VoIP recommendations?

#1

Since there are some knowledgable technical people here, I’m looking to ditch my copper line and move home phone number to a VoIP provider.

I’d like it to be cheap and reliable. Don’t actually use the home number much anymore but it’s a memorable number and a nice to have.

Does anyone have any recommendations, please?

(Dan) #2

VoiceHosts are good… alternatively I have a reseller account with them :wink:

(Andre Borie) #3

Andrews & Arnold or SIPGate :+1:t2:

(robert) #4

I’ve been useing residential sipgate. Has everything I need and maybe topped it up 4-5 times 1-2 year’s

(Andre Borie) #6

Small business customer service standard though

What do you mean by that exactly? Not sure as I’ve always had good experiences with them - if anything the “small business standard” means less BS and marketing and more getting stuff done. :+1:

#8

Erm :thinking:

“British Telecom”

(Andre Borie) #10

Thanks, I understand your point, however I’ll have to disagree:

helpful because they have to be

My personal experience tells me the larger a company is, the shittier the service. Sure, they are polite - most likely because the low-wage customer service advisor is in a desperate situation and can get fired in no time for a slight mistake - but they don’t get anything done. I’d rather have them swear at me but sort my problems out than waste 30 minutes and then get “is there anything else I can do for you sir? Thanks and have a wonderful day bye-bye”.

(Richard Bairwell) #13

Our VOIP is through Gradwell (with extensions: 2 external numbers) and I’ve got one “line” through Twilio which just, at the moment, forwards onto a Gradwell number. Have used AAISP for VOIP before and was impressed, but I think they, at the time, were a little bit more pricer for what we wanted.

(Hugh Wells) #14

Can recommend SIPgate :+1: They also have a fairly good API :wink: Last time I checked it was SOAP so I don’t know if that puts you off!

#15

Many thanks for the recommendations, chaps. I’ve gone with Sipgate. :+1:

(Shaun McDonald) #16

I use Port5060 slightly more expensive if you want more extensions compared to some competitors, though the call prices are exceptionally low for PAYG. I use the Android built-in SIP client so that landline calls come through to my mobile, and I can make occasional calls from the landline where required.

Support wise the only issues I’ve had were resolved quickly, even getting responses out of hours. Annoyingly they don’t support Police 101 and NHS 111. When I queried it, they said it was due to some people having those as extensions, and you should always have a backup mobile in case the voip goes down.

#17

I’d have to disagree with @DanRoizer’s comments about VoiceHost, my previous experience with them has been fairly awful, with support to match.

Though I haven’t tried them myself, I’ve heard good things about A&A. Best so far has been Gamma Telecom though, which has only gone down once (and even then, I only found out when they called me to let me know). I’m not sure if they sell direct, so let me know if you need a hand getting an account.

@Smsm1 Depending on their connection to the phone network, they may not be able to process 999 calls. Other SIP providers definitely can.

@HughWells What’s wrong with SOAP?!?

#18

Well, I went with Sipgate, had to wait for them to send an activation code via letter (this is the 21st century, guys, c’mon), activate my account and fill in some forms to port my number…

…and that’s it. The irony of a phone company not having a telephone contact number. I’m waiting for responses to my email. I don’t know if things have fallen into a black hole or are in progress.

(Dan) #19

Number porting can take a few days maybe over a week :slight_smile:

#20

Yes, I know that. It says on the forms. I specified a date some two weeks in advance. Plenty of time.

My point is that there’s been no acknowledgement and no reply to any of my email.

(Michael Tanner) #21

I’ve used both SipGate and VoiceHosts in the past, I’m now with Yay . com and get supplied a flawless service, I haven’t had to use their customer services yet and I’ve been with them for a year and a half. New numbers are instantly provisioned and no issues with having to wait for accounts to be activated…

(Ben Green) #22

I currently use yay.com for business but they have residential packages as well

(Simon Morris) #23

Hey all I have been using yay.com for over two years now that are pretty cheap price wise and there service is faultless. I use them like I say for my business with full ivr and redirection if needed or just a simple home voip they have a great choice of numbers to choose from and you get a free 30day trial they also offer a great choice of equipment with online advice and directions.
Give them a go