Free calls...better than Skype...

[ebxr8240]

How long before it comes out here ???
http://www.magicjack.com/1/index.asp

[MYVYSS]

probably will never get here, the US is an amazing place for things like that, even when you pay for a home phone its like 30 bucks for all the calls you can make within the USA and Canada, unlike here with Telstra and the likes ripping you off everyday all day. Coming home I realised just how much profits must be made here as its all about 5 times what the cost should be and with the Aussie dollar almost at Parity with the USD it just doesnt make any sense.

[sgt_doofey]

When the wife and I lived in America for 4 months back in '03, we had a phone connected up at the place we stayed and it was only costing us US$6 a month. That included all local calls for free and line rental.
As we were working over there, but only for 3 months, we qualified for their low income discount.

[asusdragon]

i want that over here that would be great i just need someway to get rid of my line rental (i have adsl 2+ so need a phone line for it) and i would be happy. We never use the home phone expect to ring parent in adelaide and for the adsl internet. and i would be saving near on $160 a quater

[DBourne]

MYVSS its all about competition, plenty of it over in the US, none here

[sgt_doofey]

Originally Posted by asusdragon

get rid of my line rental

Naked ADSL2+ and VoIP for the win.

[GasoLane]

Originally Posted by sgt_doofey

Naked ADSL2+ and VoIP for the win.

And if the 'net goes down, as it does frequently around here,...no phone!

[MYVYSS]

Originally Posted by GasOLane

And if the 'net goes down, as it does frequently around here,...no phone!

Thats what Mobiles are for. :P

[GasoLane]

Originally Posted by MYVYSS

Thats what Mobiles are for. :P

You use yours for a phone?... thats different

[AusM]

Originally Posted by asusdragon

i want that over here that would be great i just need someway to get rid of my line rental (i have adsl 2+ so need a phone line for it) and i would be happy. We never use the home phone expect to ring parent in adelaide and for the adsl internet. and i would be saving near on $160 a quater

Cable might be cheaper then? Depends on your download quota requirements. Then it's just a case of $80ish for an ATA to plug a phone into and sign up for VOIP with Pennytel or similar - free number, no monthly fee, 8c untimed to much of the world...

Jas

[DJR MAN]

For the un initiated to the internet phone system, how does it work?

I have a Telstra home line and big pond ADSL with 12GB per month(Liberty plan).
Does Telstra let me make cheap calls via Skype etc..., using the Big pond?
Does a phone call on the net, use many mB per call?

[sgt_doofey]

Plenty of information regarding VoIP on Whirlpool

http://forums.whirlpool.net.au/forum-threads.cfm?f=107

[asusdragon]

Originally Posted by PFdesign

Cable might be cheaper then? Depends on your download quota requirements. Then it's just a case of $80ish for an ATA to plug a phone into and sign up for VOIP with Pennytel or similar - free number, no monthly fee, 8c untimed to much of the world...

Jas

yeh but no cable in the area, so that not a option. i dont mind paying the line rental and so on.
i have looked into this voip, but for what phone call we make on the landline it would be that great we only spend like $10 a month there, that just ringing the parents in adelaide as we get like $2 untimed interstate calls. most other phone calls we use the mobile as there capped.

[sgt_doofey]

Originally Posted by asusdragon

that just ringing the parents in adelaide as we get like $2 untimed interstate calls.

Why pay $2 when it can cost you as little as 10 cents?

[genebaby]

Yeah, my Telstra bill has never been smaller since going to Voip. On the cheapest line rental plan. 10cent calls to anybody is better than $2. $2 goes a long way with VOIP, that's like 20calls.

[sgt_doofey]

My monthly land line expenditure would be about $23, including line rental.
$19.95 for line rental and about $3-$4 in calls. I live outside the metro area and all friends/family live back in Adelaide, so all of our calls would normally be STD calls.
As another comparison, I called my Mum who is currently on holidays in Holland and spoke to her for 24 minutes, and it was still cheaper than your $2 untimed call. That call cost me $1.34.

[AusM]

Originally Posted by sgt_doofey

...Holland and spoke to her for 24 minutes, and it was still cheaper than your $2 untimed call. That call cost me $1.34.

Would have cost me 34c, no monthly line rental...
https://www.pennytel.com/call_rate_pcard.jsp#D

[sgt_doofey]

The $19.95 I pay in line rental goes to Telstra. I only use the phone line for broadband. I would go Naked ADSL if it was available where I am.

[genebaby]

Naked DSL, yeah baby.....

[stiddy]

Run a really really really really long cable from a vacant socket in your local telephone exchange and use that? :P
Or get a friendly dodgy comms tech to accidently on purpose double jumper your phone onto a kind neighbours line without them knowing about it.
lol oh you mean legal ways? ahh gotcha.. ops

[ebxr8240]

Ummm we used to hook into line while up power poles way back..
Public phone lines...

[MYVYSS]

drive around the streets with a cordless and find someone else with the same phone and use theres....

[stiddy]

Originally Posted by ebxr8240

Ummm we used to hook into line while up power poles way back..
Public phone lines...

Hahaha, my grandfather used to do the same back in the day..

But nowadays we dont need to do that.. its alot easier doing it from/in the exchange..

[MotherNatureVer2]

Have just changed to net & phone with netspace. Love it. No monthly charge for VOIP, rates arent as cheap as some VOIP providers(15c per 30mins to any landline is still OK though) but with the bundled package it all makes it worthwhile.

Just paid for my first bill & so far there is a huge saving (about $100 for the first month & I didnt get the VOIP adapter until two weeks into the month, so I was on their light plan)compared to what I was paying Telstra & Bingpond crap.