Harringay, Haringey - So Good they Spelt it Twice!
Your Broadband Phone conversation experience
Dear All
After years of keeping traditional and expensive phone line with Virgin Media (£14 just for keeping a number) we decided to cancel the contract for the phone and keep just the internet service. After a few hours of searching online for the best and most attractive providers.
I would like to ask this question on the public forum if is there anybody who use this kind of service on daily basis and what is your personal experience. There are a few reliable providers which gives you this option but more personal experience most welcome.
For those who are not familiar with this service yet, I am talking about the service similar to Skype or Google Voice when you are using your broadband power to make phone calls to other computers and phones.
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by John D on
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I tried this several years ago when I first got BT Broadband but the quality was so poor ( restricted audio bandwidth ) that I never used it again.
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Permalink Reply by Isabelle on
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I use Skype. But that's usually for keeping in touch with people not easy to reach by phone (eg friends abroad). Everybody else I contact via mobile phone (rarely make use of my landline - except for 0845 etc numbers). There are occasional connection problems, often with the same people, either the video is too slow and lagging behind the audio (can just turn the video off if that's an issue) or some foreign sounds make it hard to speak/hear. But on the whole it's nice to be able to make free, handsfree calls, even conference calls with people. Also very useful to share your computer screen with someone, for instance to show photos to a friend or a job in progress to a client.
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Permalink Reply by Marek on
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Hi Isabelle
Skype has been with us for last almost ten years quite ok and no problem.
What I mean and many people do not about is a service when you do not use your traditional land line and do not use your computer to talk to somebody else. I am talking about the service when only your router works for the broadband and you can grab a handset and make your phone call using your broadband line not phone line. It is relatively new technology and still progressing. Additionally, you can take your "softphone" wherever you have the internet access and continue your phone activities. Something called "Cloud Phone Calls".
Does anybody heard about Vonage?
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Permalink Reply by james walsh on
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Marek* We're in the same position as you and would like to know if it's worth cancelling virgin phoneline and keep broadband (like you). I've had serious probs when i used skype/voip with echo but that was about two years ago. Maybe it's a better experience now as my virgin broadband service provides 1Gps. I would like to go down this route but want to be assured emphatically that it's going to work smoothly. Please, if anyone out there has had a positive/negative experience with Vonage please let us know.
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According to Wikipedia Vonage has also been with us for over ten years. Have you tried looking up YouTube videos for further info about Vonage and Cloud communications?
I guess most of us won't know about this because people tend to use their mobile phones to make calls! whether via their mobile phone network, or VoIP via their network or any available wifi (at home or outside). What would we gain by having a separate VoIP system?
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Permalink Reply by matt on
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UK users of Vonage have given some feedback here.
BT Infinity make use of VoIP over their cable network. Don't know if that's the std tech used or just an option
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Thanks Mat* Unfortunately the latest reviews on the link you posted are from a year and more ago.
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an opportunity to take own phone number and the device wherever we go and work
we are not any longer attached to the landline located in one place without relocation even temporary
monthly charge for the phone service according to the tariff what we choose - average for UK £4-5 per month
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Hmm.... That is cheap! But for not much more money a mobile phone will also let you take your own phone number wherever. With the added option of calling via your phone network as well as wifi/VoIP (good if one or the other is down). And you get to access the internet for free on your phone, along with goodies such as GPS and email.
Also useful to keep a diary/calendar, set up alarms, take the odd photo or voice memo, which you can then sync to your PC if you're into that stuff.
Prices start at £10/month from GiffGaff, which uses one of the best networks (O2), unlimited internet, no contract. Might still be too expensive if you can't find the right VoIP app and need to make lots of calls, but if you can get a good VoIP then it might be the best option for you.
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