VOIP app (softphone) recommendations

I'm new to the VoIP world - I understand the broad principles, but I've not actually made use of VoIP in practice. (Well, of course I've used proprietary VoIP through WhatsApp, Skype and other such services, but I mean open-standards VoIP.)

I'm moving shortly and want to take my lightly-used landline number with me as a VoIP service. I am totally aware that porting my number over to VoIP will cease my FTTC broadband service - that's fine, I'll make do with a mobile broadband solution in the interim period before I move out and into the new place.

I'm going to port my landline number to sipgate. I need a VoIP app or 'softphone' for my Android mobile. I'm quite happy to pay a reasonable amount. I don't need anything particularly complex, though an app that can have a second VoIP number attached to it (for potemtial future use) would be useful.

Given that the number likely won't see many incoming calls, I don't want an app that will hammer my mobile's battery life.

What do the congoscenti here recommend?

Many thanks.

Acrobits. Either Softphone or Groundwire. Both are great and well worth the minor one time outlay.

CSIPSimple was(is) excellent (and free) but was 'abandoned' by its developer a few years back. It allows multiple accounts - I have not tried the other free ones but have yet to find another that does. The apk is still available if your phone is compatible - the app is no longer hosted on 'Play'.

In reply to a post by Pheasant:

Acrobits. Either Softphone or Groundwire. Both are great and well worth the minor one time outlay.

+1

It uses "push" notifications to avoid the app draining battery waiting for incoming calls. I was able to buy a single copy and have it available to other members of my Play store family account.

In reply to a post by Pheasant:

Acrobits. Either Softphone or Groundwire. Both are great and well worth the minor one time outlay.

I second that, I got groundwire two weeks ago and it's been excellent, out of all the VOIP apps i have tried its the only one that push notifies when someone calls.

In reply to a post by mikejp:

CSIPSimple was(is) excellent (and free) but was 'abandoned' by its developer a few years back. It allows multiple accounts - I have not tried the other free ones but have yet to find another that does. The apk is still available if your phone is compatible - the app is no longer hosted on 'Play'.

It is a pity that this app does not work on later versions of Android. I have GrandStream Wave (aka GS Wave) working with a Sipgate account. It was free.

In reply to a post by candlerb:

In reply to a post by Pheasant:

Acrobits. Either Softphone or Groundwire. Both are great and well worth the minor one time outlay.

+1

It uses "push" notifications to avoid the app draining battery waiting for incoming calls. I was able to buy a single copy and have it available to other members of my Play store family account.

Yes the push functionality is well thought out and neatly executed, as it uses the native system calls/capability within either Android or iOS on the handset and their own server backend which talks to whomever is your SIP provider in the background.

Great that you can move between usual location and say Australia and keep receiving (and making calls) all in the background. I’ve not seen any ill effects on battery life.

Also very simple one click, if one is using multiple accounts, to select the default “line” for outbound calls. Inbound with multiple lines/numbers/accounts is totally seamless though.

Nice touch as you say being able to “share” the app with other family users.

I use Zoiper, it has a free version that you can test with.

Thanks
Dan

In reply to a post by Pheasant:

Acrobits. Either Softphone or Groundwire. Both are great and well worth the minor one time outlay.

Yes the push functionality is well thought out and neatly executed, as it uses the native system calls/capability within either Android or iOS on the handset and their own server backend which talks to whomever is your SIP provider in the background.

I too am looking at softphone software do you happen to know if Acrobits has the facility to ignore callers depending on the caller id? Can you send Unavailable or International caller id numbers to voicemail?

On the native Android capability will Acrobits continue to work when Google removes the SIP calling feature from Android that was rumoured?

For the sake of a few £'s should you just get Groundwire? Does Groundwire have any disadvantages?

Thanks

Edited by think26872 (Tue 08-Mar-22 19:44:32)

In reply to a post by think26872:

I too am looking at softphone software do you happen to know if Acrobits has the facility to ignore callers depending on the caller id? Can you send Unavailable or International caller id numbers to voicemail?

I have Groundwire and deliberately left it quite vanilla, but there is the capability for some inbound call processing. See:
- Conditions
- Actions

I haven’t honestly played with these settings, so how well Acrobits does or doesn’t do what you want I can’t hand on heart say. You’d have to check that yourself.

On the native Android capability will Acrobits continue to work when Google removes the SIP calling feature from Android that was rumoured?

I don’t think it should affect it, as Acrobits runs its own SIP stack, but for total certainty that’s a question best posed to Acrobits: [email protected]

For the sake of a few £'s should you just get Groundwire? Does Groundwire have any disadvantages?

Not much in it, a couple of quid one off. Groundwire includes conferencing (and simulataneous calls/multi line) and call transfer functionality that Softphone does not.

I have to agree with Pheasant, that Groundwire is good, personally if I was choosing between an option that has considerably more for under a tenna, I would, and in my case I did.

Am i correct thinking you can request a refund on the app stores if you are not happy with the app if its used for under 30 days or a week.

If I am that's always an option to test it.

Personally I don't think you will find better than groundwire, if you do by all means tell us, i'm sure everyone in the thinkbroadband community is always striving for better and i'm sure some would try it out.

I would say more about the app but I have only had it a little while now and am still finalising changes and using it more as a trial and test before i migrate to sipgate VOIP completely.

In reply to a post by Pheasant:

I have Groundwire and deliberately left it quite vanilla, but there is the capability for some inbound call processing. See:
- Conditions
- Actions
I haven’t honestly played with these settings, so how well Acrobits does or doesn’t do what you want I can’t hand on heart say. You’d have to check that yourself.

Fantastic thanks for the screenshots - it certainly looks like something may be possible.

In reply to a post by RR_The_IT_Guy:

I would say more about the app but I have only had it a little while now and am still finalising changes and using it more as a trial and test before i migrate to sipgate VOIP completely.

It looks like it may be possible to set a condition of "Doesn't Start With " probably 44 (i.e. not a UK call - this should cover international and any call without a caller id) and set an Action of "Reject Call" or "Forward Call". I guess it will depend if either of these actions will end up at Sipgates Voicemail?

Thanks

A lot of spam calls are using faked CID headers to appears as if they are UK calls or even calls from specific organisations such as banks. I'm not sure blocking anything outside of +44 will necessarily work.

Also my two peneth worth is that Sipgate originated number ranges seem to suffer less spam than those from the PSTN ranges. I get more spam calls and texts on my mobile than I do landline these days

In reply to a post by Pheasant:

A lot of spam calls are using faked CID headers to appears as if they are UK calls or even calls from specific organisations such as banks. I'm not sure blocking anything outside of +44 will necessarily work.

Also my two peneth worth is that Sipgate originated number ranges seem to suffer less spam than those from the PSTN ranges. I get more spam calls and texts on my mobile than I do landline these days

Thanks - yes !44 will not be ideal but it would certainly help on my BT line so having the facility is a factor in my eventual move to VOIP even if as you say I may not need it which would be great and another positive of VOIP.

Just wondering if anyone has noticed Acrobits Softphone / Groundwire ever being on sale?

In reply to a post by think26872:

Just wondering if anyone has noticed Acrobits Softphone / Groundwire ever being on sale?

Out of interest how much are you ultimately hoping to pay when its on sale compared to its regular price?

In reply to a post by dect:

In reply to a post by think26872:

Just wondering if anyone has noticed Acrobits Softphone / Groundwire ever being on sale?

Out of interest how much are you ultimately hoping to pay when its on sale compared to its regular price?

I just want to pay a good price - why pay more if if don't have to.

If they had a time of the year where they usually discount by 50% or 75% I would rather purchase it then.

In reply to a post by think26872:

I just want to pay a good price - why pay more if if don't have to.

If they had a time of the year where they usually discount by 50% or 75% I would rather purchase it then.

I'm all for saving money but when something is only a few quid to start with the savings are likely to be pennies and you could wait 12 months to get it.

Not noticed tbh. Can’t actually see the price now on the store, as it’s a one time purchase. Covers a family sub too, so you and up to 5 family members could each download a copy and install on all your devices.

If you had separate Sipgate subs, you could have up to 6 ‘free’ landlines…

😎

Edit - checked…Groundwire was £9.99 when I bought it last year. Softphone looks like it’s £5.99. So no change

Edited by Pheasant (Thu 31-Mar-22 12:31:07)

In reply to a post by Pheasant:

Edit - checked…Groundwire was £9.99 when I bought it last year. Softphone looks like it’s £5.99. So no change

I bought Softphone at £5.99 last October, and replaced my Cisco ATA. Great app.

In reply to a post by Pheasant:

Acrobits. Either Softphone or Groundwire. Both are great and well worth the minor one time outlay.

Thank you kindly - ditto to all the other posters in this thread - lots of helpful stuff here.

Re the two Acrobits apps - what does the extra £2.50 for the Groundwire app buy me over and above what I'd get with their Softphone app?

Anything likely to be genuinely useful for someone who'll probably be a light user, or will it just buy me lots of extra features (i.e. extra complications!) that I don't need?

I don't want to miss out on a really useful feature, but likewise I don't want to make life more complicated than it needs to be!

Edited by binary (Tue 03-May-22 21:20:57)

I'm looking at Linphone at the moment which looks good for 'light users.' - and is FREE!

Sure. As I posted above:

“Not much in it, a couple of quid one off. Groundwire includes conferencing (and simulataneous calls/multi line) and call transfer functionality that Softphone does not.”

https://faq.acrobits.net/softphone-and-groundwire

In reply to a post by mikejp:

I'm looking at Linphone at the moment which looks good for 'light users.' - and is FREE!

Linphone is OK too but either of the Acrobits apps are better imho. I’ve used both.

How good is Zoiper? Easy to setup/use? I am in the processing my number to AA but want to try out an app on my phone to see if I can make/get incoming calls.

Why not just download it and try for yourself? There’s a wide choice of soft phone apps out there. You’ll pretty quickly work out which ones you like and those you don’t.

I made the argument above for Acrobits / Groundwire. I think it’s got some great features and integration with push architecture of smartphones so the app does not need to be running on the background to accept calls. A vital element in my book.

In reply to a post by ady702:

How good is Zoiper? Easy to setup/use? I am in the processing my number to AA but want to try out an app on my phone to see if I can make/get incoming calls.

It's OK, and it will get you going. But you'll probably find it eats battery, compared to Acrobits.

Thanks will give it a try as I still have no internet thanks to Openreach/or whoever cuts trees.....