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Re: So is VOIP still shit ?

In article <gkKFk.23708$0D6.13798@newsfe01.ams2>,
Phil McKerracher <usenet@mckerracher.net> wrote:
>"uruy" <plsdont@spammegoaway.com> wrote in message
>news:m-Odne6i1dab9nzVnZ2dneKdnZydnZ2d@bt.com...
>>
>>
>>> Just wondered last time I checked it was :)
>>
>> with gradwell and a grandstream on a BT line
>> its PERFECT
>>
>> Voice quality is BETTER than the voice on PSTN BT line
>
>Well, it's digital rather than analogue so you would expect that. You would
>also expect it to be cheaper.

Why?

And this is something that really irritates me - not just because I
(try to) make a living out of VoIP...

Now, I'm coming at this from a business angle rather than home/personal,
so bear with me...

Someone has to pay for "it". It being the data connection (your
broadband), a server somewhere for your phones to register to, and some
sort of PSTN interconnect service.

Sure - Calls can be free in the same "network" - sipgate to sipgate,
office to office and so on, and there are various free interconnect
services, (betamax), but in-general someone has to spend time setting
it up, and time isn't free.

Now, I'm sure you all know about the various betamax offerings, etc. but
seriously - use them for business? Personally I'd say no. How much time
and effort will you spend making it all work? Will you pay someone like
me 350 quid an day to make it work for you? Unlikely...

>The problems with VoIP are the extra delay (hence more noticeable echo and
>"hollowness"), the poor reliability (due to contention, immature firmware,
>power failures etc.) and poor availability (e.g. problems dialling free,
>premium rate or emergency numbers, no broadband access and so on).

Delay isn't an issue for VoIP to VoIP calls - well, in the same country
with reasonable network connections. I have successfully made phone
calls from Oz to the UK via VoIP and they were none the wiser. (It was
the only way I had to call my banks 0845 number when they kindly blocked
my card - it cost me a few quid in hotel broadband fees, but at least I
got m card back!

Echo is an issue when you interconnect with the PSTN, but technology
has improved to the extent it shouldn't be an issue anymore. I only get
issues now with very long analogue lines, but there are still ways round
it.

As for reliability - well you get what you pay for! You use a cheap
ISP and a cheap VoIP service then you'll get a cheap service! As for
power - well get a UPS! How many people here now only have DECT phones
these days?  Do you think the base station will work in a power cut?

And what problems are there dialling free, premium rate or emergency
numbers? Oh sorry I forgot - I only work with business solutions. You
want to dial a free number over my network - go ahead. (I'll pay for
the bandwidth, but in-general that's OK) 999? Yup, that works too,
and if you can afford it, I'm more than happy for you to dial 09xxx
numbers... (Although I block them by default and make you sign a bit of
paper and pay in advance if you want to dial them!)

>I'd be interested to know if anyone feels these problems are being solved,
>and whether VoIP is mature enough yet to use as the primary line, without
>PSTN or mobile backup.

It's all about risk management which is not always about money. Sure, I
can save most SMEs money on phone calls and the cost of kit like ISDN2
lines, but only if they are prepared to make an investment in their
connectivity - use a business quality ISP, good routers and if
necessary a separate ADSL line for VoIP. I have many customers right
now where VoIP is their only method of making and making calls.
They've weighed up the risks and taken that decision - they have a
fall-back position, even if it's only 1 or 2 analogue lines carrying
their ADSL, but it's still something. My local competitors have several
busy call-centres purely using VoIP too - how demanding do you think call
centres are?

And for the really small business with just one line - well, what I do
is sell them flexibility. I don't want to take that line away from them,
but what I want to do is make their life easier. Eg. An install I'm
doing on Tuesday - small company, 4 staff, one analogue line for calls
and one for fax. I'll be installing a PBX and 4 (VoIP) phones, then they will
be able to make outgoing calls while an incoming call is being handled,
and their incoming faxes will be delivered as emails. They won't be saving
money for a long time, (if ever!) but they will gain flexibility. VoIP
gives them 2 things - one is a simplified office wiring and the other
is flexibility in outgoing call handling. The PBX gives them a shared
phone book of 600 entries, a way to transfer calls, voicemail, etc.,
etc., ...

Oops - well, I've ranted enough!

Gordon

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