Blueface

Toxica

Hoping someone can give me advice. Have recently moved house and wanted to get a landline installed but this is proving to be a nightmare. So am now thinking I might sign up with Blueface and forget about the landline altogether. I have been using Skype with a headset for the last month for landline calls and it hasn't been great possibly due to the fact I'm using mobile broadband. The signal here is excellent though. Will Blueface be better than Skype? I don't want to sign up to a 12 month contract if it's going to be as bad as Skype or worse. I would more than likely be using a headset for the first couple of months until I can get a VoIP phone. Any advice appreciated.

witnessmenow

Its a similar technology so its likely to be the same.

Just before i go into more detail, in general i do not recommend using voip over 3g, its not going to be a reliable solution.

When you says its "not great", could you describe that in more detail? Is there a long delay or are bits of the conversation getting cut off?

If its delays, there is likely nothing you can do (thats if your dongle is the best place for signal)

If its breaking up, using a compressed codec (G729) might solve it. Im not sure do any free SIP phone software support compressed codecs though. Most by default would use G711 which uses about 3 times the bandwidth of G729, im not sure what skype uses.

Could you not sign up with a credit account with blueface and top up by a fiver to test it out rather than going for a contract?

Can I ask possibly the more important question? Why do you want a landline? Could an extra dedicated mobile left in the house solve this?

Toxica

Well, originally I was hoping to get landline broadband too so that I could get away from mobile broadband. Plus, my mother lives in a place where there is no mobile coverage so the landline would be for ringing her. Yes, I could ring her from my mobile but it works out quite expensive. Plus, if only have my mobile it costs her to ring me. If I got Blueface then I would have a local number and calls to me would be included in her bundle.

As for Skype, I've had dropped calls, cut outs, voice distortion, echo...I could go on! I figured it might be the same with Blueface.


I didn't realise Blueface did pay as you go accounts! I will try before I sign up to a contract. Thanks for your help.

Mr. G

Skype use a closed technology. Blueface use SIP, like most providers.

They have a pay as you go option with a free 076 number so you can trial their service.

Goldfish also work in the same technology. You may want to look at them also.

There is a list of other providers in the sticky. Please note that 076 is a voip number and some providers do not class this as a landline number so calls to it from a mobile or landline may be charged at the local rate and not within a plan. Eircom don't include 076 in call plans and charge them at local rate. If you get any geographic number (eg 01, 021 etc) that's classed as a landline number (regardless of the provider of that number) and would be included in any landline call plan.

G729 may be more of an option if your broadband speed is not great. Please keep in mind that G729 is like mobile quality, and mobile broadband should be a resort if you can't get fixed wireless, cable or dsl. Satillite is a last resort. Goldfish don't do contracts at all and DDI's are a lot cheaper.

Skype use they're own systems and not SIP. Therefore codecs are very likely to be a closed codec also (not G711/G729). Having said that, Skype will consume a lot more bandwidth then G729

Be sure to check equipment is not locked to providers before purchasing. Skype equipment isn't compatible with Blueface and so on.

You could try it with a softphone on a computer, such as 3CX Phone which is what I recommend. There are others around also, some are free, some work with certain providers and some are not free.

Let us know how you get on anyway. Some providers might give you a free trial also.

Mr. G

If it works obviously you could get an ATA or IP Phone to save the hassle of turning on your computer to receive a call. You should be able to setup QoS also, so the phone gets priority over other data.