Internet phone calls

[rickypatel.89]

Hello,

I have the large phone package and the xl bb and m tv. I was wondering what sort of equipment would I need to make free phone calls over the internet and how would i actaully go aboutdoing this.

Thanks

[Kymmy]

Unless youre doing something like SKYPE 2 SKYPE there no such thing as free phonecalls on the internet.. Even Skype charges you a coupe of quid for thier national UK calls package

Equipment wise for skype all you need is a headset and a computer, for other (and skype) you can get dedicated handsets that just plug or Wifi into your router)

[oliver1948uk]

I use Tesco for £2.97 a month. This covers unlimited landline calls and 10p a minute to mobiles (except the 3 network which for some reason is more). There are other packages including Pay As You Go

It plugs into the router so is not dependent on the computer being on.

The non-computer option is quite expensive to set up. The wireless phone (which takes landline calls, if required, as well as internet calls) is 54 pounds and extra handsets are 34pounds. Good quality Siemens. Once set up it is very cheap and efficient, though there is a shortage of the DP450 handsets and box to plug into the router in stores.

http://www.tescointernetphone.com/

For some reason, if you want to register online it would not work for me with Firefox, only Internet Explorer

[Matth]

Some of the cheap VOIPs offer a limited amount of free calls to some destinations, typically it's something like 300 minutes per week, for 90 or 120 days when you load some credit.

http://www.voipbuster.com/en/index.html (120 days)
http://www.voipcheap.com/en/index.html (90 days)

There are more, if there is a particular destination you want, then check for a free option or the best non-free.

[BexTech]

I use Sipgate, VoIPStunt (kept this due to having a local memorable number) and Vyke along with a few others. These apart from VoIPStunt I have working through MySIPSwitch.

Network to network calls are free. With Vyke UK landline and a few other countries are 2.1p per hour. Ideal for me as I'm on a retentions deal with VM so get evening and weekend calls and line rental plus more discounted.

I use a PAP2 ATA which I have connected a regular phone and DECT cordless phone - this has two lines, which means I have three 'lines' coming into to house.

All this means for no monthly fee I get several 'local' numbers of various areas, numbers from other countries and hardly pay anything on phone call charges, other family members have similar setups, so calls between us are free.

[SteveDH]

Originally Posted by oliver1948uk

(except the 3 network which for some reason is more).

one interesting fact is that a lot of three phones now support skype so as long as they are logged in on to skype their three phone you can make free skype to skype calls.

We currently have a couple of phillips dual land line/skype dect phones that we picked up for 30 quid.. they work well, but need a computer with usb left on.. and were end of line, but making a skype phone call to my parents who also have the same phones is just like making a normal call (ok you press a different button on the phone).

My daughter also recently got herself a pocket pc off of ebay, it has wifi and you can download and install skype on that and it works quite well using wifi.

basically though if you want free voip calls.. make sure whoever you call to has the same voip package..

steve