VoIP eats into fixed-line revenue

HelterSkelter

I can't see the advantage of VOIP for anyone who doesn't have a wireless connection. Telestunt.ie provide rates as cheap as and in some cases cheaper than VOIP. The only time I use skype is if someone else in the house is on a call and I need to make one urgently, so it acts as a back up second line for me.

Cabaal

HelterSkelter wrote:

I can't see the advantage of VOIP for anyone who doesn't have a wireless connection. Telestunt.ie provide rates as cheap as and in some cases cheaper than VOIP. The only time I use skype is if someone else in the house is on a call and I need to make one urgently, so it acts as a back up second line for me.

*cough* cable users and unbundled adsl users*cough*
I know atleast two people that ditched eircom when ntl came out with Broadband in Waterford and moved their internet to NTL and their voice services to Blueface.

to be honest if you make alot of international calls, 25e pm for unlimited worldwide calls beats any other telco provider I've seen

Oh how I use to enjoy telling TalkTalk when I still was in the middle of switching from eircom to blueface that if they can't beat 10e pm for my phone setup they might as well hang up

Blaster99

€10pm is only good because Eircom are a bunch of rip-off artists. The ISP's will surely bundle the VoIP with the broadband connection, like Digiweb has done. I can't really see the logic in paying an effective line rental to Blueface when they're not supplying me with a line...

Cabaal

Blaster99 wrote:

€10pm is only good because Eircom are a bunch of rip-off artists. The ISP's will surely bundle the VoIP with the broadband connection, like Digiweb has done. I can't really see the logic in paying an effective line rental to Blueface when they're not supplying me with a line...

While this is somewhat true they are supplying you with the ability to receive incoming calls along with many extra services
- 300min worth of free calls
- local geographical number (01, 051 etc)
- 076 Irish VoIP number
- 056 English VoIP number
- Number blocking, conference call etc
- Voicemail/voicemail by e-mail

If you want to be able to accept incoming calls you have to accept that the provider has to pay for the service, number allocating etc so In my mind 10e per month is competitive especially compared to the larger VoIP providers like http://www.vonage.co.uk/

So while Digiweb has a phone service bundled with Metro, Blueface still offers extras like the ability for Uncle Joe to phone you from the UK for the cost of a local call using the 056 English VoIP number you have been allocated.
Not everyone will want it but its one example of a plus over the likes of Digiweb.

If you only want to make calls then Gizmo, Blueface, Broadtalk & Skytel all offer pay as you go options with competitive rates compared to the likes of Eircom & BT.

Blaster99

Not that it really matters but it sounds like Vonage does unlimited national calls + free ATA for €15pm. I'd say that's a better deal than what Blueface offers.

I'd say right now, bundled ATA would be a good idea. Otherwise it's a bit too much work for the ordinary punter to figure out what to do.

Urban Weigl

Blaster99 wrote:

Not that it really matters but it sounds like Vonage does unlimited national calls + free ATA for €15pm. I'd say that's a better deal than what Blueface offers.

I'd say right now, bundled ATA would be a good idea. Otherwise it's a bit too much work for the ordinary punter to figure out what to do.

In fairness it sounds like you haven't been to the blueface web site. Blueface offer unlimited calls to Ireland / UK at any time for €14.99. You do have a point with the free ATA, though blueface sell one for barely more than €50 including delivery, and I don't know if Vonage would even deliver it to Ireland, plus I don't know if you get an irish phone number with them? Just saying, at the very least the offers are about the same...

Cabaal

Blaster99 wrote:

Not that it really matters but it sounds like Vonage does unlimited national calls + free ATA for €15pm. I'd say that's a better deal than what Blueface offers.

I'd say right now, bundled ATA would be a good idea. Otherwise it's a bit too much work for the ordinary punter to figure out what to do.

Vonage don't have a package for €14.99, they do for $14.99 but thats USA ONLY.
They do have a residental UK/Ireland unlimited package for £9.99 compare Bluefaces same package which costs £10.17.

Its also worth pointing out that all of Vonages ATA's are locked to the provider which imho is a bad thing.

I believe Blueface only started last November so considering their less then a year old their doing very well indeed and they've listened to their customers, a free ATA would be great but when we compare UK to Ireland I think we're doing pretty well.

oscarBravo

Cabaal wrote:

Its also worth pointing out that all of Vonages ATA's are locked to the provider which imho is a bad thing.

Um. Isn't it a little unreasonable to expect the provider to subsidise (in whole or part) the ATA, and then allow you to use it to access another provider?

Blaster99

Cabaal wrote:

Vonage don't have a package for €14.99, they do for $14.99 but thats USA ONLY.
They do have a residental UK/Ireland unlimited package for £9.99 compare Bluefaces same package which costs £10.17.

When you guys are done hairsplitting, let me know.

Sounds like Blueface are doing a good job. I'd say they could do with a few ISP parterships to truly solidify themselves. The lack of bundled or free ATA is likely to be of less importance as I'm sure all routers will have VoIP built into them soon.

Cabaal

oscarBravo wrote:

Um. Isn't it a little unreasonable to expect the provider to subsidise (in whole or part) the ATA, and then allow you to use it to access another provider?

Not saying they should provide free ATA's unlocked, Im merely point out the bad side of a Vonage free ATA

Blaster99 wrote:

Sounds like Blueface are doing a good job. I'd say they could do with a few ISP parterships to truly solidify themselves. The lack of bundled or free ATA is likely to be of less importance as I'm sure all routers will have VoIP built into them soon.

Agreed on both counts, Router/ATA's are becoming more common now & a partnership would be good for them, much the same can be said for skytel etc

Blaster99

Had a look at the Digiweb Metro call prices. Quite poor across the board but possibly cheaper than Eircom. Except 1890-numbers, which are a must for us Telestunt friends. These are priced some 3 times over what Eircom charges, so someone is clearly trying to protect their call revenue... So I'd say Blueface/whatever is pretty much the only way to go with Metro.

Cabaal

Blaster99 wrote:

Had a look at the Digiweb Metro call prices. Quite poor across the board but possibly cheaper than Eircom. Except 1890-numbers, which are a must for us Telestunt friends. These are priced some 3 times over what Eircom charges, so someone is clearly trying to protect their call revenue... So I'd say Blueface/whatever is pretty much the only way to go with Metro.

Seems its already been noticed by somebody in the Metro thread in the Broadband forum.
http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showpost.php?p=3405246&postcount=305

I guess even with Digiweb's Internet/Phone package customers will still be going with the likes of Blueface

Ain't competition great!