How to make cheap phone calls to the UK
 

Just thought I'd share with you ... Since moving house, I didn't get any regular phone lines installed, as I solely use VoIP now. I'm not sure why it didn't occur to me before but due to the wonders of the interwebs, I signed up with a UK VoIP provider and have a UK phone number. I had to buy a VoIP ATA (basically a device that lets you plug in regular telephones but make calls over the net) at $50 off ebay. Mrs M called her folks tonight (using a regular telephone handset) and the call quality was good. Better still, it only cost $0.85 for a 45 minute call, which is way less than we had been paying previously.

And because we have a UK number, the rellies can call us for the cost of a local call too. Win-win :D I am using Localphone, though there are certainly others available. And if you don't want to splash out on an ATA, you can download X-Lite for free and use it on the PC with a headset.

Re: How to make cheap phone calls to the UK
 

Yes we've done exactly the same thing as well. It is definitely cheaper for phone calls back and from the UK but occasionally we'll have someone in the UK dial the wrong number and call our house in the middle of the night!!!

Re: How to make cheap phone calls to the UK
 

I have to confess that when I set the number up, I wanted to test it but it was about 1130 Friday night. I was thinking "I don't want to call anyone at this time of night". Then I had a brainwave! I thought if I call my old work, all I want to do is hear the voicemail message. Then of course somebody answered ...... :blink: I thought I had this timezone thing cracked too, though in my defence I was very tired from moving boxes around all day :D

Re: How to make cheap phone calls to the UK
 

We had someone call late last night from the UK thinking they'd dialled some digital TV helpline. I explained that she'd dialled the wrong number but she still wanted me to help her out. I was going to tell her that she'd dialled Australia but thought she'd never believe me - especially with my accent!!

Re: How to make cheap phone calls to the UK
 

We do the same with Skype - for national calls/sms as well as uk calls. Currently using laptop, webcam (if video wanted too) and headset/mic for clarity or voice only calls.

Even got my technophobe MIL using it now.

If calling a landline its 2c a min (uk or oz)
SMS 12c each
call another skype account Free
also have calls forwarded to a landline or mobile (fees though not too bad)
You can get uk landline number too (in subscription with free landline calls incl)
and can use an access code from other phones to get skype rates away from home (in subscription with free landline calls incl)

Can use computer - usb connected phone handset with computer on - special phone not requiring computer on - even special mobiles do it.

oh the software is free and really simple to download

Re: How to make cheap phone calls to the UK
 

We've been using Skype for ages too but this way is even cheaper and means we don't have to be tied to a computer.

Re: How to make cheap phone calls to the UK
 

Looks good.
We use www.jajah.com

Calls between registered users are FREE and we make many long calls every week for next to nothing or free if it's one of our Jajah user buddies.

Here's what we saved... This month JAJAH saved you GBP 19.16 - that's GBP 1419.02 since you joined.
Just copied that from the web site.

Also have a Skype out number.
Call a local number here in Perth via landline or mobile and all the call to the UK are free upto 8000 mins per month. All you pay is a monthly subscription to Skype.
If you get free local calls in you telpehone package, that's all the calls you can make for 2.85 Euro's per month.
I call via my mobile all the time and select one of my stored speed dials, and calls are 1st class in quality. Just perfect for the journey home... have a half our chat with my parents on the mobile.

Let me know if anyone else uses this and has good results.
Neil.

Re: How to make cheap phone calls to the UK
 

I bought an OZCALL voucher form Woolworths, It cost me $50. I phone UK and Ireland and it costs me about $1 an hour. It never seems to run out! All you do is dial the token number first, then select a language followed by the receivers phone number. I have tried Skype on the computer but got put off by the satellite echo and delay which makes it harder to talk.

Re: How to make cheap phone calls to the UK
 

Does anybody use a SIP or IP phone? I've been looking them up, but not sure if they're worth it

Re: How to make cheap phone calls to the UK
 

Voip phones are the way to go methinks


Get a internet connection but with no phone linehttp://www.iinet.net.au/freezone/#folder=games&id=xbox


Plug phone into a voip router/modem and get a 3rd party phone discount thingymajig for around $5/15 a month http://www.pennytel.com/call_plans_compare.htmland bingo lingo!!!!

Re: How to make cheap phone calls to the UK
 

https://www.mynetfone.com.au/offers/...neosaver-plan/

FREE untimed calls to UK.....

I've been on this plan for nearly 3 years now and I think have only once had a monthly phone bill greater than $10.

It a $5 flat fee - but then unless you live on the phone calls are free other than mobiles (15c a minute).... I havent seen a cheaper phone plan anywhere else.

(oh and quality is not an issue - its great)

Re: How to make cheap phone calls to the UK
 

These voip phones I'm finding all seem to be for Skype is there any that you can use for any service like the one's mentioned on here? and not to sound thick but I don't know very much about theses phones, do you have to get a special modem for them? the phones I've been looking at are wireless and I was planning on taking my Belkin Modem over with me.
Before I got my TalkTalk package with free international calls I used to use SIP discount which works through your home phone is that no good because you need a home phone line and that's what we're trying to avoid?

I'm confused!! :confused:

I must say when we were in Oz I rang my dad in Spain off my mobile and he said I sounded like I was next door :thumbup: but when I rang him off the landline there was a delay and quality wasn't very good. :thumbdown:

Re: How to make cheap phone calls to the UK
 

We use Engin - $20 a month and all our calls are free. We don't need a voip phone with it - just our regular house phone connected through the Engin voice box. No phone line needed.

Rudi

Re: How to make cheap phone calls to the UK
 

So how does your internet work?

Can you receive calls through this box aswell?

Re: How to make cheap phone calls to the UK
 

yep, just like a normal phone - local telephone number. The only difference is the dial tone which sounds slightly different.

Rudi

Re: How to make cheap phone calls to the UK
 

I'm still cluless about the modem thingy! I presume I need a new modem/router?

Re: How to make cheap phone calls to the UK
 

The key is in the wording;)

Re: How to make cheap phone calls to the UK
 

any uk people use this service

http://www.telediscount.co.uk/mobilephones.php

Re: How to make cheap phone calls to the UK
 

Me, too.

Plus, I have a free UK number from http://www.localphone.com/. Choose a number from any area code.

Pennytel is cheaper but they are having loads of problems at the moment. http://forums.whirlpool.net.au/forum-threads.cfm?f=107

I use the Siemens c470IP phone. Cheapest from https://www.maxo.com.au/?mt=shop&sho...item&itemid=14 and http://shop.freshtel.net/product.php...&cat=12&page=1. If you live in Melbourne pop down to Freshtel in Southbank and save on the postage.

If you have extra handsets you can associate a different number with a handset e.g. give your daughter her own number and calls for her ring on her handset in her room. I have older BT-branded Gigaset handsets I have got working with C470IP http://forums.whirlpool.net.au/forum...1776#r17931776

Best to have two providers, one on standby, in case your main supplier has problems.

Ian

EDIT: mynetfone has special offers for whirpoolers https://www.mynetfone.com.au/offers/...irlpool-plans/, so does Maxotel http://forums.whirlpool.net.au/forum...?t=1033963#r15. Pennytel is just cheap (and a tad crap atm) http://www.pennytel.com/call_plans.html

Re: How to make cheap phone calls to the UK
 

I found a ADSL Modem with a voip port already in it I think there's a few but this one is a Zoom X5v anybody got one of these? It seems to save having a modem and a seperate voice box.

Re: How to make cheap phone calls to the UK
 

I've just bought a Grandstream 502 ATA and I can honestly say I've gone brain dead! I've got as far as plugging it in to the power socket and connecting an ethernet cable from my modem/router to the WAN port on the ATA. I have no idea how to get the phone working I've tried looking up images on the net and I'm still confused. It seems that the phone is also plugged into the ATA but then it's not connected to the phone line so how do you make a call?!

Re: How to make cheap phone calls to the UK
 

You should plug your router / modem into the phone socket, the ATA into the router / modem and then your phone into the ATA. Remember that you are not making 'regular' phone calls, hence the phone doesn't plug into the phone socket!

Beyond that you will need to get help in setting up the grandstream with your VoIP service - you have signed up for a VoIP service haven't you?

Re: How to make cheap phone calls to the UK
 

Aaaah! I've been uplugging the wire that connects from my phone socket to my cordless phone and plugging it in to the ATA (RJ11-RJ45) so it seems I need to get an RJ11 TO RJ11 wire instead and then I can unplug my cordless from the phone socket.

I've signed up to localphone. I think it would've been easier for me to understand an IP phone. But I'll see how I get on I'm sure I'll get stuck again!

Re: How to make cheap phone calls to the UK
 

Sounds like you are getting there :D

Localphone have a guide for setting up a Grandstream, though not your specific model. See http://www.localphone.com/help/devices/grandstream.

Re: How to make cheap phone calls to the UK
 

Ha that's what I thought!

I got my adapter, plugged it in and hey presto a dial tone! just to configure it.... I really got confused and to be honest I can't be bothered to try and work out there's about 25 pages of instructions and they're not very clear - to me anyway. I think it's safe to say I've just about given up and am probably going to sell it on a get myself the siemens IP phones instead.

Re: How to make cheap phone calls to the UK
 

If anyone out there is looking into this and fancies getting a new modem with everything built in, have a look at the NetComm NB9MAXX or something like that. Avaiabale in most places, it is wireless, modem router, that has two VOIP ports built in as well, plus a space for your normal telehone line. Thus we now have a normal line, plus a VoIP phone as well, plus a router (with 4 ethernet ports), modem and anything else. It does not make the tea, which is a bit of a bummer...

Re: How to make cheap phone calls to the UK
 

Although my Linksys doesn't actually make tea, it does get hot enough to boil the kettle on :blink:

Re: How to make cheap phone calls to the UK
 

Before you do that, bear in mind that you can leave most of those settings as is to be honest. The important ones to try are:

Proxy: localphone.com
Outbound proxy: proxy.localphone.com
Use Outbound Proxy: Yes
Register: Yes
Register Expires: 240
Display Name: your name
User ID: your Localphone number in full e.g. 441642xxxxxx
Password: your SIP password
Auth ID: your SIP ID

Get your SIP ID and password from http://www.localphone.com/settings after logging on to your dashboard. Those settings should be enough to get you started. Your Grandstream should have a default dial plan configured, if not you could try this one that I use:
Good luck :thumbup:

Re: How to make cheap phone calls to the UK
 

This is the problem with ATAs (analogue telephone adapters) - you need to get involved with command line dialling plans.

My suggestion is the Siemens C470IP I use. Before buying any kit check out the manual to make sure you understand it OR you have a friend that can set it up for you. http://gigaset.com/shc/0,1935,hq_en_...0.html#content

Benefits of voip dect phones.
1. You can make 3 calls simultaneously - 1 fixed line (Optus, Telstra) and 2 voip.
2. You can set up 6 voip accounts on the phone and assign different handsets to them.
My daughter has her own DID (direct inward dialling) telephone number which receives calls in her bedroom and the lounge. Calls from her handset are sent using her DID.
The other 4 handsets send calls using our fixed line number (Optus) as the DID even though the call is via voip. I give out two phone numbers to get me - Optus line and a Maxotel DID.
Also, you can transfer calls between the handsets although in our house people insist on walking the handset to each other.
3. Always have more than one voip provider. All our calls are sent via Maxotel except international which go via Pennytel (8c call to UK). I also have a mynetfone account. The dialling plan on the Siemens phone is easy - no difficult parameters to understand.
4. DID from Maxotel is free. DIDs from Pennytel and Mynetfone cost $5/year.
5. Maxotel and Pennytel allow you to assign another number as the DID. I send calls using Maxotel but receivers see my Optus phone number if they have CLID.
5. Join Whirlpool and ask questions. http://forums.whirlpool.net.au/forum-threads.cfm?f=107
6. It's not necessary to get a bunch of new handsets. I have associated 4-year-old BT handsets with the base. http://forums.whirlpool.net.au/forum...7308&p=14#r279
7. I have enabled QoS on my router and given UDP ports 5060 and 5004 highest priority. I have also port forwarded (http://www.portforward.com/help/portforwarding.htm) those ports. This is the hardest bit but easy to somebody that has a basic knowledge. Get a friend to do it - we all know somebody that is better at computers than yourself.

Ian

Re: How to make cheap phone calls to the UK
 

85p thats a bit expensive, We pay 8c with penny tel for as long as we like :)

And they do a Linksys SPA 3102 ATA for $68 that includes $18 of free calls as well, the 3102 is good becuase you can plug you standard phone line is as well so can use the same handset for both.

I think using a UK based VOIP provider might degrade the quality if the servers are based in the UK due to the lag.

Having a local number must be handy though, saying that it's normally cheaper to ring Oz then a local number with BT :blink:

Re: How to make cheap phone calls to the UK
 

No problem here :thumbup:

Re: How to make cheap phone calls to the UK
 

I thought that would be the case but I've made a few calls with it now and the lag is no worse than a POTS call, and the call quality is great - I haven't even got around to configuring QoS on my router so far either.

Re: How to make cheap phone calls to the UK
 

Ok, so I gave it another shot after I found a set up guide on a website, Voiptalk I think it was. Anyway it told me that when I pressed option 2 on my phone it would tell me the IP address and that's what I should type in the address bar and it would take me to the website to configure it which was:
192.168.2.7 and the page would not come up. It was on Dynamic IP mode and so I changed it to Static and it still wouldn't work. If it helps the other addresses are:
Subnet:255.255.255.0
Gateway:0.0.0.0
DNS Server: 192.168.2.1
none of these make any sense to me apart from the last one which is the site that let's me configure my Belkin Modem :confused:

And relax..............

Re: How to make cheap phone calls to the UK
 

OK if the auto-attendant told you 192.168.2.7, then that's what it should be. It would pay to leave it on dynamic until you have got into it proper. Turn the thing off then back on, then go for option 2 from the handset again and try again. Also confirm that your computer is in the same IP range by going to Start --> Run and typing cmd. Then in the box that appears, type ipconfig and press return. Check that your IP address is 192.168.2.x.

Re: How to make cheap phone calls to the UK
 

Can anybody put me in the picture here regarding how on earth i set this thing up.
I have signed up to pennytel and i have the necessary hardware.
They sent me some settings in an email but i have no idea what the hell i'm supposed to do with them.

Help!!!!!!!!!!!

Jazzys