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Old 14-07-2007, 01:12
Somner
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I'm looking to start up a small side business when I move, and I'm working out some of the technicalities for this. One thing I will need is a dedicated phoneline with a landline number.

For this I thought a VoIP line would be most suitable as it's a lot cheaper than getting a second normal landline installed. My original plan was to get BT Broadband and as this came with a free VoIP line as well as having the normal landline, I could use one for personal and one for business. However, I've now decided I am getting Cable so I that idea has gone out of the window.

My first thought for a VoIP line was Vonage. From what I've seen on their website, it's a pretty good service. £7.99 a month for free calls to the UK anytime (so I'd use this as my personal line, and my cable line as business), and with that comes a free VoIP adapter. I have a Linksys WRT54GL router ready for cable broadband when I move. Is it as simple as connecting the provided VoIP adapter to my router, and connecting a telephone to the VoIP adapter? Or does my router need it's own VoIP support?

The reason I am confused about this is that I saw a similar product on the Vonage website, it simply connects to any router and can have two phones rather than one connected, however it's £40. Now this seems a little steep for something that is the same as the free product but offers an extra line, or am I missing something?

Does anybody here have an experiences with Vonage? Is their VoIP service any good? Is it reliable? How easy is it to get a telephone number with a local area code?
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Old 14-07-2007, 11:26
sean2003
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Your router does not need VoIP support; most routers will work fine with a VoIP adaptor.

Not quite sure what Vonage are doing with their prices on the adaptor for two phones - that’s pretty much how much such an adaptor would cost. I guess they've just got loads of the single line ones cheap and are giving them for 'free'.

You’re stuck in a 12 month contract, call quality is generally not great on Vonage from my experience, and because they limit you to use their hardware you have limited features.

I would recommend a Snom IP phone, Snom 320 maybe - has lots of 'lines' and features for a business user.

I would recommend you use Voipfone or Gradwell for business use with a Snom phone.
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Old 14-07-2007, 14:07
TheFirstCut
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With Vonage you don't get 'free' calls you are paying £7.99 for inclusive calls.

That is £7.99 each and every month whether you make calls or not.

There are many VoIP providers, 2 very good ones mentioned above, there is VoIP.co.uk who have a residential / SOHO plan that is pretty good*, there's Sipgate, OrbTalk, VoIPTalk, VoIPDiscount, VoIPStunt, rayTel and many others.

You might be interested in the IP Phones, these do allow several lines.

You may be happy with an ATA (Analogue Telephone Adapter) there's a guy on eBay selling Generic Never Locked (Non-Locked) PAP2 ATAs these allow to lines. Each line has a REN of 5, so you can connect up more than one phone to a line, but that's not usually business practice.

With either the ATA with 2 lines or the IP Phone with multi-lines you can have the same account (number) one each line, so you can make 2 - several (depending on device) calls at the same from the same number, or receive several calls on the same number at the same time.

*VoIP.co.uk Have the offer where for £20 for the year evening and weekend calls are inclusive up to 60 mins each, and daytime calls are 2p for 60 mins, however this is only on one call at a time, if you were to make a 2nd call whilst still connected to the first call, this 2nd call is charged at standard rate of around 1p/min, not sure if paying for a 2nd £20 package is possible.

Vonage advertise you get this and that free with their service, well this is VoIP you get things like caller display, 3-way calling, ACR, Caller ID on Waiting Call, Call Waiting etc with VoIP anyway without additional charges.
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