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DrayTel and the others


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Old 14-06-2007, 13:13
Brush Master
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Just wanted to report on my SIP/VOIP experience.

I started out using sigate (www.sipgate.co.uk), but have recently switched to DrayTel (www.draytel.org). Although DrayTel's web site doesn't look half as nice as many others', the service is excellent:
[LIST][*]Rates to landline calls are reasonably cheap, based on the "silver tarif", which requires a minimum purchase of £20 per year. Suites me.[*]Pricing is well-defined and not hidden behind misleading terms (unlike cheapvoip.com).[*]Connection quality and stability is excellent, and unlike sipgate, they even give me a clear ringtone. Not a single dropped connection so far, locally and international.[*]Technical support was very prompt and actually knowledgeable when I had a few questions regarding the required firewall configuration.[/LIST]Just wanted to share my experience and recommendation in case anyone else out there is looking for a SIP provider.
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Old 14-06-2007, 20:55
pje1979
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Only problem is that off peak they seem more expensive than BT if you want to make a long call. BT are 4p/hour off peak I seem to remember.
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Old 15-06-2007, 07:24
Brush Master
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Oh, national call rates don't bother me. I make few national calls, most of which are local and short. I make a lot of international calls, though.
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Old 15-06-2007, 19:26
Captain Cod
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I've been mentioning www.draytel.org for 15 months! Nobody else has ever mentioned them 'till now. Yes, it's a good stable service from a British company. Well recommended at the moment.

The website's based on the look of Draytek's website. Draytel (please correct me if I'm wrong) is actually run by / in association with Telappliant of London. Telappliant also run Voiptalk.org. Voiptalk want a monthly fee, the only thing you pay Draytel for are the really cheap per minute calls.

You can use the service without VoIP too - a separate local geographic number for your small business or club, diverting to your landline during "office hours" and going to voicemail otherwise maybe? You can use the cheap international rates by dialling an 020 number from your BT phone or mobile. Loads of other uses if you use your imagination and read the site.
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Old 02-07-2007, 11:05
Raytheham
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I have been using this now for nearly a year. I get an extra phone line with a telephone number that can be anywhere in the world. I don't have to have the PC on either! This means I can talk to relatives in Aussie using local rates.
As I work for a charity, my calls are much cheaper than BT which is a bonus.
Line quality is excellent and the voice mail leaves messages on my e-mail with a link to the avi file.
All in all an excellent, sensibly priced service and the e-mail support is excellent.


ray
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Old 19-07-2007, 20:37
blueplatinum
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Today I have switched to draytel.org from Sipgate. The Silver tariff is much better value. So far we have made three calls and received one. The call clarity is excellent.

I will miss Sipgate's very comprehensive web site which itemises all incoming and outgoing calls all by name for people in your "phone book". I will also miss their auto-topup facility which I am surprised Draytel aren't gagging to implement. Draytel only itemise outgoing calls and there is vitually no other information. They email you when your credit is getting low but that is all.

I will retain Sipgate for their excellent SMS facility which saves me a fortune sending texts to the UK (5p instead of €0.60 [40p] from here in Gran Canaria).

Can anyone tell me the Draytel rates to overseas mobiles? The UK rates on the Silver tariff are fantastic, but I don't know the foreign ones. Thanks.
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Old 19-07-2007, 20:46
Captain Cod
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I'd expect them to be the same as the Standard Tariff - search box at the bottom of this page:

http://www.draytel.org/calling_rates.html

I guess try a call and see what they charge you!
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Old 19-07-2007, 23:32
blueplatinum
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I'd expect them to be the same as the Standard Tariff - search box at the bottom of this page:

http://www.draytel.org/calling_rates.html

I guess try a call and see what they charge you!
Good point. I'll make a call and see.

Since my initial jubilation, I am now having problems! I am using a Grandstream ATA-268 via a Speedtouch 510 router.

Everything works fine, but approx. 15 minutes after logging into Draytel my connection is dropping. Power cycling the ATA solves it for another 15 minutes, but then ......

Any ideas what I have done wrong ? THANKS:
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Old 21-07-2007, 00:17
jon2099
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Everything works fine, but approx. 15 minutes after logging into Draytel my connection is dropping. Power cycling the ATA solves it for another 15 minutes, but then ......

Any ideas what I have done wrong ? THANKS:
Sounds like the registration has expired. Have you tried reducing the registration expiry interval on the ATA? I had a similar problem with Sipgate recently because a few weeks ago they reduced their maximum registration interval to 10 mins (600 seconds) and I found this out by e-mailing their tech support. Apparently the SIP client is supposed to heed the maximum registration interval returned by the server but my Linksys PAP2 didn't. In my case incoming calls went straight to voicemail and some outgoing calls just didn't connect.

Try manually changing the interval (it's called 'register expires' on mine) first. If that doesn't work then try Draytel tech support.
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Old 22-07-2007, 11:14
blueplatinum
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I emailed their support and, although they didn't reply, the problem has magically disappeared now. Maybe I just happened to hit a flakey time in the service and so thought the problem was at this end.

Slightly off topic, but for those interested a I have also sucessfully made a SKY callback with it from my Thomson SKY+ 160.
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