The future of the telephone

[kronas]

Originally Posted by scastle

I did say I think it would happen (it is). I don't think the free calls will for long though (even though they are now).

ofcourse its not going ot be free, why would BT invest heavily in an IP based network if it was not to cash in on the sucess of voice calls over the internet, the network is not only for voice but data use too.

[SMHarman]

You need good QoS for VOIP and suitable traffic management, especially as the network gets more congested. I imagine the BT network will be well designed to cope with this.

we are in the process of converting to voip, where I work, I just had my nice shiny Cisco IP phone installed, although it isn't working with external, incoming calls, yet.

The voice mail option is clever, if a call is missed the system sends you an email with the message embedded as a .wav file, which can be played back via your pc, forwarded elsewhere - or can be heard, as usual, using the phone.

- but, most people, so far, have just been playing with the ring tones - which includes one of a sultry voice saying "are you there"

[Ramrod]

BT have a new product coming out that acts like a VOIP phone at home and once the handset is outside a 25m range of the base becomes a mobile phone.

Originally Posted by Ramrod

BT have a new product coming out that acts like a VOIP phone at home and once the handset is outside a 25m range of the base becomes a mobile phone.

And incoming will be charged mobile rates at all times - nice little earner for BT!

I have VOIP - there's work to be done on call quality to landlines and mobiles as there can be a delay/echo. Fundamentally though this will be the way forward as more of us sign up to VOIP, although at some point the business model will have to change so some sort of fee is levied for voip to voip calls.

[Nugget]

Originally Posted by homealone

we are in the process of converting to voip, where I work, I just had my nice shiny Cisco IP phone installed, although it isn't working with external, incoming calls, yet.

The voice mail option is clever, if a call is missed the system sends you an email with the message embedded as a .wav file, which can be played back via your pc, forwarded elsewhere - or can be heard, as usual, using the phone.

- but, most people, so far, have just been playing with the ring tones - which includes one of a sultry voice saying "are you there"

Ooh ooh - see if you can steal me one

[SMHarman]

Originally Posted by homealone

The voice mail option is clever, if a call is missed the system sends you an email with the message embedded as a .wav file, which can be played back via your pc, forwarded elsewhere - or can be heard, as usual, using the phone.

Exchange server runs out of HDD space and collapses a week later.
__________________

Originally Posted by Nugget

Ooh ooh - see if you can steal me one

Don't you need to steal the rest of the equipment too?
__________________

Originally Posted by homealone

we are in the process of converting to voip, where I work, I just had my nice shiny Cisco IP phone installed, although it isn't working with external, incoming calls, yet.

Are they using PoE to power them, or is it powered with a transformer?

[Nugget]

Originally Posted by SMHarman

Don't you need to steal the rest of the equipment too?

Well. you've got to start somewhere, haven't you

[Ramrod]

Originally Posted by andyl

And incoming will be charged mobile rates at all times - nice little earner for BT!

Don't know about the exact tariffs but the standard calls were very cheap.

[altis]

The August issue of PC Pro magazine has a report all about VoIP including reviews of some IP phones such as this one

Just plug it into your router, configure for your VoIP provider and away you go.

Check out:
www.babble.net
www.btbroadbandvoice.com
www.call18866.co.uk
www.freeworlddialup.com
www.pipemedia.net/pipecall_pipecall.htm
www.sipgate.co.uk
www.skype.com
www.vonage.co.uk

And it's not just the telephone that's headed the IP way. Digital TV and Video on Demand over IP are already here in some places (eg. http://www.homechoice.co.uk/) and I'm sure it wont be long before Amazon is looking after your album purchases for you and streaming them to your internet media player on demand.

The cheapest domestic option is probably just to buy some mic enabled headphones and download skype (or whatever) free. Plantronics is giving 120 Skypeout minutes free with headsets at the mo BTW (or 240 if you get sold a set with a slight tear in the headphone cover and take it back )

[Chrysalis]

telephone will be around for decades yet, its usage will drop but it wont stop. Businesses all use land lines, disabled people use them, some internet technologies use them, digital tv subscription services us them. They also happen to be a lot cheaper for phone calls.

A lot of businesses are now using VOIP or preparing to

EDIT: To substantiate did a quick search for VOIP on nimans.net, one of the leading telecomms distributors to business. 37 products https://secure.nimans.net/search.aspx?textfield=voip

[altis]

Originally Posted by andyl

The cheapest domestic option is probably just to buy some mic enabled headphones and download skype (or whatever) free.

Beg to differ there M8. For example: Call18866 vs Skype

Setup: free vs free
Monthly Fee: free vs 1.96 euro
In-network call: free vs free
UK landline: flat 2p per call vs 1.4ppm
UK mobile: 12ppm (weekdays), 3ppm (weekends) vs 16ppm

http://www.call18866.co.uk/voiprates.php
http://www.skype.com/products/skypeout/rates/

Also, Skype requires the use of a PC. With call18866 (and most other services) you can use an IP phone. Skype also uses its own proprietary protocol (BT uses MSCP) but all the others use the same SIP protocol.