VoIP Calling Software & Websites (Skype, Magicjack etc)

Sahil · 10th September 2005, 21:04

Voip has been booming in recent times and phone companys are giving dirt cheap prices for unlimited calling. Companys such as Vonage have been killing the phone market in the US by giving unlimited calling to US and Canada for 30$ a month and all you need is a broadband connection. I subscribed to vonage and got the router they gave me from the US to bombay to use as i had reliance cable connection at home, but little did i know that my cable connection was as bad as dialup! The service didnt work...coz of the low speed the voice was very unclear.
I have discontinued the reliance cable at my house and gotten mtnl adsl connection which is quick as hell, 256kbps which is sufficent for voip routers to work seamlessly. So i have been looking around for voip phone services better than vonage and this is what i found www.lingo.com Its 20$(22$ with tax total) a month with first month free for trail (Activation 40$,including shipping of equipment) Not only is it 10$ cheaper than its competitors and half the activation chagre BUT you get unlimited western europe calling too!
This can be of great help if you have do abroad as not only do u get a US number assigned but you can also get a UK local number assigned to you.
I really wanna get this butt there is one dilemma that i have facing, even though my internet is fast enough with mtnl 256kbps it has a download limit which sucks!! I am sure this voip will not workout practical with this mtnl limit on downloads. Does anyone know roughly how many kbs or mbs will be used in say like a 10min call on voip? Also if you guys know of any cable internet services in bandra which give unlimited downloads at a dedicated speed of 256kbps or so do let me know their charges pls.
Thought i should share this with you guys as I am sure many of you have super fast internet at home and often call abroad so this will save you alot of money.

srasania · 10th September 2005, 21:36

hey sahil...I've been using PC to Phone service since 3 years through Mediaring.
I use the service almost daily for around 30-50mins to USA..costs me 4 cents a min.
I have a 128kbps unlimited access broadband connection,and the mediaring service works fine..
My friend also faced same problem..his uncle sent a Vonage pre activated router here,and he couldn't get it working..
So,I'm not too keen on getting a Vonage router for here.
And yeah,dude,VoIP applications take up lot of Data upload/download,so,just keep a good unlimited access connection ready to use it !
cheers,
sr

27th December 2005, 00:12

is there any software with which you can make calls from your comp to lacal as well as isd nos. ??

a4_attitude · 27th December 2005, 00:45

there are many softwares to do that infact u can try on yahoo new version or skype but calling on no's means money its not free calling from computer to computer is free

rapideffect · 27th December 2005, 10:05

Skype is a free software and you can make calls free between skype users. Calls to a landline will cost you and you ve to register for skype-out paying 10 Euros.

I don't think any software that provides free calls to landline exists.

dogdiga · 27th December 2005, 10:45

try GAIM
http://gaim.sourceforge.net/downloads.php

Sahil · 12th September 2006, 04:00

The tideous hassel of setup VOIP vonage boxes are long gone.
Finally a plug and play usb device is here! http://www.vonage.com/vonagevphone/

gopz · 4th October 2008, 12:47

Anyone used MagicJack?

Costs $40, and includes unlimited calls to US & Canada for a year. Includes landlines & mobiles and can be used from anywhere in the world to call US & Canada for free!

Whats the catch?

magicJack

Sahil · 4th October 2008, 14:07

Yes i have it.
Works perfectly on my mtnl broadband connection.

There is no catch at all don't worry.

gopz · 4th October 2008, 15:14

Thanks Sahil :-)

Are there any advantages compared to Skype?

ph03n!x · 4th October 2008, 17:26

Someone at work has one - I plan to get one when I go to the US next... There is no catch, you have a phone number (unlike Skype?) that others in US can call you in, and you get to make unlimited calls. My friend paid about $50 for a 5 year thingy.

9thsphinx · 7th October 2008, 02:02

Been using Vonage since the past couple years on a 256kbps unlimited BSNL line. No problems. My two thumbs up for the excellent call quality, service and features

SLK · 7th October 2008, 03:29

skype has everything, just that it isn't as cheap as this! $50 for 5 years.
See this though Unlimited calls to landlines – any time, day or night.

And to answer the original question - a 10min VOIP call can take upto 10Mb [both upload and download included]

ph03n!x · 7th October 2008, 03:43

Does Skype give you a phone number that other land-lines can call you in?

SLK · 7th October 2008, 04:41

yes.. you can subscribe to that feature aswell Online number SkypeIn - Skype personal internet number

10th September 2005, 21:04	#1
Sahil Distinguished - BHPian Join Date: May 2004 Location: Bombay Posts: 6,354 Thanked: 8,000 Times	VoIP Calling Software & Websites (Skype, Magicjack etc) Voip has been booming in recent times and phone companys are giving dirt cheap prices for unlimited calling. Companys such as Vonage have been killing the phone market in the US by giving unlimited calling to US and Canada for 30$ a month and all you need is a broadband connection. I subscribed to vonage and got the router they gave me from the US to bombay to use as i had reliance cable connection at home, but little did i know that my cable connection was as bad as dialup! The service didnt work...coz of the low speed the voice was very unclear. I have discontinued the reliance cable at my house and gotten mtnl adsl connection which is quick as hell, 256kbps which is sufficent for voip routers to work seamlessly. So i have been looking around for voip phone services better than vonage and this is what i found www.lingo.com Its 20$(22$ with tax total) a month with first month free for trail (Activation 40$,including shipping of equipment) Not only is it 10$ cheaper than its competitors and half the activation chagre BUT you get unlimited western europe calling too! This can be of great help if you have do abroad as not only do u get a US number assigned but you can also get a UK local number assigned to you. I really wanna get this butt there is one dilemma that i have facing, even though my internet is fast enough with mtnl 256kbps it has a download limit which sucks!! I am sure this voip will not workout practical with this mtnl limit on downloads. Does anyone know roughly how many kbs or mbs will be used in say like a 10min call on voip? Also if you guys know of any cable internet services in bandra which give unlimited downloads at a dedicated speed of 256kbps or so do let me know their charges pls. Thought i should share this with you guys as I am sure many of you have super fast internet at home and often call abroad so this will save you alot of money.
	() Thanks

10th September 2005, 21:36	#2
srasania BHPian Join Date: May 2005 Location: Orlando, FL, USA Posts: 321 Thanked: 8 Times View My Garage	hey sahil...I've been using PC to Phone service since 3 years through Mediaring. I use the service almost daily for around 30-50mins to USA..costs me 4 cents a min. I have a 128kbps unlimited access broadband connection,and the mediaring service works fine.. My friend also faced same problem..his uncle sent a Vonage pre activated router here,and he couldn't get it working.. So,I'm not too keen on getting a Vonage router for here. And yeah,dude,VoIP applications take up lot of Data upload/download,so,just keep a good unlimited access connection ready to use it ! cheers, sr
	() Thanks

27th December 2005, 00:12	#3
lancer_mania Posts: n/a	VoIP Calling Software ?? is there any software with which you can make calls from your comp to lacal as well as isd nos. ??
	() Thanks

27th December 2005, 00:45	#4
a4_attitude BHPian Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: New Delhi Posts: 508 Thanked: 101 Times View My Garage	there are many softwares to do that infact u can try on yahoo new version or skype but calling on no's means money its not free calling from computer to computer is free
	() Thanks

27th December 2005, 10:05	#5
rapideffect BHPian Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: mumbai Posts: 146 Thanked: 4 Times	Skype is a free software and you can make calls free between skype users. Calls to a landline will cost you and you ve to register for skype-out paying 10 Euros. I don't think any software that provides free calls to landline exists.
	() Thanks

27th December 2005, 10:45	#6
dogdiga BHPian Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Bangalore Posts: 74 Thanked: 0 Times	try GAIM http://gaim.sourceforge.net/downloads.php
	() Thanks

12th September 2006, 04:00	#7
Sahil Distinguished - BHPian Join Date: May 2004 Location: Bombay Posts: 6,354 Thanked: 8,000 Times	The tideous hassel of setup VOIP vonage boxes are long gone. Finally a plug and play usb device is here! http://www.vonage.com/vonagevphone/
	() Thanks

4th October 2008, 12:47	#8
gopz BHPian Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: India Posts: 452 Thanked: 6 Times View My Garage	MagicJack? Anyone used MagicJack? Costs $40, and includes unlimited calls to US & Canada for a year. Includes landlines & mobiles and can be used from anywhere in the world to call US & Canada for free! Whats the catch? magicJack
	() Thanks

4th October 2008, 14:07	#9
Sahil Distinguished - BHPian Join Date: May 2004 Location: Bombay Posts: 6,354 Thanked: 8,000 Times	Yes i have it. Works perfectly on my mtnl broadband connection. There is no catch at all don't worry.
	() Thanks

4th October 2008, 15:14	#10
gopz BHPian Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: India Posts: 452 Thanked: 6 Times View My Garage	Thanks Sahil :-) Are there any advantages compared to Skype?
	() Thanks

4th October 2008, 17:26	#11
ph03n!x Senior - BHPian Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Coimbatore Posts: 2,602 Thanked: 6,159 Times	Someone at work has one - I plan to get one when I go to the US next... There is no catch, you have a phone number (unlike Skype?) that others in US can call you in, and you get to make unlimited calls. My friend paid about $50 for a 5 year thingy.
	() Thanks

7th October 2008, 02:02	#12
9thsphinx Senior - BHPian Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Ahmedabad Posts: 1,121 Thanked: 549 Times View My Garage	Been using Vonage since the past couple years on a 256kbps unlimited BSNL line. No problems. My two thumbs up for the excellent call quality, service and features
	() Thanks

7th October 2008, 03:29	#13
SLK Senior - BHPian Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Nomad Posts: 1,798 Thanked: 1,417 Times	skype has everything, just that it isn't as cheap as this! $50 for 5 years. See this though Unlimited calls to landlines – any time, day or night. And to answer the original question - a 10min VOIP call can take upto 10Mb [both upload and download included]
	() Thanks

7th October 2008, 03:43	#14
ph03n!x Senior - BHPian Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Coimbatore Posts: 2,602 Thanked: 6,159 Times	Does Skype give you a phone number that other land-lines can call you in?
	() Thanks

7th October 2008, 04:41	#15
SLK Senior - BHPian Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Nomad Posts: 1,798 Thanked: 1,417 Times	yes.. you can subscribe to that feature aswell Online number SkypeIn - Skype personal internet number
	() Thanks