On Tue, 3 Jul 2007 20:42:27 +0000 (UTC), Brian <bandj@o2.co.uk> wrote:

>On 03-07-2007, T i m <news@spaced.me.uk> wrote:
> 
>
>Not paticularily. Voiptalk, Gradwell and Voipfone don't block SIP-to-SIP
>calls.

Do they provide a free localised number and free incoming calls Brian?

> Vonage and Sipgate do. It does not correlate with freeness.

Just protecting their interests I guess. Cos I'm new to all this I'm
unaware of any history re SIP providers etc, I assume like mobile
phone providers they are all fighting for their own share of the
market and the hope of being No1? Again, like mobile providers they
all take it in turns offering 'bigger / better / cheaper' but over
time they probably equal each other out. However, for each of us there
may be one facet that keeps us with a particular provider, like free
voicemail etc.
> 
>
>The important item is the SIP address, user@domain. Without it you are
>not contactable. At some point a PSTN number has to point to it. The
>phone call would not be delivered otherwise.

Hmmm, as far as I'm aware, with Sipgate I've only got a number (well
that's all they've formally offered me) and that is what people use to
contact me on (and that's what we have done so far). I'm not saying
what you say isn't correct Brian, just that's my perception of the
situation (re Sipgate) so far (but I still can't see the big picture
etc) ;-(
> 
>
>This depends on the ATA used and is not straightforward. If your Sipgate
>ID was 1112223 I would need to dial 111222333@sipgate.co.uk, and the
>letters present a problem with an analogue phone.

Messy, and why I think the idea of having a 'number' (as with Sipgate)
makes so much sense to me (all be it a nooby view etc). Especially as
this is the world of 'telephony'? I dial someone with my land line or
mobile I use numbers, ok, I can store those as names in my phonebook
etc but I'm actually dialing numbers ... ?

> It can be done if the
>ATA has a quick dial or address book facility. Or, rather tediously,
>dial 111222333*217*10*79*23 from the handset. * replaces @ and . on my
>ATA.

I've just tried that with X-Lite and it didn't seem to pick up the
letters (or I wasn't doing something properly).

This is all so confusing to me. If someone asks me how typing in a url
then get's converted into 32 binary digits I can do so
(simplistically) and explain why that is needed (the Internet is based
on numbers not names etc). As yet, the penny hasn't dropped as to why
we *need* to mix names and numbers in what is (virtual in some places)
'telephony', other than to (as I believe has been suggested) to make
it easier to remember (though that's no help with my poor memory) or
'that's the way it is' ..?

All the best and thanks for your patience ..

T i m

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