Comments on: SIPphone.com puts out another IM/voice Skype alternative

By: MrBlog

MrBlog — Fri, 17 Mar 2006 17:37:12 +0000

I’ve heard that some of these "free" VoIP services have expiration times on the money you put into the account. I read some terms that seemed to indicate some of them expire the funds every 90 days, and require a minimum, so really they are "charging" $10 every 90 days, at a minimum (or whatever their minimums and expirations periods are). Have you run into that?

I wouldn’t say a Voicepulse VoIP DID is *exactly* like a POTS line. You still won’t have service when the net is down or if the power goes out; and you have no 911 (and no 411, no 511 etc.), no listing in the local phone directory and so on

By: John Draper

John Draper — Fri, 17 Mar 2006 17:16:48 +0000

I looked at damaka… Darn, so they are not available on the Mac yet… that sucks. But that’s OK, because I have the cheapest phone phone system available.. Using incoming from voicepulse $11/month for a number in any of 18 countries. And viopStunt for outgoling, I can call 18 countries for FREE… They (voipStunt) do have restrictions, and they are not very willing to tell you what they are, and they require a $10 deposit to start service, but won’t take any of this money unless you go over their UNKNOWN quota. Calls and mail to them is not possible. They do have a forms page, but sending any questions to them will NOT solicit a response.

I’m running Asterisk on my G4 Mac. Using the IAX card from Diguim (It’s only $70). So for $11 month, I get a home number – it looks, feels and smells just like a normal POTS phone… only thing though, is the ring is generated locally. Prolly comes from the Diguim card. Plus I get free calling to 18 countries. Even Turky and China calls are now free.

John

By: Dennis

Dennis — Tue, 03 Jan 2006 17:18:29 +0000

Check out this coool SIP based collobaration product from Damaka (www.damaka.com). They recently released SIP based Peer to Peer Video and Custom Picture last week.

Damaka (www.damaka.com) does Audio calls, Audio CONFERENCE (nobody in the industry does conference), Instant Message, SMS, Video Calls, Voice Mail, Custom Pictures, and Encrypted Signaling and Media and they do all this truly Peer to Peer (P2P) without any need of any servers in the middle to store your voice mails or pictures.

Check it out. http://www.damaka.com

By: Jarz Corp

Jarz Corp — Wed, 06 Jul 2005 22:14:50 +0000

Okay I am a 64bit linux user, so Skype isnt really an option for me. But after reading about Gizmo, Skype is history anyway. Regarding the strategy being messy. This is to be expected from a company that 1. Is closed-source. 2. Doesn’t make their software themselves, but has it made by "secret" coders in latvia and the Skype people "only" doing the hyping and the making the project decissions themselves.

By: Rajmohan

Rajmohan — Mon, 04 Jul 2005 06:17:52 +0000

I wonder which SIP draft/standard are they using? Its ok that Gizmo is based on SIP but there aren’t any viable/standardized SIP drafts out there? Hence interoperability with other SIP implementations is a bit difficult.

Any idea which SIP draft(s)/rfc(s) is Gizmo based on?

By: MrBlog

MrBlog — Sun, 03 Jul 2005 05:28:48 +0000

Stuart, I agree.

In terms of Vonage and mobile operators, they are essentially walled gardens (although Vonage peered for a while).

However, essentially all the Free SIP providers are interoperable as well as the SIP.edu project, many universities, and business PBXs, enum.org, and many other networks. Skype doesn't peer with any of them.

Specifically, among the free P2P calling services, only Skype refuses to interoperate. FWD, SIPphone, EarthLink. and the rest all support and encourage it.

I don't think it's impossible to imagine Gizmo open-source. There might be some restrictions, but I'd bet Mr. Robertson could be pursuaded, with the right business-case.

By: Geoff

Geoff — Sun, 03 Jul 2005 01:30:55 +0000

Just run both programs at once until you can manage a transition. Or never transition at all…

By: Stuart Henshall

Stuart Henshall — Sat, 02 Jul 2005 19:16:57 +0000

David,
Vonage doesn't operate with Skype (unless it is via the PSTN) and similarly with Gizmo. All the mobile operators have the same approach a walled garden.

If Skype would sell me a SIP number and thus the interoperability you suggest, I'd pay just like I do for SkypeIn. I want to be more connected not less. It will be about the client or combinations of clients in the end depending on form factors etc.

The most powerful new thing in Gizmo today is the easy power to record the call. I know people that will switch from Skype for that. They need the records of their calls to manage their business.

It's not much to make users tip to another client. Skype is on a hairy edge and their innovation has slowed and their strategy is "messy" at the moment.

Let's get Gizmo open source and with an open API. Then let it rip. Guess that is n't possible.