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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.)

12 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
  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. 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 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.
  4. 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
  5. Killer App by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Interesting

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

  6. 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
  7. 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...

  8. 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

  9. 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...