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Author Topic: Landline or VOIP  (Read 1945 times)

g3uiss

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Landline or VOIP
« on: March 22, 2021, 07:11:39 PM »

Not sure if this is the best area but my question relates to phone ( copper) only services.

Currently we have two circuits, one our landline with ADSL, and the second with FTTC,landline not used. I’m considering dropping the ADSL and changing the FTTC to wires only.

To retain a landline on the ADSL service line which providers would be cost effective for phone only, or should I go VOIP. With VOIP can import our number?

We don’t really use the landline much, save for elderly relatives who have adversity to mobiles !
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jelv

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Re: Landline or VOIP
« Reply #1 on: March 22, 2021, 08:06:24 PM »

If the landline won't be used for outgoing calls (or only used minimally) Pulse8 are one of the cheapest - £14.40 per month including VAT. Their call charges are very low as well.
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benji09

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Re: Landline or VOIP
« Reply #2 on: March 22, 2021, 09:23:21 PM »


  In your case perhaps buy a VOIP box, and then set up a SIPGATE account. The line rental is nothing, and the call charges are VERY CHEAP, on pay as you go. I think they still will port your existing number. Also if you are not fussed about keeping your existing number, you could try it out using a free download software phone for your computer. If you did not like it you have lost only £10 top up cost.
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g3uiss

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Re: Landline or VOIP
« Reply #3 on: March 22, 2021, 09:46:01 PM »

Thanks both options are very helpful. Thinking long term VOIP is a better bet. Few outgoing calls and the end of copper or in my case aluminium!
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tubaman

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Re: Landline or VOIP
« Reply #4 on: March 23, 2021, 07:57:22 AM »

Wouldn't the cheapest option be to upgrade your ADSL line to VDSL and then cease the other line. That way you are only paying one lot of line rental.
 :)
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Chunkers

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Re: Landline or VOIP
« Reply #5 on: March 23, 2021, 08:18:25 AM »

  In your case perhaps buy a VOIP box, and then set up a SIPGATE account. The line rental is nothing, and the call charges are VERY CHEAP, on pay as you go. I think they still will port your existing number. Also if you are not fussed about keeping your existing number, you could try it out using a free download software phone for your computer. If you did not like it you have lost only £10 top up cost.
I have a similar situation with 2 lines, the second purely for the extra bandwidth on VDSL and although it has a landline number no phone usage, when I last looked there is no option but to pay the line rental with an arrangement like this even if you never make a call.  Thinking along the same lines as you I set up a SIPGATE account and I completely agree with @Benji09 it works great and the quality, in my case is better than a land line. I didn't try to transfer my existing number but was able to select a number from the local exchange so it 'looks' like a local number to others. I bought a Grandstream IP phone which acts as both a very comprehensive phone and a box, it was pretty cheap.  One note : it took me quite a while to get it set up and working properly, it certainly wasn't plug and play in my case.

If I could stop paying line rental and use IP over a data link then I would do it like a shot but although I think the future lies in IP telephony as you are forced to pay line rental anyway then what's the point?  If anyone knows a practical option to do this then please let me know!

C
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g3uiss

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Re: Landline or VOIP
« Reply #6 on: March 23, 2021, 09:58:07 AM »

Wouldn't the cheapest option be to upgrade your ADSL line to VDSL and then cease the other line. That way you are only paying one lot of line rental.
 :)

Yes but we are getting FTTP in the next few months so thinking ahead. But thanks
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benji09

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Re: Landline or VOIP
« Reply #7 on: March 23, 2021, 10:18:02 PM »


  I do in fact run two parallel Sipgate phone lines. One of them using a GRANDSTREAM HT802 that is left on all the time, the other line is connected via a mains timer  to a CISCO SPA112 box. The reason for this arrangement is so that I save the power on one line over night, but also that line gets a reboot every 24 hours in case of problems over the night. With the two boxes, I must say I have never lost either circuit anyway - except for broadband  faults. I found the GRANDSTREAM box easier to set up. But Sipgate has help pages on their site anyway, and  an Email help facility. I went for the box ( ATA ) option as it allows any types of phone to be used with them.
  It is best if the necessary PORT FORWARDING is carried out on your router to help with reliability. Details on the Sipgate site. If your router is old and shows the facility, DISABLE SIP ALG, then disable it............................................................
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g3uiss

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Re: Landline or VOIP
« Reply #8 on: March 23, 2021, 10:37:30 PM »

@benji09 thanks that’s really helpful. Can you plug a DECT phone base into an ATA box ?
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benji09

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Re: Landline or VOIP
« Reply #9 on: March 23, 2021, 11:09:40 PM »


   Yes I  use DECT phones on the ATA's. Some phones in the past were a little funny due to the low ringing voltage, and the need for a broadband filter to supply a a bell wire capacitor. But not had a problem with it. But hopefully phone manufacturers now will have got over these problems now that copper is due to being. phased
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jelv

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Re: Landline or VOIP
« Reply #10 on: March 23, 2021, 11:21:46 PM »

I've had a Sipgate account for a long time which is very rarely used. I was using a Grandstream VoIP phone but that's now in a box in a cupboard. On AAISP I managed to configure the VoIP on a ZyXEL VMG8924-B10A using the very basic wired handset I keep for line testing (can only be done with the supervisor password).

Having just moved to Zen and therefore having a Fritx box I tried plugging the handset in to the router and configuring the VoIP. With the instructions on the Sipgate website it was up and running in minutes with no problems whatsoever - the easiest setup I've had.
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Alex Atkin UK

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Re: Landline or VOIP
« Reply #11 on: March 23, 2021, 11:25:58 PM »

I had a couple of SIPgate accounts for years, shocked they never cancelled my accounts considering how long they went unused.  The idea was to use one of those for my domain registrations, rather than my real landline.

I only recently bit the bullet and got a used Gigaset N300 IP (I was originally experimenting with things like 3CX but gave up when I realised how expensive it was to integrate it with a POTS line) so I now have both VoIP lines active and the landline.
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Weaver

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Re: Landline or VOIP
« Reply #12 on: March 24, 2021, 12:23:19 AM »

I just couldn’t get my N300 to work, got it from AA. I need to whimper to them for some help, a job which I have long neglected.
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Alex Atkin UK

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Re: Landline or VOIP
« Reply #13 on: March 24, 2021, 09:03:24 AM »

I just couldn’t get my N300 to work, got it from AA. I need to whimper to them for some help, a job which I have long neglected.

All I did was follow the instructions https://basichelp.sipgate.co.uk/hc/en-gb/articles/204236901-Siemens-Gigaset
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benji09

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Re: Landline or VOIP
« Reply #14 on: March 24, 2021, 10:12:48 PM »


   I did forget to mention the need for an adapter to convert the phone socket on all the ATA boxes to BT type sockets for our standard phones. What it basically is, is a modem type plug on one end WITH THE CENTRE TWO PINS connected  to pins 2 and 5 of the equivalent of a BT extension socket.  These adapters were quite cheap at one time, But last time I checked, prices had become higher, no doubt due to covid..
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