downside is that, when your Internet connection is down, you have no phone service. Also, there can be issues related to 999 service since your location is not obvious.

Not all VoIP providers are alike, though, and quality varies quite considerably. Don't be deceived by the big brand names (such as BT) because they are new to this game too and sometimes just resell another company's service. I suggest you send a PM to CJD who knows more about VoIP than anyone else here.

 

[Norseman]

Only criticism I have of home VoIP being used for business is that the quality may not be as great since it's you'll probably have a basic home broadband service which will have to deal with internet (data) and voice transmission.

On the cost front - you say you're paying £300pa (£25/month) for broadband and £160pa (£13.33/month for line rental, I find this quite expensive. What speeds and contention are you getting?

I sell all kinds of business telecoms services and have a deal on at the moment for broadband where our cheapest package is £6.99 per month (8mb up/1mb down, router not included), with line rental at £12.35 per month. This only equals £232.08 per year - half the price of BT's offer but not really comparable until I know more about the broadband package

 

[cjd]

Any particular reason why you might actually want VoIP? What is it that you want your telephone service to do? I'd advise you to ignore silly offers and work out what you actually need - then pick a provider that can deliver it. These days, BT is rarely your best choice - at any price.

Here's a guide, with further references, to what VoIP is and what it does:

http://www.voipfone.co.uk/What_Is_Voip.php

 

[deniser]

Only criticism I have of home VoIP being used for business is that the quality may not be as great since it's you'll probably have a basic home broadband service which will have to deal with internet (data) and voice transmission.

On the cost front - you say you're paying £300pa (£25/month) for broadband and £160pa (£13.33/month for line rental, I find this quite expensive. What speeds and contention are you getting?

I sell all kinds of business telecoms services and have a deal on at the moment for broadband where our cheapest package is £6.99 per month (8mb up/1mb down, router not included), with line rental at £12.35 per month. This only equals £232.08 per year - half the price of BT's offer but not really comparable until I know more about the broadband package

This is not a home package but a business one.

 

[sm1]

Sorry, was writing a reply when no-one had, and then forgot and just finished, but the issue has been cleared - sorry!

 

[deniser]

Any particular reason why you might actually want VoIP? What is it that you want your telephone service to do? I'd advise you to ignore silly offers and work out what you actually need - then pick a provider that can deliver it. These days, BT is rarely your best choice - at any price.

Here's a guide, with further references, to what VoIP is and what it does:

http://www.voipfone.co.uk/What_Is_Voip.php

While the sales lady was telling me about it it occurred to me that it would be very useful to have a second line for free because we have a lot of problems with the credit card terminal sharing the line with the phone as the BT call minder blocks the terminal which is a nuisance when someone is trying to pay. So if either the phone or the terminal could use a separate line it would be fantastic - up until now I haven't wanted to spend the money on an extra line - and still don't.

Could the terminal use that line? I have used the BT internet connection for 2 years now and it hasn't been down more than a couple of minutes in the whole 2 years. As we work online all day long, reliability is the most important issue and far outweighs price.

 

[born2becool]

Hi - we use the same package - BT's business connect or something like that. The connection speeds are pretty lousy but it has been reliable (touching wood...). Did you say they offered you a Blackberry?
We have also been offered a VoIP option but not used it - might try it later now you've mentioned it!

PS BT also have a good online trade directory which is free and allows you to post links to your site - should help with your SEO - search BT Tradespace.

 

[deniser]

Only criticism I have of home VoIP being used for business is that the quality may not be as great since it's you'll probably have a basic home broadband service which will have to deal with internet (data) and voice transmission.

On the cost front - you say you're paying £300pa (£25/month) for broadband and £160pa (£13.33/month for line rental, I find this quite expensive. What speeds and contention are you getting?

I sell all kinds of business telecoms services and have a deal on at the moment for broadband where our cheapest package is £6.99 per month (8mb up/1mb down, router not included), with line rental at £12.35 per month. This only equals £232.08 per year - half the price of BT's offer but not really comparable until I know more about the broadband package

Sorry I got interrupted before I could finish. I need the internet connection to be fast, 100% reliable and unlimited. Not sure of BT's speeds but it has definitely speeded up recently and whatever speed it is (I know they are not the same as what they advertise) it is fine.

 

[deniser]

Hi - we use the same package - BT's business connect or something like that. The connection speeds are pretty lousy but it has been reliable (touching wood...). Did you say they offered you a Blackberry?
We have also been offered a VoIP option but not used it - might try it later now you've mentioned it!

PS BT also have a good online trade directory which is free and allows you to post links to your site - should help with your SEO - search BT Tradespace.

The blackberry is free - curve or something (sorry means nothing to me) - if you pay £20.99 per month - which package in turn is available if you are on the business internet and line rental package - forgotten what they call it.

And calls are capped at 5p per hour for normal calls and 20p per hour for calls to mobiles. And calls from the blackberry to your business number are free.

 

[cjd]

Could the terminal use that line?

We don't think so, but we have yet to find anyone who has properly tried to use VoIP with a terminal. It's old technology that is best left on the old fashioned telephone network.

Use the new number for the voice service.

I have used the BT internet connection for 2 years now and it hasn't been down more than a couple of minutes in the whole 2 years. As we work online all day long, reliability is the most important issue and far outweighs price.

BT's DSL service maybe fine; it often is - it depends a lot on what product they sold you and which router they gave you (some of them are hideous).

You can easily try it and see. There's no reason at all to use their VoIP service though - you can use anybodies; just pick a real business service, not a consumer one.

If you want to try ours just sign up - it's all free until you want to use it in anger.

 

[Paul Kelly ICHYB]

Dont be fooled into the BT VoIP! Look around and Colin is a good alternative.

As for ADSL, dont use BT, either! I am amazed that the company who set up and manages a majority of the communications infrastrucure offers a much lesser internet pack then people who 'rent' their systems!Look at the likes of Be. Sky looks like a good offer for higher speeds, especially if you alrwady have their TV service.

Virgin have also just launched thei 50Mb service!