Skype Vs. SIPphone - VoIP Compared

JimLynch writes "There are few organizations more loathed than the telephone company. Let's face it - none of us like forking over our hard-earned cash every month just to use the phone. Well, how much would it be worth to you to be able to call your friends and family for free by using the Internet? ExtremeTech have compared the two newest ways to call friends via the Internet: The SIPphone from Lindows' Michael Robertson vs. the Skype service from the developers of Kazaa."

Comments

Call For Free

[Anonymous Coward]

Internet boom deja vu?

You still have to pay for bandwidth, and both sides have to have a good connection. Now, telephone service is WAY too expensive... I mean, 5 cents per MINUTE??!!?? How much bandwidth is used per minute again? If we really wanted this couldn't we just pipe /dev/dsp to speex, through a networked pipe, then back to speex and /dev/dsp? This would be much better than installing KaZaA spyware.

Ahh, the truth

[gerardrj]

The problem I have with stories like this is that the calls aren't really free. You do have to have a rather high-speed internet connection to make these calls with any reasonable quality and reliability, and you have to pay that fee on top of your existing phone charges.

A major limitation is that you can only call your fiends who use the same "service". And they are for the most part defining "service" rather loosely, they're more like applications in software and hardware than a service. I know it's only on Mac now, but I'm curious why iChatAV from Apple is excluded from these types of comparisons. It does the same things, plus video and uses the AOL screen name
and buddy list infrastructure.

There's a reliability issue with VoIP, I for one will not cut my dial tone off until I have nearly 100% uptime on my net connection. In all my life I think there was one time (after a hurricane) that I picked up my telephone and did not hear a dial tone. I can't count how many minutes per month/year my net connection is down for one reason or another.

I also take issue with the statement "...They do illustrate, however, just how far VOIP has come - it's actually good enough to offer a viable alternative to existing phones.". I don't think it's the VoIP technology that's improved, I think it's the Internet's infrastructure that's improved. There's finally enough bandwidth that you don't need a lot of buffering to ensure packet delivery order to the audio decoders.
It's still possible and routine to get out-of-order delivery, but no-where as severe as it was even just two years ago.

Re:Ahh, the truth

[Little Hamster]

I think you missed the point on VoIP. I'm using Skype to make calls from New Zealand to England. Just imagine the phone bill! And you don't need a really high-speed internet connection for it to work reasonably well. I'm on 128kbps only. I've also tested it with Kazaa running concurrently, and though the sound quality drops, it's still acceptable.

As for 100% uptime. This is not to replace normal phone, but for people who need to make lots of long distance calls to a few people. I don't care if it's 100% reliable, as long as it's cheap and sounds ok.

And about the cost on broadband. I'm already paying for it, whether I'm using Skype. So it's basically a non-issue. However, I'll have to fork out mega bucks to make long distance calls even though I've already paid my connection charge for POTS. Basically, Skype = save $$$.

Re:Ahh, the truth

[alkali]

Vonage and Packet 8 provide similar services. There is a lot of commentary in the comp.dcom.voice-over-ip Usenet group about it. I personally have Vonage, which I liked because in my cases they could transfer my existing phone number from the local telco, but perhaps other companies have similar capability. The connection is very good and I've only had a few startup problems. (Most important: work with the VoIP provider to make sure your router is configured optimally.)

TANSTAFL - I will be paying someone...

[jordandeamattson]

I don't loath the phone company, because I have to pay them every month. I loath the poor service I get from them sometimes, but the reality is that it is better than what I get from my ISP.

the reality is that I will be paying someone for access and bandwidth. The question is, who?

If you compare what VOIP gives me vs. POTS, POTs wins hands-down in relieabiilty, quality, and availability.

Now, I do like what VOIP an POTS competition are doing to POTS pricing. What I want is a plan that offers me a flat-rate pricing plan with a big number of minutes to whereever I call. Charge me $50.00 a month for 1,000 anytime, anywhere minutes and you will have my business.

Yours,

Jordan Dea-Mattson

Wait, I have to pay for service?!?!?

[stirfry714]

Let's face it - none of us like forking over our hard-earned cash every month just to use the phone

Hahahaha. What an entitlement complex? You expect someone to hand you phone service for free? Along with your free cable, free rent, and free groceries?

I personally *like* handing over my hard-earned cash for phone service, along with everything else. I choose what I want, I pay for it - it's called capitalism.

If I didn't want it, I wouldn't pay for it.

Re:VoIP and 911?

[freebase]

They are required to give things that 911 uptime by law, if memory serves.

Actually, this is a good thing. As long as cable, or the Internet in general has no such legal requirements, wireline voice will always have a place. In some places, wireline voice is already called lifeline voice.

A lot of people get upset when they see the charges for 911 service on their monthly bills. I doubt many realize the effort required to keep 911 working and current, both on the telcos' and local government's parts.

Stupid Submitter

[El_Smack]

"Let's face it - none of us like forking over our hard-earned cash every month just to use the phone."

What? Is phone service now a (Insert Deity of Choice) given right? I don't mind paying for a service I use. My basic phone bill is about $20. It's the cheapest bill I pay all month, and I get unlimited local calls. I call that a bargain, although not the best I ever had. Still a good one though.