[kwlug-disc] Favourite free sip registrars?

Fri Sep 13 11:55:13 EDT 2013

The fixed monthly fee for voip.ms is more than double what MagicJack is
($5.95 vs. $2.5), but it is not a lot of money. Their rates to Egypt are
somewhat cheaper than what Magicjack offers ($0.12 for voip.ms vs. $0.14 or
$0.15 for MagicJack).

Still missing is a hardware "thingie" that connects the regular phone's
RJ11 to the router. There are lots of options and that makes it more
confusing (too much choice). I don't want to run an Asterisk server, rather
some embedded little thing.

On Fri, Sep 13, 2013 at 11:27 AM, Colin Mackay <zixiekat at gmail.com> wrote:

> I currently use voip.ms.  It's not free, but it is pay as you go.
> Currently I spend about $25 every three-four months for my 519 number.
> They charge $5.95 / month for the phone number and in US/Can it's something
> like $0.0052 per minute.  (0.52 cents)
>
> Example:  In April I spent 04h 41m 39s on the phone.  It cost $1.58875 for
> that time.
>
> I've never found a reliable 'free' solution that doesn't cost some amount
> of money initially.  For a while, you could pay Fongo $50 for plain old SIP
> access and use whatever device you wanted, but that changed.  Now it's an
> ATA you purchase and I can't comment on their reliability.
>
> I just use a small PC as an asterisk server and a Linksys ATA to let my
> old fashioned phones work, but you could just use a free SIP softphone to
> talk directly to voip.ms...
>
>
>
> On Fri, Sep 13, 2013 at 9:47 AM, Khalid Baheyeldin <kb at 2bits.com> wrote:
>
>> The original discussion, for those who don't have a home but can get
>> WiFi, so can get some sort of phone service.
>>
>> The discussion was sort of "forked" for folk like me who want to get rid
>> of $34 per month with Bell for a land line (need to find a solution for
>> monitored alarm, and get a plan with a higher bandwidth cap).
>>
>> Remember that Magic Jack has free calling to any number in the USA and
>> Canada, anywhere. So it is not limited to calling another Magic Jack
>> customer. It is a good deal for $2.5 a month.
>>
>> I have been using Magic Jack for 8 months, and relatives have been using
>> it for more. The version I use does not require a computer (but requires an
>> ethernet internet connection). I installed one for my mom, signed up for a
>> year of service (USD $20), and a local Canadian number (226 area code, for
>> an extra USD $10 per year).
>>
>> It works well. Very reliable and sound is very clear. Only issues I had
>> were:
>>
>> 1) I could not sign up when visiting Egypt, but that is perhaps the
>> credit card not Magic Jack themselves. Once I came back, sign up worked on
>> the first attempt.
>>
>> 2) My mom was on a cheap low upload speed DSL internet plan. She could
>> hear me well (download speed was fine), but I could not. Once she upgraded
>> to the next tier, the sound quality was excellent.
>>
>> There is a newer version that supports WiFi. Still requires a credit card
>> and an annual plan, so not suitable for the original question, but ideal
>> for regular folk who want to ditch a land line. If you need 911, then your
>> cell phone has that.
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> On Fri, Sep 13, 2013 at 8:02 AM, unsolicited <unsolicited at swiz.ca> wrote:
>>
>>> Remember: Was looking for free sip registrars / free phone for those
>>> with low or no income.
>>>
>>> If I understand what I have read correctly ...
>>>
>>> The MagicJackPlus and Fongo Home Phone idea look intriguing (let alone
>>> with Android app) - take your doohickey with you wherever you go.
>>> Fongo (freephoneline) is $5/month forever. Or free forever with
>>> softphone app only, to many cities. (But the service has 'gone to the dogs'
>>> - I'll guess the business model hasn't been able to break even.)
>>>
>>> MagicJack is $80 one time (http://www.canadacomputers.**
>>> com/product_info.php?cPath=30_**413&item_id=043770<http://www.canadacomputers.com/product_info.php?cPath=30_413&item_id=043770>),
>>> free for 6 months, then $30 annually. But - calls between MagicJack holders
>>> are free without charge forever. [Incoming calls are free, but will be long
>>> distance costing for the caller.]
>>>
>>> Intriguing (but still not the free solution I was hoping for). Granted,
>>> even with a free sip registrar, the called party must also be using VoIP.
>>> i.e. Anyone VoIP registered would be reachable by any other VoIP user, even
>>> without registration, but to receive a call you'd need a registrar. (And
>>> with sipbroker would be reachable from landlines.)
>>>
>>> Calling real phone numbers (PSTN) would not be possible. It would be
>>> with, say, $25 to voip.ms - at which point you would no longer need a
>>> registrar - voip.ms would be your registrar. (voip.ms says all voip to
>>> voip calls are free. But you must have a non-zero balance - although that
>>> balance will not be impacted.)
>>>
>>> MagicJack sounds intriguing, but also sounds 'too good to be true'.
>>>
>>> I'm guessing there's advertising and/or other irritants - but you get
>>> what you pay for, and it may be acceptable, for the cost, to some.
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> On 13-09-12 05:54 PM, Khalid Baheyeldin wrote:
>>>
>>>> Yes, that is one way of doing it, but there is another way.
>>>>
>>>> If you go here: http://www.freephoneline.ca/**optionalServices<http://www.freephoneline.ca/optionalServices>and clock on
>>>> the "Fongo Home Phone" link, you will see the device, which is just like
>>>> the Magic Jack: internet from one port, and RJ11 from the other. It is
>>>> $4.95 a month. Magic Jack is $2.5 per month. The international rates for
>>>> Magic Jack are cheaper (at least to Egypt) than Fongo's.
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> On Thu, Sep 12, 2013 at 5:43 PM, <jvj at golden.net> wrote:
>>>>
>>>>  Text copied from FONGO's website:
>>>>>
>>>>> Fongo’s application works on any iPhone or Android based phone or
>>>>> device.
>>>>> Users receive a new Canadian telephone number, free long distance
>>>>> calling
>>>>> to most Canadian cities, unlimited airtime, voice mail, caller ID and
>>>>> many
>>>>> more free features. [ edit ] Fongo enjoys privileged access to
>>>>> Fibernetics,
>>>>> a Canadian CLEC that owns and operates its own coast-to-coast network
>>>>> in
>>>>> Canada.
>>>>>
>>>>> and
>>>>>
>>>>> Fongo works by routing calls over the user’s Wi-Fi or data connection,
>>>>> eliminating the need for expensive voice minutes.
>>>>>
>>>>> BTW: FONGO is a div of Fibernetics hence the priveledged access.
>>>>>
>>>>> JohnJ
>>>>> ------------------------------
>>>>>
>>>>> *Subject:* Re: [kwlug-disc] Favourite free sip registrars?
>>>>> *Date:* Thu, 12 Sep 2013 17:33:14 -0400
>>>>> *From:* Khalid Baheyeldin <kb at 2bits.com>
>>>>> *To:* KWLUG discussion <kwlug-disc at kwlug.org>
>>>>> *Reply-To:* KWLUG discussion <kwlug-disc at kwlug.org>
>>>>>
>>>>>   Looking at Fongo, it seems like a VoIP to POTS hardware blackbox.
>>>>> If we are in this territory already, then why not consider MagicJack? I
>>>>> bought one for my mom in Egypt and she can call me for free (and I can
>>>>> call
>>>>> her too), for $30 a year ($10 of those are for a Canada phone number
>>>>> that
>>>>> is local to me).
>>>>>
>>>>> --
>>>>> Khalid M. Baheyeldin
>>>>> 2bits.com, Inc.
>>>>> Fast Reliable Drupal
>>>>> Drupal optimization, development, customization and consulting.
>>>>> Simplicity is prerequisite for reliability. --  Edsger W.Dijkstra
>>>>> Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication. --   Leonardo da Vinci
>>>>> For every complex problem, there is an answer that is clear, simple,
>>>>> and
>>>>> wrong." -- H.L. Mencken
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> ______________________________**_________________
>>>>> kwlug-disc mailing list
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>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
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>>>>
>>>
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>>
>>
>>
>> --
>> Khalid M. Baheyeldin
>> 2bits.com, Inc.
>> Fast Reliable Drupal
>> Drupal optimization, development, customization and consulting.
>> Simplicity is prerequisite for reliability. --  Edsger W.Dijkstra
>> Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication. --   Leonardo da Vinci
>> For every complex problem, there is an answer that is clear, simple, and
>> wrong." -- H.L. Mencken
>>
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>
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-- 
Khalid M. Baheyeldin
2bits.com, Inc.
Fast Reliable Drupal
Drupal optimization, development, customization and consulting.
Simplicity is prerequisite for reliability. --  Edsger W.Dijkstra
Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication. --   Leonardo da Vinci
For every complex problem, there is an answer that is clear, simple, and
wrong." -- H.L. Mencken
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