I currently have Virgin cable phone and 2MB BB.I want to keep the BB and use it for an internet phone thus getting rid of the Virgin phone service.I am thinking about either Vonage or tesco but I don't really understand how it totally works.What I want to know is how does the Vonage box(adaptor)wire into my modem and then how does the modem then wire to the computer(as it is now)? The other thing I would like to know is does the computer have to be on to make/receive calls? If it does then I don't want to do this.Lastly,I have 3 DECT phones at the moment.One in lounge,one upstairs and one in kitchen.Will they work with Vonage/Tesco...i.e.. VoIP? Thanks for your help.

IIRC Vonage charge a fixed monthly fee, so unless you are a very heavy user its not that cheap. Tesco is one of the more expensive per minute chargers, and as far as I know only their own kit will work. As you are palnning to ditch Virgin phone, you will need an incoming number so thats VOIPcheap and its sister cos out.

Your DECT phones will work fine with an ATA (Analogue Telephone Adaptor)

Take a look at www.sipgate.co.uk www.draytel.org and (I think) www.voip.org.uk they all provide what you want. Sipgate have a shop on their site which will give you ideas of what kit is out there, although they are not the cheapest
HTH

Ah, if you only have a Virgin Broadband modem, which has a single network connection on it for your computer, then in order to plug in any further devices on your home network, i'm afraid you'll need to get a Router; this will share the internet out between many wired connections (several PCs, gaming consoles, VoIP adaptors), and possibly also provide wireless if the router supports it.

Not true that only Tesco kit will work. I had it working with a Siemens S450IP SIP phone, and now it's a Linux machine running Trixbox that stays logged in. While they're mainly an IAX shop they talk SIP too (but keep rather quiet about it).

While Tesco's per-min charge can be quite high, they do unlimited calls to 01/02/00350 (yes, they advertise their UK calling plan as including Gibraltar) for £5/month. My folks are on this option, and also have the £1.50/month option that reduces mobile calls by 25%, down to 7.5p/min (except calls to H3G numbers). They also bill by the second, with a 30 second minimum call charge.

I'm waiting for TheFirstCut to suggest the BetaMax group of companies, such as www.voipcheap.com, etc. They offer free calls to many international destinations as well as UK, so long os you top up every few months. Of course the credit in your account can be used for chargeable calls.

We have Virgin 2Mb BB with a Linksys PAP2 and a BT Dect phone, and use voipcheap, it works very well.

B

FWIW Voipcheap do in fact do incoming numbers too that begin 05. Local rate I think. I used to use them a lot but now have Skytalk which does most things including daytime calls for a fiver a month. Nobody does 0870s cheap though!

Yep, they dish out 05 numbers now (we have one) for a one off fee of €1. Others mentioned previously give out 020 type numbers I believe.

Yeah, they used to issue some local numbers for the larger cities.

I have with VoIPCheap, VoIPStunt an a couple of the other Betamax services an 0121 number.

Yeah, it's worth looking at one of the Betamax services.

I mainly use VoIPStunt, however do have accounts with their other services.

Not necessary to get a full router, I have a Netgear TA162 ATA / router which has two Ethernet sockets WAN and LAN so:

Cable modem to
ATA WAN -
ATA LAN to
computer or (as in my case) Buffalo router.

I use Sipgate on Ex NTL, now Virgin Media cable BB, Siemens DECT phone into ATA, works fine. And no the computer does not have to be on if you use an ATA.

The Tesco IPA 1000 adaptor plugs into your router and provides a normal phone socket , thus you are able to plug in any normal telephone or cordless handset.
Unlimited evening and weekend calls to landlines for £2 per month can't be bad eh? You get a standard (01 or 02) telephone number with it so people who get landline calls for free are able to call you on the Tesco set-up.

It's not too bad, but Tesco along with Skype are the two dearer VoIP providers.

If you have a BT landline, then you can get inclusive evening and weekend calls for no monthly cost, either from BT via a rolling contract, via Sky or the better option via Primus Saver (Primus also offer for no additional fee, calls to UK mobiles for 20p for up to 20 mins - though you have to ask for the Penny Mobile Option).

If you have cable broadband, then VoIP can save you a fair amount, as you don't need the landline at all.

I was VoIP only for around 2.5 years, only reason I have a landline now is cable offered free phone line install (although I already have cable for free (starter) TV and discounted broadband, I had previously had a BT landline due to cable phone being over-priced and more options with BT), with free line rental and free evening and weekend calls and free caller display as well as upgraded TV package at a discount and the broadband. So would be silly to say no. So I now use cable for the inclusive calls and freephone calls and VoIP for the other calls. I have several local numbers, many pointing to the same VoIP line, so as to appear to be in several areas.

Are you still sure you want to go to Vonage? You only get 2000 minutes a month to use now (it did use to be unlimited)

Plus for VoIP they aren't that cheap, have too many extra fees, sign-up, exit etc etc.

Do you get(free)caller display with VoIP? I am thinking of either tesco or Vonage.Also,the calls using Tesco system counts towards your internet usage per month.This will probably be the same for Vonage but I am unlimited so I guess this wouldn't affect me???

Probably not worth getting rid of the phone completely as phone & broadband together cost around £20 (2 for £20?) and broadband alone is around £18. A local number and access to emergency services is worth £2 IMHO.

Yes, Caller Display is available on VoIP and there is no charge as it is all built-in to the system.

Vonage isn't that great and isn't a service I'd go for.

Maybe a look at the many other players out there.

Yes, VoIP uses your Internet, so whoever you use will be eating away at your upload and download limit - the same way Windows Messenger does, Yahoo Messenger does, eMail does, browsing the internet does - any thing that uses your internet connection will be either uploading or downloading (in fact both).

I use Vonage and have done for a while now. I find it totally reliable. I get free calls to the States, Canada, NZ, Aussie etc. Voice mails are emailed to me. I have a local number and access to emergency services....Costs a lot less than BT which is why I moved. I have virgin BB not phone or TV.
I know there are cheaper out there but as I have had no problems, Vonage serves me well.

Other than the small cost for my ATA, I've spent little over £10 for my VoIP services for over 3 years of usage - 2.5 years of that was VoIP only.