Hi,

Just started using SMSlisto and am very pleased. Quality OK, price
right. Actually seems better quality than Skype and much cheaper.

Currently microphone round my neck, caller on the speaker - works
quite well.

I'd like to be able to use it around the house and on a wired phone.
I don't mind having the PC on at all times.
Not bothered about incoming calls on voip.

Maplin have a voip / USB adaptor (~15 pounds), several on e-Bay.
These would allow me to connect any phone - eg a cordless to use it
round the house and/or a wired phone in my office.

Recommendations please for such a unit.

Thanks,

Fred

default wrote on 10/08/2008 :
Hi,

Just started using SMSlisto and am very pleased. Quality OK, price
right. Actually seems better quality than Skype and much cheaper.

Currently microphone round my neck, caller on the speaker - works
quite well.

I'd like to be able to use it around the house and on a wired phone.
I don't mind having the PC on at all times.
Not bothered about incoming calls on voip.

Maplin have a voip / USB adaptor (~15 pounds), several on e-Bay.
These would allow me to connect any phone - eg a cordless to use it
round the house and/or a wired phone in my office.

Recommendations please for such a unit.

Thanks,

Fred

Hmm. IIWY, I'd stetch to a proper ATA, rather than a USB adapter.

Something like the Linksys SPA2102; an SPA1001 (if you can find one) or
one of the Granstream ATAs.

.....Or if funds are not particularly an issue, perhaps a Siemens
VoIP/DECT cordless unit..? http://www.provu.co.uk/dect_phones.html

default wrote:

Not bothered about incoming calls on voip.

Seems daft to me. Thats the main benefit!

Maplin have a voip / USB adaptor (~15 pounds), several on e-Bay.
These would allow me to connect any phone - eg a cordless to use it
round the house and/or a wired phone in my office.

Recommendations please for such a unit.


Yes, I recommend that you don't buy such a unit.

Buy an Analog Terminal Adapter (ATA) and plug a proper phone in, so you
don't need a computer running to make a call.

Slightly more expensive, but a far better solution that you won't throw
away, as you would with the USB effort.

"Iain" wrote in message
...
default wrote:

Not bothered about incoming calls on voip.

Seems daft to me. Thats the main benefit!

Maplin have a voip / USB adaptor (~15 pounds), several on e-Bay.
These would allow me to connect any phone - eg a cordless to use it
round the house and/or a wired phone in my office.

Recommendations please for such a unit.


Yes, I recommend that you don't buy such a unit.

Buy an Analog Terminal Adapter (ATA) and plug a proper phone in, so you
don't need a computer running to make a call.

Slightly more expensive, but a far better solution that you won't throw
away, as you would with the USB effort.

I can second that worthy sentiment.

Don't buy USB adaptor, nor ATA, buy Siemens S475 IP phone instead,
as discussed in other thread.
Not cheap, but by far the best solution.
Regards,
Martin

On Mon, 11 Aug 2008 02:49:30 +0100, "Martin²" wrote:

Don't buy USB adaptor, nor ATA, buy Siemens S475 IP phone instead,
as discussed in other thread.
Not cheap, but by far the best solution.
Regards,
Martin

You mentioned that you are not bothered about incoming calls so, what
I assume from that is that you are happy to continue to receive calls
on your standard landline.
If that is so I would go for the Linksys SPA-3102.
The reason for this is that you can integrate your voip and landline
calls.
Remember, if you go down the ATA route you don't need to have a
computer switched on. It is not like toytown voip where you have to
sit at your computer. Connect your ATA to a set of cordless phones and
you can call out at will - no computer whirring away and costing you
£5/month to run.
However, if you reconsider taking incoming calls via voip then the
advantages this affords includes :-
Customisable voicemail - none of this BT 1571 rubbish
Call waiting
Caller display
PLUS
With your SPA-3102, distinctive ringing.
Call forwarding via voxalot.
Please note that the router part of the 3102 is, afaik, only really
useful on a cable connection and that any ATA is best connected to a
router with Quality of Service as an inbuilt feature (though this is
not essential).
My advice would be, initially at least, to continue taking calls on
your standard landline and then consider later if you want to receive
calls via voip as an alternative.

---
Remove 'no_spam_' from email address.
---

Thanks for all the excellent informed inputs.
Yes, I suppose sitting at he PC to make phone calls is toytown voip
Fred

default wrote:
Thanks for all the excellent informed inputs.
Yes, I suppose sitting at he PC to make phone calls is toytown voip

If you were the same 'default' who was asking similar on uk.telecom the
other day, I only suggested a USB-phone adaptor because you said you wanted
a PC solution. If you don't want a PC solution then an ATA makes a lot of
sense. The downside is you won't be able to use it for Skype, but then if
you want to call people on real telephones SIP is generally much more
flexible.

Theo

On 11 Aug 2008 21:26:28 +0100 (BST), Theo Markettos
wrote:

default wrote:
Thanks for all the excellent informed inputs.
Yes, I suppose sitting at he PC to make phone calls is toytown voip

If you were the same 'default' who was asking similar on uk.telecom the
other day, I only suggested a USB-phone adaptor because you said you wanted
a PC solution. If you don't want a PC solution then an ATA makes a lot of
sense. The downside is you won't be able to use it for Skype, but then if
you want to call people on real telephones SIP is generally much more
flexible.

Theo

Yes I was on UK.telecom.
Still in learning mode.
I actually don't mind the PC being on as it is anyway. Also the
landline is fine for receiving calls. Also I don't have a router -
just the cable modem straight into PC.
Hence I thought your suggestion of a USB voip adaptor was suitable,
even if a bit toytown.
Anyway, they are cheap enough that if I bin it, it's no big loss.

Thanks all

Fred

default wrote:

Also I don't have a router -
just the cable modem straight into PC.

Buy a network switch. Cost about a tenner. Plug the cable modem into one
port, PC in another, ATA in another.

You need to power cycle the cable modem after connecting the switch
instead of the PC. That's all there is to it!