List of residential VOIP providers

Anyone know of a list of current residential VOIP providers (and ideally some feedback on using them) ? Otherwise who are you using and how good ?

It would probably be better to post in the VOIP forum.

I use Sipgate Basic PAYG and have had no problems with it. As it says it a Basic no frills service and may not meet your requirements. I don't use it so much now with unlimited minutes and Wi-Fi calling on my mobile.

Ditto. Sipgate Basic since 2012. Echo all your comments. No frills but good.

I also happily use sipgate basic - but only for incoming calls for the few people who don't call a mobile (mainly scammers these days). For all outgoing calls we use mobile. No ongoing payments is a great deal.

Sipgate is really good, there service works rather well been using it for to many years. The rates are good. I make calls to various nations like France, Germany, USA, Austraila etc and rates are good. Also made VoIP calls with them when I was not in the UK without an issue like Spain, USA. I remember those days ;(

One best featues is the call log on there web site. It logs all out going and in comming calls even when I have no VoIP connection to them. It a good gotcha when some says did call me and they didn't and they dont reailse I can prove it.

They also do not charge for Voicemail, that can e-mail the Voicemail on to you.

There is one issue with sipgate. Depending on your view point it, it blocks incoming (SMS) Text-Voice service. So can not use it as number for SMS authentication services.

The support fix any issues that had rather quickly once told them about an issue, just wish landline services could fix things as quickly.

Edited by amiga_dude (Wed 16-Jun-21 12:35:52)

In reply to a post by amiga_dude:

There is one issue with sipgate. Depending on your view point it, it blocks incoming (SMS) Text-Voice service. So can not use it as number for SMS authentication services.

They also used to have a 2 hour call time limit, so the call would drop. Not usually a problem as you just redial. Bit of a hassle on longer conference calls, but to be honest we mostly use Teams, Zoom, Skype now anyway for that.

On Sipgate basic, never make outgoing calls so never pay anything, it works well for a basic service.

Another vote for Sipgate. Been using them for years and they provide a great quality/value service.

voipfone
yay.com
sipgate

In reply to a post by aquiss:

voipfone
yay.com
sipgate

I use Voipfone with the option of having a "landline" number which costs £3.60 a month. Call rates are 1.2ppm to 01/02/03 numbers but a stiff 9ppm to UK mobiles.

What would be the equivalent costs with Yay and Sipgate?

2 hour call time limit

The same as virgin media's normal VOIP phone service or at least every time I hit two hours it drops the call, really annoying when you have to call any customer services as you get through then it hangs up.

I also forgot to say that skype do a VOIP service for relatively cheap.

Edited by RR_The_IT_Guy (Thu 17-Jun-21 10:24:00)

I use a small UK based provider port5060 who are rebranding to VoIpify https://www.voipify.net

They do charge for UK landline numbers, but that is small, charge rates are extremely good and for te USA, 1p/minute at all times for both landline and mobile.

Various plans and call bundles are available on Sipgate.

The Sipgate Basic service with no add ons doesn’t have a monthly sub charge. You get a landline number to use the service. You can nominate the area code you want for that number. If you wish to port an existing landline number to them you can for around £30 (from memory).

Ordinary call charges (without a bundle) are here

For most local/national/UK mobile outbound calls I tend to use my monthly inclusive minutes on mobile now in preference before landline. There are some exceptions, but you can work out what’s best based on your call patterns and volumes.

In reply to a post by Pheasant:

Various plans and call bundles are available on Sipgate.

The Sipgate Basic service with no add ons doesn’t have a monthly sub charge. You get a landline number to use the service. You can nominate the area code you want for that number. If you wish to port an existing landline number to them you can for around £30 (from memory).

Ordinary call charges (without a bundle) are here

For most local/national/UK mobile outbound calls I tend to use my monthly inclusive minutes on mobile now in preference before landline. There are some exceptions, but you can work out what’s best based on your call patterns and volumes.

From the information provided, there doesn't seem to be much of a difference between Voipfone and Sipgate for a basic service but with one exception, it appears that there is no charge for an 01 style number. for you to use. I guess for many that may be good enough reason to use Sipgate.

From Voipfone your free number is in the range of 056 which is moderately expensive to call.

In reply to a post by trolleybus:

From Voipfone your free number is in the range of 056 which is moderately expensive to call.

The other downside to that approach is that your number doesn't appear like an 'ordinary' local area coded landline number. For that I definitely prefer the Sipgate approach to available numbering.

I've used AAISP for years one of the best providers for voip. Their outbound rates are not as competitve as some but as others said use your mobile or with voip you can use another provider for outbound rates depending on your setup. You can do things like redirect to another number if SIP not registered, setup phone menus, email to voicemail all in the contorl panel.

https://www.aa.net.uk/voice-and-mobile/voip-informat...

The best thing is the price £1.20 inc vat per number. You can port in existing numbers (it's complex and takes time but same with other providers). Bronze numbers free for that price or you can get more premium numbers for little bit more. Originally to get a good number I brought from another voip provider that was pay monthly and ported number to get better price.

In reply to a post by Pheasant:

In reply to a post by trolleybus:

From Voipfone your free number is in the range of 056 which is moderately expensive to call.

The other downside to that approach is that your number doesn't appear like an 'ordinary' local area coded landline number. For that I definitely prefer the Sipgate approach to available numbering.

Yes 056 numbers aren't great to use and will often see caller's using that number range will be ignored or blocked. Sipgate is not unique in providing regular 01/02 numbers for their end users; it is just that the monthly rental for the number from them is quite low., I think someone said it was free.

In reply to a post by trolleybus:

In reply to a post by Pheasant:

In reply to a post by trolleybus:

From Voipfone your free number is in the range of 056 which is moderately expensive to call.

The other downside to that approach is that your number doesn't appear like an 'ordinary' local area coded landline number. For that I definitely prefer the Sipgate approach to available numbering.

Yes 056 numbers aren't great to use and will often see caller's using that number range will be ignored or blocked. Sipgate is not unique in providing regular 01/02 numbers for their end users; it is just that the monthly rental for the number from them is quite low., I think someone said it was free.

Correct for the Basic variant of Sipgate, which many of us use, there is no monthly charge. So you only pay for whatever outbound calls you make. Otherwise for inbound calls it’s effectively free to use.

how does the number import take (from your experience)?

In reply to a post by Taras:

how does the number import take (from your experience)?

*long* possibly ?

Hi Zarjaz 😁

If planning to port a BT number to A&A, would using *21*mobile number# before starting the porting process so as to hopefully not loose any incoming calls, work, or would it mess up the process, or cause any problem once number ported? Sounds too easy if OK !

The current BT tariff I am on includes diverted calls as part of the inclusive calls. (Could not believe it when I checked my BT Bill)

Cheers!

In reply to a post by Taras:

how does the number import take (from your experience)?

Depends on a number of factors, including from which provider the number is being ported. Porting into sipgate was roughly 7 to 10 working days pre-pandemic.

Edited by Pheasant (Tue 10-Aug-21 16:59:38)

would be from bt, 7 to 14 working days is fine to bearable ..

In reply to a post by Taras:

would be from bt, 7 to 14 working days is fine to bearable ..

That was in 2018. You need to check with A&A on porting timescales. Sipgate were warning of delayed to BT-originated numbers at the start of the pandemic. Might now be all back to normal now.

+1 for AAISP, but I do need to have a look at sipgate

it won't be till the end of the year at the earliest and maybe july of next year

In reply to a post by timandhaylea:

+1 for AAISP

another +1 for AAISP, ported in my old Plusnet number which ceased my FTTC when I moved to cable. (FTTC upload was too slow for my needs, pre pandemic!).

I started a port process from PSTN under PlusNet to A&A last Thursday evening - agreed cut over date is Friday

Definitely +1 for AAISP, especially if you want to port your phone number. Small monthly charge and generally very cheap call rates.

Alternatively I also give a +1 for Flextel, but I don't believe they do porting. The reason I mention Flextel is because I like their ability to display the caller ID except the last three digits if the number if withheld. You can also block the withheld caller ID via the email notification or via the control panel (even though you don't know the last three digits). Optional monthly charge if you want to buy prepaid minutes, otherwise pay as you go depending on activity but call rates aren't as cheap as AAISP.

Edited by Ixel (Wed 11-Aug-21 09:36:31)

In reply to a post by Taras:

would be from bt, 7 to 14 working days is fine to bearable ..

Minimum 10 working days for a migration. Not sure if that's for broadband only or includes landlines.

Edited by j0hn83 (Wed 11-Aug-21 14:10:22)

In reply to a post by Kenneth:

I started a port process from PSTN under PlusNet to A&A last Thursday evening - agreed cut over date is Friday

Thank you 😊