If you want VoIP telephony only, you can make a contract with any number of service providers - just look at the ads on the right side of your Google mail screen.
Having Internode as my ISP I also have Nodephone, a VoIP service. Apart from being able to make phonecalls at minimal cost, I appreciate the clarity, something that land-line telephony lacks. http://www.internode.on.net/residential/home_phone/nodephone/ The only equipment you need is a VoIP capable modem/router. Bigpond does not offer a VoIP service, as far as I know. Skype offers VoIP as well as Video and all calls to fellow Skype users are free of charge. Calls to non-Skype users attract a fee. The only equipment (apart from a computer) you need is a quality webcam that works in Linux. Skype for Linux is not entirely trouble free. A recent upgrade showed that the Linux version (2.1.0.47-1) still needs further development - but it is workable. Why not use both methods? Andre 2009/11/11 Geoffrey <gcomb...@bigpond.com> > Although I was aware of Skype and even installed it on MS Windows I did > not sign up. I felt no pressing need to do so. That means I know nothing > about telephoning via the Internet apart from using a similar thing > called Echolink designed for radio amateurs (like me) who communicate > around the world through VHF radio repeaters and the Internet. > Then, as a Ubuntu 9.10 beginner, I found the so-called 'softphone' Ekiga > in the applications menu. I signed up for Ekiga.net and sent a few > dollars to Diamondcard.us to pay for PC to real phone. > Ekiga boasts using a standard protocol, one that I presumed would be > adopted by all 'softphone' software. Now I'm told that quote - "skype > doesn't use the SIP system without purchasing additional hardware" - > unquote. Evidently (?) Skype is different and doesn't communicate with > Ekiga. I've learnt too that there is Skype for Linux. > This is a bit of a disappointment. What happened to standard protocols? > Incidently I have not yet upgraded to 9.10. I think I saw a comment on > Ubuntu-AU that Ekiga is not part of the upgrade. If so what has taken > its place? > My questions of members are, in relation to Ubuntu: > 1. Where do I go from the present position cited above? > 2. How is the Ubuntu softphone-Skype matter resolved? > > Geoffrey Combes > > > > > -- > ubuntu-au mailing list > ubuntu-au@lists.ubuntu.com > https://lists.ubuntu.com/mailman/listinfo/ubuntu-au >
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