[kwlug-disc] Favourite free sip registrars?

Fri Sep 13 09:47:54 EDT 2013

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
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
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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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