PSTN calls on Skype

oscarBravo · 30-06-2004 12:50pm

Just to throw in the usual cautionary note about Skype: it's not standards-based. That means that you can't use Skype to call any other VoIP user - only other Skype users and (with this development) PSTN numbers.

topgold · 09-11-2004 1:46pm

I'm being charged EUR 0.01 a minute for calls from my Skype phone in Kilkenny to cell phones in several States in America. The quality is better than when I call from my mobile to their mobile. It's also coolbeing able to Skype over Wi-Fi from my kitchen table.

cgarvey · 09-11-2004 2:15pm

I use skype alot .. skype user-to-user calls are free.. and skype-to-PSTN are a lot cheaper than telestunt for peak time calls.

1 in every 5 or 6 calls goes funny on me though, so I have to hang up and dial again (both Skype and SkypeOut calls). It just goes all "twangy" (is the best I can describe it as, sorry!!) .. and you can very barely hear the other person.

Apart from that .. it has saved me a fortune .. I've never had reason to use telestunt, but I would defo give them a try if I made off peak calls anywhere.

.cg

K!LL!@N · 09-11-2004 2:20pm

I tried skype a couple times with different versions.
It's just not great having to be at the computer, when making the calls.
I might try it again with the latest version and see what it's like.

Killian

fatherdougalmag · 09-11-2004 2:57pm

It seems that there's a P2P element to their directory maintenance in that it's shared. Read here. As a consequence, it uses bandwidth even when you're not on a call. Just a couple of things to consider.

DannyD · 09-11-2004 2:59pm

iwb wrote:

For the totally uninitiated, this is a piece of software you download for free. It runs on Windows, Linux and PocketPC. You will need a mic and headphones, or a dedicated headset to talk with it. Calls to other Skype users are free and now with the new service you can call anyone with an ordinary landline for very low cost.
Check it out at www.skype.com

Macos X also.

DannyD · 09-11-2004 3:12pm

topgold wrote:

I'm being charged EUR 0.01 a minute for calls from my Skype phone in Kilkenny to cell phones in several States in America. The quality is better than when I call from my mobile to their mobile. It's also coolbeing able to Skype over Wi-Fi from my kitchen table.

The price for calls to US cell phones is €0.017 a min, or 2cent a min including vat... http://skype.com/products/skypeout/rates/all_rates.html . Don't know where yours getting €0.010 from ?

I'm confused as SkypeOut has two rates/packages, one called the global rate which is 1.7 cent a min and covers the EU ,US and Australia but only includes landlines.Calls to Irish mobile numbers are €0.190 , 19 cents a min. 19 cent a min to a mobile number in Ireland isn't amazingly cheap and you must consider that call are rounded up to the min.If you speak for 5 seconds it's still 19 cent. Am I missing something ?

Ebonyks · 13-11-2004 5:22pm

Babble is another VOIP service...but calls are free to UK, USA, Australia, New Zealand and Europe mainland. You don't need a credit card to register, just some details and you have an account.

If anyone tries it, come back and tell me what the quality is like. I think it may be a sound prob at my end, but i'm coming through very low in volume.

carrotcake · 13-11-2004 5:28pm

fine for me. as good as skype

Krusty_Clown · 13-11-2004 7:27pm

K!LL!@N wrote:

It's just not great having to be at the computer, when making the calls.
Killian

Some good news then.. Siemens has just announced their release of an adapter for their gigaset cordless phones, to allow you to make calls using Skype..

Only works with Siemens Gigagest phones at the moment, but I would expect other manufacturers to follow suit quick enough..

Article here
Adapter Here

cranoo · 15-01-2005 5:20pm

Im after been onto america (mobile) england (landline) for what seems ages with skype, quality no prob, and all for 50 cents

iwb · 21-02-2005 6:27pm

Yes, it is great. Now all we need is Skypein. I never bothered getting an eircom line in the house but it is still a bit of a problem as friends and family call us on our mobiles which is expensive.
We have tried the 'let it ring once and we'll call you back' bit but they are too impatient or forget. Anyway, I think Skypein will be available in a few months and I will wait till then.

causal · 22-02-2005 6:47am

iwb wrote:

Yes, it is great. Now all we need is Skypein. I never bothered getting an eircom line in the house but it is still a bit of a problem as friends and family call us on our mobiles which is expensive.
We have tried the 'let it ring once and we'll call you back' bit but they are too impatient or forget. Anyway, I think Skypein will be available in a few months and I will wait till then.

According to [url] http://blog.tmcnet.com/blog/tom-keating/voip/voip-blog/skype-keynote.asp [/url] Skypein will be available in July 2005.

But have they released details on how they are going to implement Skypein?
I'm particularly interested in price structure; number allocation; and access numbers from the pots?

causal

BigMoose · 22-02-2005 10:50am

If you want an inbound number then why not try www.blueface.ie ? They are VoIP standard compliant so more use for calling other VoIP providers than Skype plus give you the option to have a Dublin (or when available the VoIP 07 range) terminating number.

I've had this set up for almost a month now with a gaget that converts a normal phone (a cordless DECT in my case) to VoIP. It rings when people call me and I can dial out just like a normal phone, except I'm paying 9.99 for the 01 number instead of 25 to eircom per month!

causal · 22-02-2005 3:33pm

What you say BigMoose certainly suits some users...

But I think some ppl don't want to pay blueface €9.99 per month for 'rental'.
It is better than paying Eircom €20+vat, but if they don't have an existing phoneline then it's €9.99 more than they're paying now.

causal

BigMoose · 22-02-2005 5:47pm

Absolutely. But the question was about Skypein - I assume the poster meant from the public network since you can get inbound calls from other Skype users at the present (would be fairly useless without!). I'm sure Skype cant give away callable numbers from the public network for free either. So 9.99 for a Dublin number is well worth it. Note with Blueface you dont have to have a Dublin number. You can just use it as a VoIP standards compatible service (unlike Skype) without a terminating number for no cost per month.

I'm not knocking Skype - I have Skype and Blueface installed to cover all, but it is a shame Skype isn't fully VoIP standards compliant though then I could stick to one.

fintan · 22-02-2005 5:55pm

This is a stupid question but i dont want to make a mistake

Will any headset work with skype / blueface etc ?

Im looking at some plantronics stuff on amazon, some say "skype ready" some dont. Is this just marketing?

Cheers

Fintan

causal · 22-02-2005 6:04pm

fintan wrote:

This is a stupid question but i dont want to make a mistake

Will any headset work with skype / blueface etc ?

Im looking at some plantronics stuff on amazon, some say "skype ready" some dont. Is this just marketing?

Yes.
You can use whatever device you can use with your PC for sound...
I've used my hifi, normal walkman headphones: both these with PC microphone; and I've used a Plantronics headset.

Some of those Plantronics headsets come with free credit for Skype - or at least that offer was around af ew weeks ago, so I resume it still is.

causal

BigMoose · 22-02-2005 6:15pm

I also use any headphones/speakers/microphone I feel like for both Skype and Blueface. These use the headphones/mic sockets on the sound card. I have seen USB "phones" advertised but not sure if they work with everything or if they need clever software.

Of course the DECT phone with Blueface is much nicer

fintan · 22-02-2005 6:17pm

Nice one, next questions is

Any recomendation on decent headsets?

Cheers

Fintan

causal · 22-02-2005 6:18pm

BigMoose wrote:

I'm not knocking Skype - I have Skype and Blueface installed to cover all, but it is a shame Skype isn't fully VoIP standards compliant though then I could stick to one.

I fully agree with you.
I have Skype and have nearly everything in place for Blueface, and byebye Eircom.

Skype say in their Technical FAQ:
"Can I connect to a SIP server with Skype?
No you can’t. We have crafted Skype with a proprietary technology that is not compatible with SIP. SIP was simply not good enough for us. Later, we may add functionality so you can call other SIP phones, and normal mobile or POTS (plain old telephony system) as well.. "

Well they have half the POTS bit and the next bit in July. Don' hear anything about SIP.

I emailed Skype to ask them how they were going to implement SkypeIn; but they don't reply to individual emails :rolleyes:

What I was getting at earlier is this. If I want to phone my Skype buddy from the POTS - what number do I ring - will it be an Irish, UK, or US number - and what rate am I going to pay for that call.

causal

causal · 22-02-2005 6:23pm

fintan wrote:

Nice one, next questions is

Any recomendation on decent headsets?

Cheers

Fintan

Plantronics GameCom Pro 1 PC Headset / DSP-500

Cheapest I saw them in this country was just under 100 yoyos; most expensive was Peats at around 160 yoyos.
I got a set on eBay for just under 48 yoyos incl P&P from this guy :cool:

btw these are USB and include their own soundcard, read the online reviews.
( - the 'soundcard' is inline)

hth,
causal

Xcellor · 22-02-2005 6:38pm

Dont know if it's been mentioned before. But I have found telestunt.ie have fantastic rates to a lot of countries. You phone 1890 number (local phone call) and can talk as long as you like. I phone Mexico a lot and the cheapest I could get it with other companies was like 30c per minute. telesunt.ie is the price of a local phone call and you dont need contract or anyhting, just ring their number. Comes through on your Eircom phone bill as 1890 number charged local rate.

Couldn't be happier
Xcellor

intersplat · 23-02-2005 11:14am

I tried blueface for a week. They seem to be running asterisk . Looking at any calls I received or made on their network they were using gsm codec . While it was ok it's much better to use a hq codec like 711 .

I didn't sign up because of the quality. If they change I would consider thenm again .

I also use babble for outgoing calls. They have a plan of £5 for 1000 mins to any land line in Europe. There quality is excellent using a sipura adaptor (not **** softphone) .

bensonj · 23-02-2005 8:59pm

intersplat wrote:

I tried blueface for a week. They seem to be running asterisk . Looking at any calls I received or made on their network they were using gsm codec . While it was ok it's much better to use a hq codec like 711 .

Yes we are using Asterisk and we certainly do support G.711 ALAW (which providing your broadband is up to it gives you PSTN quality calls) as well as GSM, iLBC etc. If you were using the X-ten softphone it uses the GSM codec by default, however you can switch it to G.711 as easily as clicking on "G711a" on the very front screen.

Aaron

robinph · 23-02-2005 10:10pm

I just finally got round to setting up and using Skypeout and have to say that I'm very impressed, and especially with the cost of the call compared to Eircom.
0.29 euro compared to 2.45 euro with Eircom.

The more I can manage to get away with not needing to pay them the better.