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Finally: PC-to-Phone Calling from Linux

Posted by timothy on from the that's-getting-very-slick dept.

Greg Herlein writes "There is finally a way to do direct PC to Phone calling from linux: GnomeMeeting now supports decent quality, low-cost VoIP calls to any real phone in the world. It's about time." The calls are through a company called MicroTelco; read this FAQ page to learn more about it. (And don't forget TheKompany's approach to IP-telephony-with-Linux, using a Sharp Zaurus plus Net2Phone.)

22 of 217 comments (clear)

  1. You have to buy a card though by fruey · · Score: 4, Interesting
    There is finally a way to do direct PC to Phone calling from linux: GnomeMeeting now supports decent quality, low-cost VoIP calls to any real phone in the world. It's about time.

    What is lacking is the use of your soundcard + software codec to do this. I understand there are patent problems, but the best solution would be a net2phone-style software solution, ported to Linux.

    Windows for net2phone is one of the few uses I have left. Living in Morocco, it saves me $$$ every month to call Europe.

    --
    Conversion Rate Optimisation French / English consultant
    1. Re:You have to buy a card though by HeUnique · · Score: 2, Interesting

      WITHIN A WEEK..

      Thekompany will relese a Desktop version (it will cost $9.95, with G.279 codec, no need for a special card) - and you'll be able to connect to Net2Phone users...

      --
      Hetz (Heunique)
  2. What I want to know is.... by KCardoza · · Score: 5, Interesting

    It seems nice to be able to make phone calls from my linux boxen, but what I want to know is, when will I be able to _recieve_ calls? I couldn't find that answer in the FAQ. Also, is it possible to have, say, more than one of these cards, to get the VoIP equivalent of multiple phone lines, using a broadband connection?

    --
    Despite millions of years of evolution, human beings, taken as a group, are still stupid, panicky animals.
    1. Re:What I want to know is.... by Sho0tyz · · Score: 4, Interesting

      The site is very low on details, but on the linuxjack site it says that you can receive calls. It does not explain how this works though. Do you get a real phone number? Can you only receive calls from other microtelco users? I would use this in a second if you could get a real phone number in the country/area of your choice.

  3. Re:Nice if... by Ilgaz · · Score: 2, Interesting

    The "phone" call is nothing but a IMA ADCPM (4bits 8000khz) thing by default.

    Its just human voice. not music or anything.

    Thats how 28.8K modem users can call eachother via Windows ICQ (via Net2Phone codecs)

  4. Serious Poll Question... by stev3 · · Score: 5, Interesting

    How many people ACTUALLY make calls from their computer? Although I understand it is free, the quality still doesn't compare to a regular phone (not even a cell phone -- don't get me started on those).

    I remember making calls back in... '98 when this was a new technology, and I stopped after about 2 weeks.

    Poll Question - Do you really make calls that often from your computer?

    1. Re:Serious Poll Question... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Interesting

      I have used GnomeMeeting and the quality was just excellent, much better than a conventional phone.
      But it is true that it strongly depends on the codec used and your bandwith.
      As an example, I am sitting in Sweden and I did a call to a guy in Japan (he was using a 56K POTS modem), and the sound was perfect, he could even see my video!

      I use it regularly to connect to many friends outside the country, saving a lot of money on calls, it is just a great use of both your computer and the internet.

    2. Re:Serious Poll Question... by HalfFlat · · Score: 2, Interesting

      I regularly call Australia (a real phone) from Germany using linphone, with the help of a friend in Australia who is willing to let me use his SIP gateway to route local calls.

      Reverse calls are supportable too, with people dialing a number there and reaching me on the computer, but I admit I haven't gotten around to arranging the SIP proxy at the Australian end.

      Linphone's interface is a bit primitive, and I admit that I don't get the quality of sound that I expect should be possible, but then the software is still very much under development. It certainly is usable though!

      Anyone know if gnomemeeting is planning to support SIP? With Cisco's big IP-telephony push based around SIP, I imagine it's only going to become more and more popular.

    3. Re:Serious Poll Question... by mark_lybarger · · Score: 2, Interesting

      same story. i tried it out and got into it at first, but haven't done it in years. i tried the free windows java application (can't recall the name), and it worked nicely, but then they started charging for domestic calls.

      i also tried yahoo's and MSN's peer-to-peer talk over the messenger type thing to other users logged in. it was the same thing choppy sound, and barely audible.

      i don't have long distance on my home line (long distance phone company slamming) so we use a calling card. for .lt. .05$ per minute it can't be beat. that 10 minute internet call could be done in 5 on a real line, and would cost .25$. you really do get what you pay for.

    4. Re:Serious Poll Question... by Lumpy · · Score: 4, Interesting

      I do every day.

      Although I use the much better solution using fobbit and the Creative VoIP blaster. a small pentuim computer with USB, and fobbit+ linux in a self boot stuffed in my closet and plugged into my phone system gives me free internet calls to friends in other states and cities that are as good as my cellphone in sound quality.

      the hard part, getting the voip blasters... cince creative in their wisdom dropped them and morons on ebay have the prices too high.

      --
      Do not look at laser with remaining good eye.
    5. Re:Serious Poll Question... by I8TheWorm · · Score: 2, Interesting

      I have set up VoIP for a few small companies in the US. They don't seem to mind the lower quality vs. the tremendous savings they recieve. The most recent has a home office in Europe, and a shell office in the US of just a handful of people. Small revenue center that needs to cut costs wherever it can. The VoIP is set up on the local PBX with 4 trunk lines that it forwards to, so one line acts as 4. As I said, the quality is lower, but the communication is clear enough to make it a valuable tool.

      --
      Saying Android is a family of phones is akin to saying Linux is a family of PCs.
  5. Gateways outside the US? by egghat · · Score: 4, Interesting

    Does anybody know of any IP/POT-gateways like the one mentioned in the article, that are outside the US? For example in Germany? In the UK?

    TIA

    egghat.

    --
    -- "As a human being I claim the right to be widely inconsistent", John Peel
  6. Handset? by WPIDalamar · · Score: 2, Interesting

    The FAQ makes it sound like the only way to place one of these calls is with a normal phone plugged into this special hardware device. Is this true?

    Oh sure, it looks like I can dial with gnome meeting, but do I have to talk through the normal analog phone? If this is the case ... what does using gnome meeting do for us? Just give a gui to configure & dial the phone? Doesn't sound like news, but maybe I'm missing something.

  7. Killer App by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Interesting

    A killer app would be PDA-PDA calls encrypted over IP.

  8. VoIP with Linux? by blitzrage · · Score: 2, Interesting

    Is there a way to do kind of the same thing, but call from my computer to another computer with an IP phone attached to it? I'd love to just get rid of the phone company all together, and use the internet as my phone service. Just get all my family setup on VoIP phones attached to their broadband internet connection, and just give them a call that way.

    Anyone know if that is possible? (I havn't googled yet, but plan to, so if you know, let me know of a link or whatever)

    --

    I have no signature
  9. why computer? by qoncept · · Score: 3, Interesting

    Linux? Great. When is the hardware coming out? Forget pc based calls. When am I going to be able to plug a phone in to my router and call around the world for free?

    --
    Whale
  10. Re:buying hardware, ew =/ by javatips · · Score: 2, Interesting

    You don't need special hardware to get decent quality.

    I call frequently from Canada to Belgium using Net2Phone and never encounter perceptible delays.

    The only way you could probably get delays would be to run some application that take all he juice from the CPU while making your call (or if your PC is swapping like hell).

  11. Time to blow the dust off the VoIP Blaster by linux11 · · Score: 4, Interesting

    Well, for those of us that got sold on the Slashdot article on the Creative Labs VoIP Blaster, I have good new! The diary for Damien Sandras (the author of the GnomeMeeting project) indicates that GnomeMeeting supports VoIPBlaster which provides GM access to the patented G.723.1 audio codec without having to buy a $100+ LinuxJack card. If only MicroTelco could convince SB to mass produce the VoIP Blaster again...

  12. Already possible by supz · · Score: 3, Interesting

    This was always possible, using a Cisco 3660 with a voice card, and SIP.

    Simply dial sip:1800429739@1.2.3.4:5060 with any software SIP phone for Linux, and you're good... granted the hardware would cost you around 10,000 plus the monthly service fee for a 4 channel BRI (at least).

    --

    SuPz.orG

  13. My idea by mschoolbus · · Score: 2, Interesting

    I have actually been working on a hardware/software solution for this. Instead of buying a Quicknet Internet Line Jack for $600, I am working on a few mods to this kit so it can be controlled via the parallel port instead of by the telephone hook.

    On the software side, I am using some RTP software I am working on to transfer audio between machines. So what does this all mean? With some custom hardware and software I will be able to have household (neighborhood) telephone service using any computer on my network.

    If anyone is interested stop by www.magicicecreambucket.com in a few weeks for information on building this device for yourself for under $60 and some software for it.

  14. Re:Marketing Genius by jonita · · Score: 4, Interesting

    Well, first of all I'm really Jonita! Yes, I created an account in order to answer to some comments on here! Then, I thanked you because you said that I'm prettier than Ellen Feiss... That was all...

  15. Re:Card v/s software-only by bdolan · · Score: 2, Interesting

    Since the license for G723.1 is around ~$1, hardware seems overkill in an era where p3s and p4s abount. G723.1 is a stretch for slow processors, but luckily in an era where video compression is feasible, audio compression no longer requires hardware.

    Is this hardware purchase a scam?