Re: [SLUG] VoIP for home use

[Alan L Tyree <alan@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

On Sat, 28 May 2005 00:49:51 +1000
Simon Males <sime@xxxxxxxxxx> wrote:

> 
> I need some advise regarding Australian VoIP providers. I've spent a 
> good couple hours researching. Eventually I will go to a hardware 
> solution but I wish to try a software solution first (softphone). So 
> initially I wish only to be able to make outgoing calls, thus incoming
> 
> calls do no interest me.
> 
> Codecs:
> It seems that a lot of local providers are using the patented codec
> G729  (which isn't all that fun to any GNU lover). I found one
> provider  offering G711 but that uses 64kbps of bandwidth.
> 
> There is quite a considerable group on Whirlpool discussing VoIP in 
> general but only a handful of Linux users apart from the Asterisk 
> administrators. I tracked down a thread of kphone users using VoIP 
> provided by OzTell and ATP. OzTell mentions on there website that 
> gnomemeeting if the preferred Linux client- but there are a lot of 
> negative comments about the service.

I use both SJphone and Xten-lite with the Free World Dialup and Sipphone
services. FWD only uses the ulaw codec which is high bandwidth, but I
have made calls through Sipphone using the gsm codec which is quite
good quality and low bandwidth.

SJphone: http://www.sjlabs.com/
Xten: http://www.xten.net/index.php
FWD: http://www.freeworlddialup.com/
Sipphone: http://www.sipphone.com/

Sipphone has arranged a deal whereby you can freecall any Australian
phone for 1 minute - sort of useless except that it will give you an
idea of the quality.

Gnomemeeting is changing to include SIP protocols. I will probably use
it when that happens. Kphone is OK, but not as polished as Gnomemeeting
or the softphones mentioned above.

I have been fooling around with Asterisk, and I think it is worth
installing if you are going to be doing a lot of phoning. The
configuration scripts are nightmare material, but it allows you to have
active multiple services with just the one phone. Outgoing calls can
then be routed through the service that is most suitable for the
purpose.

Cheers,
Alan


> 
> Essentially my simplest question is, has anyone connected to the local
> 
> VoIP provider with Gnomemeeting, or any other Linux app ?
> 
> Next- of the hardware available, is there any that is based on
> GNU/Linux  like the Linksys WRT54G. Or basically is not platform
> dependent for  configuration i.e. has a web interface.
> 
> -- 
> Simon Males <sime@xxxxxxxxxx>
> No More AOL CDs Australia - www.anticd.org
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> 


-- 
Alan L Tyree
http://www2.austlii.edu.au/~alan
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