Anyone using VOIP on Virgin Cable Broadband?

If so how are you finding it, and how long have you been using it?

Thinking of dumping the cable phone package, BT and going over to VOIP
only, with my mobile for emergencies.

What do you think?



TIA.

[ Post a follow-up to this message ]

I have for some time without many problems. Are you using a USB phone or
Cordless Dect phone, or direct to a router ?. The problem I find from time
to time is the slight echo, which I do not mind but my wife refuses to use
voip because of this. I still would not relinquish my Cable fixed line
though.

[ Post a follow-up to this message ]

homebrew wrote:
> I have for some time without many problems. Are you using a USB phone or
> Cordless Dect phone, or direct to a router ?. The problem I find from time
> to time is the slight echo, which I do not mind but my wife refuses to use
> voip because of this. I still would not relinquish my Cable fixed line
> though.
>
>
>
I just use my virgin media 2 meg braodband plus Vonage, I've had no real
problems, of course when the broadband goes down I loose the phone, only
happened a couple of times for short amount of time, use the mobiles in
a emergency!  Will soon be going away from Vonage and using my unlocked
ata on a cheaper providor

[ Post a follow-up to this message ]

On Wed, 04 Jul 2007 09:55:24 GMT, "homebrew" <abcdefg@abcdefg.com>
wrote:

>I have for some time without many problems. Are you using a USB phone or
>Cordless Dect phone, or direct to a router ?

Nothing yet as I don't have the service, but I'd guess an adapter to
the router so that it can be used without PC being on.

>. The problem I find from time
>to time is the slight echo, which I do not mind but my wife refuses to use
>voip because of this.

I think that would wind us up as well.

> I still would not relinquish my Cable fixed line
>though.

How come? I have the virgin unlimited pack so get free 01/02 numbers
anytime, but all the others appear to be more expensive than anyone
else. The advantage is I could still use 18185/1899 so the other calls
would all be cheaper, even than VOIP, but then I'm paying around £10pm
rental for that to Virgin!

[ Post a follow-up to this message ]

"Brian" <rates11@nospam.com> wrote in message
 news:mprm83lvajveqb5s1vvg7hsghrsao6opqk@
4ax.com...
> On Wed, 04 Jul 2007 09:55:24 GMT, "homebrew" <abcdefg@abcdefg.com>
> wrote:
> How come? I have the virgin unlimited pack so get free 01/02 numbers
> anytime, but all the others appear to be more expensive than anyone
> else. The advantage is I could still use 18185/1899 so the other calls
> would all be cheaper, even than VOIP, but then I'm paying around £10pm
> rental for that to Virgin!

I was wondering if  the best deal would be to get the "2 for £20" from
Virgin i.e. BB plus phone service (if available?), giving a stable line for
incoming calls and use a cheap VOIP provider for outgoing calls with the
Virgin phone line as backup. With standard 2Mb broadband costing £18/month
that would be an effective net line rental of £2/month - cheaper than BT
line rental.

Cheers from Mike

[ Post a follow-up to this message ]

On Wed, 04 Jul 2007 11:22:01 GMT, "Mike Sun" <sun12000@mailinator.com>
wrote:

>
>"Brian" <rates11@nospam.com> wrote in message
> news:mprm83lvajveqb5s1vvg7hsghrsao6opqk@
4ax.com... 
>
>I was wondering if  the best deal would be to get the "2 for £20" from
>Virgin i.e. BB plus phone service (if available?), giving a stable line for
>incoming calls and use a cheap VOIP provider for outgoing calls with the
>Virgin phone line as backup. With standard 2Mb broadband costing £18/month

I thought it was £10, but I just noticed that's a special deal for 12
months, then it goes back to £18!

>that would be an effective net line rental of £2/month - cheaper than BT
>line rental.
>
>Cheers from Mike
>

I have actually got great deal from Virgin, well, so it appeared. BB &
Unlimited talk for £20pm. I think they actually wanted about £20 for
the stupid phone service originally, but as I say, on inspection it's
not a lot of good unless you ring ONLY 01/02 numbers.

[ Post a follow-up to this message ]

On Wed, 04 Jul 2007 11:38:04 GMT, Brian <rates11@nospam.com> wrote:

>On Wed, 04 Jul 2007 11:22:01 GMT, "Mike Sun" <sun12000@mailinator.com>
>wrote:
> 
>
>I thought it was £10, but I just noticed that's a special deal for 12
>months, then it goes back to £18!
> 
>
>I have actually got great deal from Virgin, well, so it appeared. BB &
>Unlimited talk for £20pm. I think they actually wanted about £20 for
>the stupid phone service originally, but as I say, on inspection it's
>not a lot of good unless you ring ONLY 01/02 numbers.
To answer the original question.
Yes, go for it !  I did exactly the same thing as you are proposing.
The only downside was when BY were busy doing upgrades, often speech
quality was poor and sometimes other things happened. Once over, all
was, and is, perfect.
I use voxalot (registered with other providers) with an SPA-3000.
I use the SPA-3000 gateways for calling out to most numbers and voxlot
for incoming. All services such as call waiting, caller display etc.
are standard. With voxalot you can also do call diverts that are time
dependent.
I wouldn't want a cable phone anyway - the call charges are too high
for one thing. I think that the 'per call' connection charge is about
to rise from 6p to 10p - I am really glad I'm not a part of that.
I much prefer using voip to being tied to a landline provider.
If I wasn't on cable broadband I'd go for Tiscali 2Mb/s broadband with
inclusive line rental and weekend calls - all for 15GBP/month.

I would recommend voip.co.uk UK pack for your UK 01/02 calls.
Incoming number and 20GBP/year for off-peak 01/02 calls and 2p/call at
peak time (for up to an hour).

For a less reliable outgoing call service to the US and Europe go for
Vyke.co.uk (2p/call)

Make sure that you get an unlocked ATA and, personally, I'd advise
that you avoid Ebay.

Check out Linksys and AVM Fritzbox ATAs via Froogle or a site such as
broadbandstuff.co.uk





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[ Post a follow-up to this message ]

"Brian" <rates11@nospam.com> wrote in message
 news:bjqm831s8l4gesaemd4spajvk9vaasr3i5@
4ax.com...
> Anyone using VOIP on Virgin Cable Broadband?
>
> If so how are you finding it, and how long have you been using it?
>
> Thinking of dumping the cable phone package, BT and going over to VOIP
> only, with my mobile for emergencies.
>
> What do you think?
>
>
>
> TIA.


Hi,


You might find that ideas of uptime and reliability vary a bit.

My understanding is that good DSL services and providers rarely ever suffer
downtime. Typically, issues, again with a good provider, do not affect a
whole network or network segment.

It may be that with cable you find they do a lot more "maintenance" and
issues tend to be more systemic - i.e. affect a wider area or range than may
be the case with a good DSL provider.

This probably won't be a major issue, particularly if you don't use the
phone in the prime "midnight to 6am" maintenance window.


Best wishes,



News Reader

[ Post a follow-up to this message ]

"News Reader" <no@email.invalid> wrote in message
news:ysPii.13438$_l6.9178@newsfe6-win.ntli.net...
>
> "Brian" <rates11@nospam.com> wrote in message
>  news:bjqm831s8l4gesaemd4spajvk9vaasr3i5@
4ax.com... 
>
>
> Hi,
>
>
> You might find that ideas of uptime and reliability vary a bit.
>
> My understanding is that good DSL services and providers rarely ever
> suffer downtime. Typically, issues, again with a good provider, do not
> affect a whole network or network segment.
>
> It may be that with cable you find they do a lot more "maintenance" and
> issues tend to be more systemic - i.e. affect a wider area or range than
> may be the case with a good DSL provider.
>
> This probably won't be a major issue, particularly if you don't use the
> phone in the prime "midnight to 6am" maintenance window.
>
>
> Best wishes,
>
>
>
> News Reader
>
>
>


Hi,


Sorry... also meant to mention.. that echo is only a function of equipment
or operator... nothing to do with VoIP or SIP.

Thus if anyone suffers echo... they either have bad equipment, equipment
problems or faults, or misconfiguration. Otherwise, with echo, that is not
user equipment side, it will be the operator. Some operators networks are
very poorly operated, configured, load managed, etc. Some use multiple
transcoding steps, etc. that introduce more artefacts and in more than one
case, echo, and more or worse besides.

A good, well operating or functioning, correctly configured user equipment
with a good (similarly well operating, correctly configured, etc., etc.)
network service provider (VoIP provider) will not yield echo or anything
else and should, all things being equal, be better than PSTN.


Best wishes,



News Reader

[ Post a follow-up to this message ]

On Wed, 04 Jul 2007 14:36:23 GMT, Brian A
<no_spam_bca1000@hotmail.com> wrote:

>On Wed, 04 Jul 2007 11:38:04 GMT, Brian <rates11@nospam.com> wrote:
> 
>To answer the original question.

>Yes, go for it !  I did exactly the same thing as you are proposing.
>The only downside was when BY were busy doing upgrades, often speech
>quality was poor and sometimes other things happened. Once over, all
>was, and is, perfect.

It's been a nightmare day with Virgin Cable, speed kept dropping, and
sometimes lost the line completely and nothing but a complete reboot
would cure it. Trying to get through to customer service was worse
than BT, been on the phone for ages. Complete and utter crap until I
told them I'd had enough, then nice as pie.

Just as well I kept BT and my existing virgin ADSL (which has always
been 100%)

>I use voxalot (registered with other providers) with an SPA-3000.
>I use the SPA-3000 gateways for calling out to most numbers and voxlot
>for incoming. All services such as call waiting, caller display etc.
>are standard. With voxalot you can also do call diverts that are time
>dependent.
>I wouldn't want a cable phone anyway - the call charges are too high
>for one thing. I think that the 'per call' connection charge is about
>to rise from 6p to 10p - I am really glad I'm not a part of that.
>I much prefer using voip to being tied to a landline provider.
>If I wasn't on cable broadband I'd go for Tiscali 2Mb/s broadband with
>inclusive line rental and weekend calls - all for 15GBP/month.

Lucky to get out of Tiscali alive, last year! I'd never go back.

>I would recommend voip.co.uk UK pack for your UK 01/02 calls.
>Incoming number and 20GBP/year for off-peak 01/02 calls and 2p/call at
>peak time (for up to an hour).

I spoke to the guy there, very nice and seems to know his onions, so
I'll get my ATA from them and go for the £20pa package and see how it
goes.

>For a less reliable outgoing call service to the US and Europe go for
>Vyke.co.uk (2p/call)

>Make sure that you get an unlocked ATA and, personally, I'd advise
>that you avoid Ebay.
>
>Check out Linksys and AVM Fritzbox ATAs via Froogle or a site such as
>broadbandstuff.co.uk

What do you think of the VoIP.co.uk Ethernet MTA? £50 but it includes
the support, and obviously the first years subscription.

[ Post a follow-up to this message ]