[Year 12 IPM] I'm leaping into the VoIP

Tue Sep 20 15:25:19 EST 2005

Meadows, Roslyn M wrote:
> Congratulations Mark!!

> I would follow suit but unfortunately next year's Yellow Pages ads have gone in, so it would be a bit of a problem to change phone numbers. Although I could pay for redirection I guess.

> Who are the service providers for VoIP? Are they existing IP's or phone companies? Do you think Optus and Telstra will eventually jump on the band wagon?

The best place to start research is at 
http://forums.whirlpool.net.au/forum-threads.cfm?f=107

(no, it's NOT a fridge discussion board as I used to think).

VoIP providers include Skype, MyNetFone and FaktorTel (which I chose). 
There are a dozen or so, all told.  They vary a lot in monthly fees, 
services, ISD rates etc so you really need to work out what your needs 
are and find the provider that is best for you.

I don't think there's a "one size fits all" provider.

You mainly have to decide:

- Do I have ADSL?  In which case you have to keep your existing phone 
line and pay for VoIP on top of that (though you can drop your landline 
contract to the bare minimum cost and use the VoIP for voice calls)

- Do I want to call real phones and receive real calls (as opposed to 
talking to other VoIP users online).  If so, you need an ATA box to 
connect your real phone to the internet (about $120)

- Do I make enough calls to warrant the cost of the ATA box?  I don't 
make or receive many calls (sob - another long and tragic story) but 
over a year, I'd save with the reduced monthly costs from ditching the 
Optus landline ($20/month), the cheaper local calls (10c vs Optus 20c) 
and 10c STD calls.  ISD rates are a fraction of Telstroptus rates.

In brief, VoIP providers are not (currently) major Telcos.  After all, 
would Caltex promote the concept of the Water Powered Car?

Having said that, my feeling is that Telcos will end up collapsing under 
the weight of VoIP and be like Kodak who had to re-engineer themselves 
to stay alive.

> With optus cable and 2 phone lines I get one month out of three free for the cable internet  - will you still get that ? (I thought you had to have the 2 phone lines)

Optus does not (currently) offer VoIP so they're not in the equation. 
With VoIP you can get more than on DID (VoIP phone number) at about $5 
per month on average, depending on the supplier and the plan you want.

Everything is a trade-off.  You get 'cheaper' Optus cable by packaging a 
landline... you get cheaper landline by going VoIP and keeping the 
cable.  You need to do the maths.

I don't worry about $5 a month here and there if I get the chance to 
really piss off major telcos.  (Ooops - can I use the word "telcos" 
here? Thinks: Do mailing list moderators have to punish themselves?)

> Do you have to have your computer and cable modem turned on all the time? 

The cable modem has to be on (obviously, otherwise you don't get no IP!)

The PC does NOT need to be on if you go the ATA box option.

If you want the free VoIP path, yes - the PC has to be on - it's like 
vocal instant messaging.

 >Can you use an answering machine with the VoIP?

Yes, any normal existing phone/ answerphone can plug into the ATA box.

> Can you have call waiting? 

Dunno.

> Can you have call diversion (eg divert to your mobile when you are going out?)

With some providers, yes.  There's one that will send incoming calls to 
both your VoIP phone AND your mobile, and whichever one you answer will 
collect the call.  Pretty nifty.

> Also one of my lines is a dedicated fax - does VoIP cover fax lines, or just voice (ignorant aren't I!!)

Some providers do the VoIp fax thing.  Again, you need to do the 
homework to find which provider you need.  Naturally, most extras cost 
extra.

> How are your IT numbers for next year shaping up? We have dropped 3 VCE IT classes (not because the kids have not chosen it but because 12 classes have been dropped from the VCE blocks) Also our principal is talking about integrating IT at Years 7-9. I don't think there will be anything for me to do here next year. Any jobs going for a dedicated IT teacher over there?

Grrr.  IPM is about FIFTEEN kids out of 1300.  Systems was FOURTEEN but 
the admin decided not to let it run.  Go figure.  Not happy.

>  
> Cheers to all and hope you are enjoying your break! I am in agony already from a day spent gardening and knocking down rendered and hard plastered walls! 

And rendering takes such a LONG time even with a Cray supercomputer.

> Ros Meadows (TONS)
> Bentleigh SC
> 9579 1044
> meadows.roslyn.m at edumail.vic.gov.au
>  
> "Furious activity is no substitute for understanding." H. H. Williams 
> 
> ________________________________
> 
> From: ipm-bounces at edulists.com.au on behalf of Mark Kelly
> Sent: Mon 9/19/2005 2:42 PM
> To: Year 12 Information Technology Processing and Management Teachers'Mailing List
> Subject: [Year 12 IPM] I'm leaping into the VoIP
> 
> 
> 
> Dear all
> 
> I'm taking the plunge and cashing in my Optus home landline for a VoIP
> phone account.  (Since I have cable internet, I don't need to keep my
> existing landline as ADSL users have to do.)
> 
> I'm going for the ATA with DID - the ATA [Analogue Telephone Adaptor] is
> a $120 black box that connects my existing phone to my router and the
> internet.
> 
> The DID [Direct Inward Dial] is a virtual phone number that lets me call
> real [PSTN] phones anywhere in the world and receive calls from real
> phones from anywhere.
> 
> Alas, I can't keep my existing PSTN phone number  :-(
> 
> All calls [even STD] within Oz are 10c (untimed) and international calls
> are about 33% or less of Telstra/Optus.  Monthly subscription is $10
> (half of what Optus asks).
> 
> If you want a risk-free trial, you can get free VoIP using software and
> headset/mikes but you can only talk to other people using the same
> software if they're currently on the internet - you can't call normal
> phones or get called by them.
> 
> I'll let you know how it goes.
> 
> --
> Mark Kelly
> Actively on Holiday from being
> Manager - Information Systems
> McKinnon Secondary College
> 
> IPM Lecture notes: http://vceit.com
> Moderator: IPM Mailing List
> 
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-- 
Mark Kelly
Manager - Information Systems
McKinnon Secondary College
McKinnon Rd McKinnon 3204, Victoria Australia
Phone +613 95780844  Fax +613 95789253
webmaster:   http://www.mckinnonsc.vic.edu.au
IPM Mailing List Moderator
IPM notes:   http://vceit.com

  I'm often spick, but never span.