VOIP - worthwhile or stick with landline in semi-rural area

[Scouse]

I've done a search on VOIP topics here & on Whirlpool.

Most on here are quite old, all on Whirlpool are too confusing for my little brain :(.

We'll be moving soon & I was thinking of biting the bullet & dropping the landline.

The area we're moving to only has ADSL2 available though. I'm only on a slow ADSL connection (with Internode) where I am now & it's no big problem for the little internet usage we have (5GB/month).

I had Telstra call tonight & try to get me into one of their bundle packages, namely home phone & broadband using a T Hub with a similar download size to Internode. The price seemed attractive at $89 / month but it seems I can get VOIP with an Internode bundle for slightly less in price.
I've heard of the T Hub but not looked into it until now. I think I'll let them keep it & save the $11/month.
Bundle and Save - Telstra (http://www.telstra.com.au/bundle_save/home-bundles.html)
Internode :: Residential :: ADSL Broadband :: Easy Reach (http://www.internode.on.net/residential/adsl_broadband/easy_reach/)


We don't make too many phone calls, maybe 2-3 per day & a couple of STD calls per week. We try not to call mobiles from home (but the Telstra guy pointed out a 65 min call that cost $25 :mad: - Mrs Scouse got a talking to over that one).



Is VOIP really worthwhile for a small phone/internet usage family?


**I'll also be looking to set up an alarm/camera system so I can keep an eye on things via the internet shortly after we move in if that affects anything.

[Chucaro]

I have Voip for 5 years and it is the only phone that I am using to call any number within Australia.
Here we have ADSL 1 @ 1500 speed and voip works very well.
My contract is with one provider only (Club Telco ex Gotalk) and I have with them internet with unlimited downloads, a normal phone line to recieve calls and the Voip.
The cost for the 3 services is $ 93 per month which is very cheap considering the amount of std and mobile nimbers that we call every week.
I will not be without Voip in the future.
Cheers

[p38arover]

I have VoIP with Pennytel at a $5/month fee including our own direct in-dial VoIP number. We have ample internet capacity and a broadband cable connection. I mainly use the VoIP for international calls (8 cents for an hour to the USA), free STD, and 5 cents/minute calls to mobiles.

Is it worth it for us? Maybe not at the moment whilst we are on a contract with our landline. We may drop the landline and rely on VoIP and our mobiles.

We can send SMS from our computer via the VoIP as well but they appear on the recipient's phone as from Pennytel, not with our number so people might discard them as spam. The Pennytel account allows us to have cheap calls from certain countries back to Aus.

With any VoIP service, you will still need some other way to call emergency services, e.g., a mobile or land line in the event of loss of internet.

See https://www.pennytel.com.au/personal-voip

[dk09]

Hi scouse,

First off I will declare that I work for internode, but I will try to keep this response general.

The fact that you are in a semi rural area may limit your options in terms of speed and choice of providers. Unless other providers like an internode, iinet or a iprimus have chosen to install a dslam (equipment within the exchange) then you will always require your telstra fixed line to support your ADSL service. This will be via telstra direct, or via a wholesale relationship that telstra has with other providers. But if there is no other providers dslam then you can not get a naked service.

Now, a number of providers will re-bill your telstra line (via wholesale arrangement with telstra) and bundle it with their ADSL service and will often provide a saving for you to do so. In internodes case, if you bundle, you receive a $10 discount on your ADSL plan.

This does give you the convenience of a single bill, but it does mean that your phone calls are generally more expensive than say the advertised rates of a pure VoIP provider, but another flip side is that you will continue to get call quality that is what you have always come to expect.

With respect to speed, if you would like to pm me your client number I can have this investigated for you. There are many factors that can impact an Internet connections performance but some simple checks will determine if the service is operating as intended if it isnt, then we take responsibility to fix it. This link provides some handy tips for what you might want to check. Internode :: Support :: FAQ :: Broadband ADSL :: ADSL Troubleshooting (http://www.internode.on.net/support/faq/broadband_adsl/adsl_troubleshooting/)

Hope this helps

dk

[Craig]

We have had VOIP for about 4 years now, I'm with MyNetFone on the casual plan, $0 per month, 12.5c untimed calls to landlines in Aust, and if you tell them you are a member of whirpool forums they will drop that down to 10c.

We are in Darwin but most of our family are in Perth, so we have a Perth dial in number that the folks can call us for the cost of a local calls. I think they give you a free DID on the whirlpool plan aswell.

On average the wife an I spend between 5-10hrs a month STD to perth and our average bill is $3.50 a month. Mobile calls are cheaper than as well, but we tend not to call them as much.

We have ASDL 1, 1500k connection and there are no problems with line quality unless someone is downloading movies at the same time.

Overseas calls are also pretty reasonable, USA/UK landlines 1.9c/min.

Getting Viop was probably one of then best decisions we made and the inconvenience of not calling if the internet is down is ofsett by the really cheap calls, plus we have mobiles if it is urgent.

Hope this helps

Craig

[GEK064]

Hey Scouse, I'm on 7 acres just outside of Camden and have had VOIP for about 3 years. It took 12 months to get ADSL on but now all is sweet and working well. If you have a ABN your choices will be greater but VIOP is good, though still depends on where you ring...I ring Asia a bit it's not so good but within Oz it's great.

[abaddonxi]

I think you need to add up all you spend on internet + phonecalls + line rental + mobile and then start looking at options.

When we moved I went for the fixed landline/adsl/voip (mynetfone). All of our outgoing calls were VOIP at 10c untimed national. I was spending about $100-110 on internet and line rental, about $10 every month or two on VOIP, and probably $75 or so for two mobiles. So that's just about $180 a month.

Then I bought two iphones and I'm kicking myself for getting a landline number. $100 for two iphones with so much credit that we make all calls from them and have yet to run out of credit in a month. Just switched to a Telstra landline $20 a month and $49 with TFG for 200GB.

So not that much different really.:D

Mynetfone does a deal for Whirlpool users, or they did, where they send you a VOIP router for $20 or nothing and you charge some credit onto your credit card whenever you run low. It's so cheap you may as well do it, as long as you have a spare phone handset around. I'd go that way rather than a VOIP monthly contract with an ISP unless you make a lot of calls.

https://www.mynetfone.com.au/whirlpool/VoIP/Whirlpool-Shop/Mitron

[harlie]

We have had VIOP since 2004, and that was when the land line was disconnected. I use a VIOP provider (different company to internet provider) and we have cable internet. If you are not making many calls than bundled VIOP is not worth it unless you can drop the line rental and go naked. You also need a reliable and reasonably fast internet connection – in the higher spec ADSL1 minimum.

My costs;
$35 / YEAR to viop provider for a dial in number (line rental if you like) – there is no ongoing charge if you don’t want to dial in number. Finding a provider to supply a local number may be an issue in regional areas.
10c / call to any landline in AUS – untimed. Calls to mobiles are made from our mobiles
$49/month for internet.

The inlaws have been set up with the same provider but without a dial in number so they have no line rental. They need a landline for adsl so only pay for the 10c calls made on the VIOP line. Calls between our accounts are free…

IMO beware of “bundled” products, providers bundle you in so they can make money.

WARNING. If you drop the land line you need a mobile for emergencies. 000 may not work (some providers do in some areas) and a lot of 1300 / 13 numbers will end up in Sydney or where ever the providers main drop out server is (when phoning the local Pizza shop).

[incisor]

i get sick to death of speaking to people on crap voip lines

as an aside

it amazes me that people in business think so little of the customers and so much of their own wallets that they subject potential customers to it. i find it hard to believe it doesn't cost them more in lost custom than it did for the phone line in the first place.

the internode man pretty much nailed it

[Chucaro]

With my Voip plan I do not pay for local and STD calls and have also 500 minutes calls for mobiles free.
Shop for a provider that give you Voip free calls ;)

[theresanothersteve]

As a member of an emergency service (CFS in SA) my only concern is people who rely on VOIP and live in area that does not have a reliable mobile service.

Remember that VOIP relies on the mains power, which can be cut during extreme weather (either as a result of the weather or by the supply authority as a precautionary measure). If your mobile doesn't work reliably this can leave you in a compromised position.

Of course, the same thing applies to those that have a wireless hands free telephone, if the power fails these devices won't work either.

So, we keep a landline but use VOIP for interstate and international calls...

HTH

[richard4u2]

i would not have voip in a blue fit :mad: nothing worse then having a conversation with someone and only hearing every second word . i have telstra nextg $20 per month and an hour free per day to any number in oz and that includes video calls . internet is also wireless nextg with the ultimate modem and i use a 6dbh? aerial , i am not a big internet user there is more to life then downloading movies

[Scouse]

With respect to speed, if you would like to pm me your client number I can have this investigated for you. Thanks DK but it's only slow because of the plan I'm on (512k). The only option for the area is ADSL2 so I guess that means no 'naked' service but it also seems that I can't stick to the 'slow' plan I'm now on. The current (now disconnected) phone number for the new house is 02 4632 7636 if that helps.


I think you need to add up all you spend on internet + phonecalls + line rental + mobile and then start looking at options.Internet is $40/month, phone calls $50/month, line rental $30/month. Mobile calls are neglible - maybe $90 max/year for both our phones.


i get sick to death of speaking to people on crap voip lines

as an aside

it amazes me that people in business think so little of the customers and so much of their own wallets that they subject potential customers to it. i find it hard to believe it doesn't cost them more in lost custom than it did for the phone line in the first place.Our work went that way a couple of years ago. Quality is down the drain with drop outs, poor line quality & missed words but the upside is that they record our calls for disciplinary training purposes.

[p38arover]

the upside is that they record our calls for disciplinary training purposes.

Can I get a job there? :twisted:

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2011/06/523.jpg

[Scouse]

Sure, my chair is empty for 10 weeks :).

[p38arover]

Is that why you're not answering your work phone?

[isuzurover]

Another option...

We have naked DSL and bought(rent?) a telephone number from skype.

Quality is the same as skype (generally good) and price is cheap. The only downside is people can only call you when you have the comnputer on.

The upside is, that most of the people who want to call us on a landline are in Brisbane (and we are in Perth). So we bought an 07 number, and people in brisbane only pay local call costs to call us.

The only outgoing calls we make to landlines on skype are usually brisbane numbers as well.

Works for us.

[KarlB]

I have had VOIP for about 5 years through iinet with an ADSL2+ connection. I use an oldish Belkin wireless modem which over the last year, seems to need rebooting about every 6 weeks. I cannot recall any drop-outs while using the phone. It has been very reliable and of high quality. It is much better than the standard Telstra connection that I also maintain for 'emergencies' but have never needed for that purpose.

Cheers
KarlB
:)

[harlie]

i would not have voip in a blue fit :mad: nothing worse then having a conversation with someone and only hearing every second word .

If that is the quality of VOIP, - like all technology there is a reason, get it fixed. My connection is perfectly clear.

[johncat07]

it's always interesting hearing how a line for pstn or adsl with one isp is better or worse than another. They all travel on the same medium.... telstra's. The only time you are on an isp's "gear" is for naked dsl because telstra is required to allow the isp to install there equipment in the exchange. But the transmission from exchange to your house will be over the same old copper. providing voip on copper is a joke, it was never designed for it and for a company to provide it to you at the expense of your fixed line service is a joke. Your adsl/voip is all dependant on distance from exchange, line condition, your equipment and congestion. One not so well know fact is adsl was designed for 1 adsl service per 10 pstn lines in the cable. Now with higher speeds and a poor copper line you can be bumped off (dropouts) because another line's frequency clashed with yours. That's a reasoning to get point across, not exact technical explanation.

[abaddonxi]

i get sick to death of speaking to people on crap voip lines

as an aside

it amazes me that people in business think so little of the customers and so much of their own wallets that they subject potential customers to it. i find it hard to believe it doesn't cost them more in lost custom than it did for the phone line in the first place.

the internode man pretty much nailed it

:D:D

My sister did just that, and I thought exactly the same thing, why not spend the money for guaranteed quality?

I find VOIP calls start to get echoey after about 25mins - assume the provider is telling me I've spent my 10c and it's time to hang up and call back.

And recently I've found calling landlines from my mobile - Telstra - get echoes from the getgo. Called, complained, said that it was happening on both iphones, so maybe a Telstra problem. The phone person wanted to reset one of the phones to see what was going on, but wasn't really sure what data would be lost...

[incisor]

like all compression, the bigger the stream the more issues with the codec, the longer the stream the less time between lost packets on a stream.

once it drops one packet it is in a whole world of hurt attempting to make up ground.

voip generally uses UDP packets to transmit the data which means there is no guarantee your data will even make it where it is supposed to go...

and security, what security :p

[Chucaro]

Interesting comments, in 5 years that I have been using only Voip for communications I never have the problems above mentioned.
The only problem was at the beginning when I have 512/256 speed line which did not allowed to navegate the internet and using Voip at the same time.
Now @ 1500 speed we can have a conference in Skype and use Voip at the same time.
The only negative aspect about Voip is that if the provider or the modem fails you do not know if some one is trying to contact you until you try to make a call.

[p38arover]

There have been a number of times when I've had to give up on trying to make VoIP calls - especially to NZ. The quality has been so bad as to make it unusable.

The problem is that one doesn't know where the fault lies.

My end is on Optus broadband cable so it doesn't touch the Telstra copper network at this end.

[richard4u2]

people who have voip and dont have a problem with it , that may be true , you may think because you are talking okay but when you are on the recieving end of that call the reception is crap

[abaddonxi]

i would not have voip in a blue fit :mad: nothing worse then having a conversation with someone and only hearing every second word . i have telstra nextg $20 per month and an hour free per day to any number in oz and that includes video calls . internet is also wireless nextg with the ultimate modem and i use a 6dbh? aerial , i am not a big internet user there is more to life then downloading movies

Might be good if every second word they say is ****.:D

[incisor]

UDP is fine until it hits a congested link, as you have experienced.

[djam1]

Have been using VOIP for the last few years without issue.
You do need sufficient bandwidth to successfully use it, the only quality issues I have had are with SKYPE on my IPhone using Next G.
Certainly don't think my call quality has been bad enough to be offensive to others.
My deep hatred for Telstra may override that though lol

[Basil135]

We have used VoIP at work for the last 5 years or so with no problems.

As we make a lot of interstate phone calls, our system is set up so that the calls stay on our network, until they reach the state we are calling, and then jump to the PSTN. This means we are only paying for a local call.

That said, would I have it at home? No. Well, not until the NBN comes in. I like copper, and have no intention of getting rid of my old, plug in phone any time soon.

Call quality depends on several factors, including bandwidth & the compression used by the carrier. More bandwidth + lower compression = better call quality.