VOIP for home use

[pellcorp]

No one said VOIP was simple...but at the same time it isn't that hard...

I'm guessing you bought an ATA - but you haven't said what brand/model, nor what your problem is...?

MyNetFone, Engin and most of the non Optus/Telstra ISP's probably better for domestic users as they sell hardware all ready to go...

So does pennytel ! I bought my VoIP router from pennytel no issues

[danny.s]

I have Pennytel using an ATA as well as a Linksys IP Phone. Both work perfectly almost all of the time. In the end the biggest factor is your internet speed as mentioned earlier. I use mine for personal and business use. You can test it here www.speedtest.net.

Pennytel support is terrible but the product is good. I really don't care because I accept that I pay bugger all so this is what you get. The trick is if you are not really good with computers get a geek to come do it for you.

Once you are up and running there is not much that can go wrong. You don't even realise you are using VOIP, just pick up the phone and make calls. I save ridiculous amounts of money compared to when I paid Telstra for calls.

Danny

[Poppa]

We're probably a bit different from most of you, because we had a VOIP exchange professionally installed for our home office and shop. Two physical locations, with two ADSL2+ connections, four phones, and 4 mobiles as well (which we added to one of the internet connection plans). We have TPG ADSL2+ at one location (and the mobiles are on it as well), and Bigpond ADSL2+ at the other location (lack of choice!). The VOIP is fantastic. It does take a bit of setting up, and it doesn't always do what we expect (transferring calls don't always work, and call forwards seem to take a bit of getting used to), but it has more than halved our spend on telephony. We usually get 3mbs on the Bigpond connection, and that seems to be fine for the VOIP service to work really well. We make a lot of calls all around Australia, call a lot of mobiles from the landlines, and call overseas regularly. Spend much less than we used to and we don't notice any dip in quality 90% of the time.

BTW, the service from TPG isn't great. But Bigpond service is no better, and TPG are cheap.

[Toymaker Len]

We have voip from GoTalk for all out calls. Hard to set up but it halved our phone bills.

[kiwigeo]

Ive been using Internode VOIP for 5 years now. Hardware came pre-configured so no dicking around was required to get it up and running. Service from Internode is top notch..on occasions Ive rung up the company's office and dealt directly with Simon Hackett who runs the company...try doing that with Telstra!