Unsure about VoIP services.

Hey,

So I’ve recently had my street get enabled for FTTP and I’ve placed an order which is going to be installed within the next couple of weeks.

I’m currently with Virgin which gives me TV, Phone and Broadband as an all in one package deal and it’s the virgin telephone line I currently use for phone calls (Don’t have a smart phone).

However, I have found myself watching less and less TV over the last 5 or so years and only had Virgin broadband for the faster speed Openreach couldn’t match until now. So the only thing stopping me from saying goodbye to Virgin (and their horrible, horrible network latency) for good is the phone line.

This is why I’d like to sort out getting a VoIP service working on my new FTTP line and also before I’m forced to do so in a few years anyway.

This is where I start to get frustrated and confused and is why I’m here.

Is there currently a reliable service available from somewhere that can replace my existing virgin landline deal for an equivalent monthly price?

By this I mean a VoIP service that offers free calls to standard landline and mobile numbers at any time of day until 60 minutes has passed (Virgins Talk More Anytime) with emergency calls, caller ID and where I can still have say 3-4 handsets (not mobile phones and their apps) attached to an answering phone?

Trying to find a VoIP company/service that seems both reliable and offers the above has proved challenging where by it seems like some might do one part of what I want but I then can’t figure out for sure if they do the rest of it or worse I find that it’s meant for businesses.

I’m ok paying a reasonably large one off setup cost for new handsets and answer phone as I appreciate new phone standards might require investing in new phone hardware. But I would still want the monthly price (including calls) to be no more then what I’m paying virgin now.

As far as I can tell BT is not an option because my FTTP is not with them and it never will be. I’m looking for a service that will run no matter who the ISP is so if I end up switching in a year or two the phone will still work which to me seems to be the only major advantage of being forced to switch to a VoIP service.

Any advice appreciated.

Since you do not say what Virgin media costs you per month it impossible to say what the cost comparison would be or what is best but if you want a landline equivalent then VOIP is the way to go whichever ISP that you use and as you say when you change your ISP the phone service stays the same.

It needs to be noted that with VOIP if your internet if off your phone is off is off but that is the only potential downside.

A large number of VOIP providers are available and there are inclusive call packages available with a much higher monthly fee, low monthly fee packages with all calls chargeable and a few that have a small monthly fee that includes a limited number of free calls as part of the fee and other calls all other chargeable.

I considered these three:

(1). Voipfone who offer a choice of call packages including some with inclusive calls.

https://www.voipfone.co.uk/

(2). Andrew Arnold who offer a low base cost, no free calls and a reasonable, (but not a low) call cost per minute.

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

(3). Voipify who have a monthly fee of £4.80 per month which includes 200 minutes of free 01/02 calls and all chargeable calls outside of the call package being very low cost. (From 0.6p per minute including VAT).


https://www.voipify.net/?mtm_cid=235201820&mtm_kwd=&...


https://www.voipify.net/call-charges/


Personally, I chose Voipify and I am happy with them. (I also have a Sipgate Starter Account but these are ending).

Regarding equipment: when I changed to VOIP I decided upon Gigaset and I used a Gigaset N300a base station and six Gigaset C575 Dect phones attached wirelessly to it. - It is really good equipment.

At the end of the day you will need to google yourself and make a choice.

Regards,
Fido

A comprehensive reply for the OP to consider.

Me, I use a variety of phones with different connection methods, but for someone new to VoIP the Gigaset products are a good choice. I am with Voipfone whose free to ring help desk is excellent. Never found their call packages economically advantageous considering their low PAYG rates and the ability to call other Voipfone customers for free,

Routers from the broadband supplier may allow a VoIP service from any hosted supplier to be configured into their hardware thus enabling perfectly good existing phones to be used.

Porting charges vary from company to company with the possibility of an exit charge from the looser.

With VOIP I have never bothered porting a landline number since your VOIP provider will allow you to choose a new local phone number, (from a list of available numbers), for free and if you do not port the old copper number you can run it in parallel while you change over to VOIP. - Also, with a new local VOIP number, (which looks the exactly the same as a copper line number), any nuisance calls that are associated with your old number disappear. - We have not had a nuisance call since changing to VOIP and choosing a new VOIP number.

A lot of VOIP providers tend to have a rolling one month contract period, (Voipify do), so if you do not like one VOIP Provider you can easilly change to another and if you use a Gigaset N300a as a base station you can control four separate VOIP providers/numbers at the same time for comparison purposes.

With a Gigaset Phone System there is something called Gigaset.net, (which is free to register to and is free to use but I have never used it), and this allows Gigaset to Gigaset calls to be made for free.

Personally, I would not bother with a large call package as per the old copper line system and would be more pay as you go. - eg. With Voipify: I am paying less than £6.00 per month, (including the line fee and all of the calls that I make), and if I was on the phone for an hour to an 01/02 number, (after the incluive 200 free minutes per month of free 01/02 calls are used up), it will only costs around 36 pence for the whole hour at 0.6 pence per minute include VAT.

Most of what you say is quite factual but it is down to the individual to decide whether to port a number over to DV for a fee or start afresh with a new number. The over riding advantage of keeping a number that you have had for decades, is that there isn't a need to advise contact of your new number. If you are bothered with nuisance calls, then VoIP has many tools to block rubbish calls.

As good as the Gigaset range of phones are, it is an option that doesn't suit everyone. A desktop phone suits me much better to be able to handle more efficiently the advance features of VoIP particularly multiple calls and conferencing.

Correct me if I am wrong, but I thought Voipify has a connection charge which rather skews statements in your last paragraph. Also of note is that calls to 01 numbers are not all at the same rate (eg IoM). A serious omission is that you don't mention the cost of calls to 03 numbers. Also beyond the 200 free minutes, call rates are quite expensive.

Do your sums again and tell me who is cheaper if you have 300 minutes of call time where no individual call duration is greater than a minute. Add into the equation half a dozen calls terminating in the IoM and 10 calls to different 03 numbers. And the lowest priced service provider is ..................

Ok, so first of all thanks for the replies.

Second, allow me to correct the cost I’m currently paying Virgin.

Unfortunately my Virgin bill does not seem to split the cost of each service to separate amounts so all it tells me is that I’m currently paying around £120 a month but that is for TV, Broadband and Landline Phone. If it did tell me what I was paying just for the phone I would have mentioned it in my first post.

So since that is still a non-answer I’ll simply say that I am/was looking for something around £30 a month and was willing to go as high as £40, if everything was as I needed it to be.

However, https://www.voipfone.co.uk seems like a good prospect as I see they offer an “Unlimited” package which seems to include landline and mobile numbers all for £20 a month.

This would be perfectly acceptable to me as I also see they offer caller ID as standard along with emergency services access. All I would ask in addition to that is do they allow you to register your address so emergency services know whose calling them?

What I’m still a bit unsure about is compatibility and service provider support when buying new hardware or being able to use current hardware.

It’s all well and good them saying they give you 30 day free trial but presumably I can’t connect up my: Panasonic KX-TGDA31E and KX-TG8521EB to a magic device that suddenly appears when I start the trial as well. I’d need to invest in buying some hardware to go along with that free trial.

If I buy a “Gigaset N300a” for example can I use it for any VoIP service? Do some companies only allow set hardware they provide or only allow customers to pick from a small list of devices for example?

Because I then fear buying something to try voipfone out with, find I don’t like them in the end, go to bestvoipservice.com or somewhere else instead only to find they only work with the “QuantumVoIP 5000” or something.

Or are there standard protocols for VoIP that makes sure it works with any company I go with and if a company limits hardware used then it’s probably not a good company to go with In the first place?

Additionally, would a “Gigaset N300a” allow me to connect my current non-VoIP phones to it? Is the “Gigaset N300a” a device that lets any phone work over the internet or would it still require me to buy new compatible handsets to go with it?

And if it doesn’t is there a device I could buy instead that would let me keep using my current handsets and answering machine? This would be a preferred solution.

Does what router I have matter in regards to phone/base device compatibility? In my mind it shouldn’t other then maybe needing to open a port on it. Other than that whatever device I buy to enable the service to work should just use the router like any other device to access the internet, right?

I plan to setup a basic PFSense configuration on an old PC as my FTTP router with two network cards in it for WAN and LAN. Will this work ok for VoIP services or does the router need to have some kind of special support/physical port for VoIP?

Also, I tried putting “Gigaset N300a” into Amazon UK and it doesn’t seem to be there, least not on the first 5 or so pages. Found a N300 but it had buying options which suggest it’s a discontinued product now and presumably the N300a is better. Typing in “VoIP Answering Machine” didn’t come up with any valid results that would fit those criteria either, unless I’m searching for the wrong thing?

I need a minimum of 3 handsets, with intercom and an answering machine, not voice mail. How would I go about getting this? As a one off setup cost I could go as high as £300-400, preferably closer to the £300 or less of course.

And while I appreciate that cheap, low monthly costs that charge @ 1p/m might still work out cheaper for most customers now they don’t have to pay line rental costs I think I will still save more by paying £20 a month as it’s not just me that uses the phone line and we make quite of lot of calls in a day, rough guess of maybe 5-6 hours a day, not limited to off-peak times either. Paying 0.6p/m would feel like we’re going back a couple of decades. I don’t like it. I much prefer a set monthly fee for unlimited use of the main numbers called.

As for keeping my number or getting a new one. I’m not that bothered either way about it. If I can keep it then great, if not then I’ll just change the answering machine message for a couple of months to let everyone know what the new number is and then end the virgin line.

To port or not to port that is the question; of course it is a personal choice to port or not and I was simply pointing out how easy a new VOIP number is to set up and that it could be beneficial not to port and start with a fresh number.

The reason why I mentioned the Gigaset N300a is that it can cope with at least 4 separate VOIP providers and multiple calls which is useful to compare different providers at first I considered an ATA but that was a lot of faff.

As I recall Voipify does not have any set up costs to join them and the ball park costs per month including are as just as I listed.

Regarding 03 numbers: - Yes, (as I was the one who originally pointed it out on another thread), Voipify 03 numbers do cost a bit more than extremely low cost Voipify 01/02 numbers (which is only 0.5 pence per minute plus VAT) but it is certainly not expensive when compared to other VOIP Providers since it is still a low call cost of around 1.5 pence per minute, (with is lower than most others and is broadly in line with AAISP), so it is not a high 03 cost and some types of calls do have a minuscule call connection cost but that is dancing around on the head of a pin and since I am just a user of the service I just provided links to what I see as three viable providers.

I did not refer to the fact the Voipfone only provide free 056 numbers which is sub-optimal or that AAISP insist on a Direct Debit.

When I was on a copper line I was paying about £19.00 per month for line rental and an unlimited call package but I did not make that many calls and a number of calls are excluded from calls packages.

The Voipfone £20.00 package does sound OK for you.

I am fairly sure that the N300a can be used with any VOIP provider and that it will also work with a copper line and at up to four separate VOIP Providers at the same time.

We previously had Panasonic Dect Phones and at first I used the N300a with my Panasonic Dect Phones which did work but the features on the panasonic dect phones went dumb and with gigaset phones all of the features work properly so I bought gigaset phones and gave the Panasonic phones away to a family member.

I usually buy direct from Amazon but at present it seems that there is lower stock but this seller, (who also operates via Amazon), appear to have some stocks.

https://ligo.co.uk/catalogsearch/result

Gigaset were formerly known as Siemens.

Regards,
Fido

Just to clarify the N300A: it can support up to 6 VOIP connections, plus one landline (which of course could allow a number of old phones to connect as if they were connected to an old master socket). The latter could connect either to an old landline or to a suitable connection on a router, e.q. the Fritz!Box 7530. The N300A, but not the N300, also has 3 independent answering machines.

Give VoIPify a call, I called them a few weeks ago regarding a VoIP service and their advice was extremely detailed and very helpful when I mentioned my specific requirements.

I recently had FTTP broadband installed/activated and am still currently using a PSTN landline with the same provider. My ADSL broadband was with a different provider and this I ceased a few weeks after the FTTP was up and running. Now I'm looking to move from PSTN voice to VoIP together with porting my phone number and with these issues I would certainly recommend having a noncommittal chat with VoIPify,

In reply to a post by Icgaln:

So since that is still a non-answer I’ll simply say that I am/was looking for something around £30 a month and was willing to go as high as £40, if everything was as I needed it to be.

However, https://www.voipfone.co.uk seems like a good prospect as I see they offer an “Unlimited” package which seems to include landline and mobile numbers all for £20 a month.

I would note that ISP bundled 'all inclusive' phone calls are typically £12 month(talktalk) to £18 month (BT), the Voipfone package appears to be £20+vat, so £24, which looks high in comparison, and compared to unlimited mobile calls looks vastly overpriced, I know there doesn't seem to be any cheaper alternative, but it winds me up that VoIP appears to be so expensive now Sipgate basic has gone.

What I feel like I’m now getting a little stuck on is understanding how the old phones, specifically the answering machine, would connect to the N300a or other VoIP base unit.

What I’m looking for is to take the rj11 cable coming out of the answering machine I’m currently using and being able to plug it into the N300a or other VoIP device and then having the N300a do its VoIP thing and allowing incoming calls to be taken via my answering machine just like it’s a handset.

Or buying a new answering machine that is VoIP compatible and connecting it up so it goes like this:

Answering machine > VoIP base unit > Local network > Internet > VoIP Service provider.

Nothing requiring router compatibility.

However, I’m strongly suspecting that is not what happens?

The handset of the answering machine would be compatible because it uses DECT, but the answering machine itself wouldn’t work because it would still need its rj11 cable to be physically plugged in to something to enable it to take calls, right?

Having now read about the N300a having an inbuilt answering machine is good but ultimately not helpful to me as when I say “answering machine” I mean a physical device my Dad can walk up to, press a button to activate it and turn it off and other buttons to play and go back to previous messages.

He is old and unwilling to learn new stuff and has never been great when dealing with technology to start with. “Hidden” menu options and “fiddling” around on a handset isn’t going to be an answering machine he will get on well with and I would prefer to keep the same functionality he currently has with large dedicated buttons and a speaker voice telling him things like “Answer Set” “You have 3 new messages. Message 1. Beep. Blah blah blah, Friday Two Fifteen, Message 2, etc...” All from a dedicated answering machine device.

You know, something like this:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Gigaset-AS405A-Cordless-Ans...

But with IP or VoIP in is product name.

Is this possible though as I can’t seem to find anything resembling a traditional answering machine on Amazon that has IP or VoIP?

This is what I’m currently looking at to do everything I want besides the answering machine:

https://www.broadbandbuyer.com/products/25844-gigase...

Is this comparable to the N300a? This new range seems to be all that is available to buy now from online stores that I’ve actually heard of and have used before. Gigaset has nothing current at the consumer level, only “pro” stuff it seems?

In reply to a post by burble:

In reply to a post by Icgaln:

So since that is still a non-answer I’ll simply say that I am/was looking for something around £30 a month and was willing to go as high as £40, if everything was as I needed it to be.

However, https://www.voipfone.co.uk seems like a good prospect as I see they offer an “Unlimited” package which seems to include landline and mobile numbers all for £20 a month.

I would note that ISP bundled 'all inclusive' phone calls are typically £12 month(talktalk) to £18 month (BT), the Voipfone package appears to be £20+vat, so £24, which looks high in comparison, and compared to unlimited mobile calls looks vastly overpriced, I know there doesn't seem to be any cheaper alternative, but it winds me up that VoIP appears to be so expensive now Sipgate basic has gone.

For the record there are several call plans available from Voipfone but whether they are value for money is very doubtful, even more so when they are based upon per user, per month.
Voipfone 100 £5
Voipfone 500 £10
Voipfone 1000 £15
Voipfone Unlimited £20
It is totally optional for you to subscribe to any of these plans and therefore you are on a PAYG basis. VoIP rates are typically very low, especially if they are based on per second billing, and it is pretty rare to have a connection charge. Do the maths and it is pretty clear that rarely will your call costs exceed the monthly call plan fee. A business with say 40 seats is clobbered with the "per user" fee and therefore even they won't gain financially with any plan.

So, let's ask the OP on having done the maths, whether he would personally be any better off with any call plan from any provider (BTs DV may be the exception)? I doubt it.

As a Voipfone customer, both at home and with the business, my home £5 deposit usually lasts about six weeks and for the business with 40 users, a £100 deposit lasts just well over a month. [Stats for May were: Total number of calls: 2080, Total call cost: £74.3520, Total call duration: 53:15:52]. A considerable number of the calls made were to mobile numbers.

Remember also that calls between customers on the Voipfone platform are free, so ringing the office frequently costs nothing. Get family members signed up with Voipfone and using the softphone app on their mobile and you can have free call either way without them having to pay penny month in, month out.

Go for Voipfone and you won't be disappointed and if you do have a problem with their service, the free help line is rapidly answered and often the issue is sorted in that one call.

With VoIP, why is it the people continue to recommend the Gigaset N300A as the built in answerphone facility is totally irreverent as the hosted VoIP service provides a more sophisticate service. Choose Gigaset by all means but go for the N300.

In reply to a post by Icgaln:

What I feel like I’m now getting a little stuck on is understanding how the old phones, specifically the answering machine, would connect to the N300a or other VoIP base unit.

What I’m looking for is to take the rj11 cable coming out of the answering machine I’m currently using and being able to plug it into the N300a or other VoIP device and then having the N300a do its VoIP thing and allowing incoming calls to be taken via my answering machine just like it’s a handset.

Or buying a new answering machine that is VoIP compatible and connecting it up so it goes like this:

Answering machine > VoIP base unit > Local network > Internet > VoIP Service provider.

Nothing requiring router compatibility.

However, I’m strongly suspecting that is not what happens?

The handset of the answering machine would be compatible because it uses DECT, but the answering machine itself wouldn’t work because it would still need its rj11 cable to be physically plugged in to something to enable it to take calls, right?

Having now read about the N300a having an inbuilt answering machine is good but ultimately not helpful to me as when I say “answering machine” I mean a physical device my Dad can walk up to, press a button to activate it and turn it off and other buttons to play and go back to previous messages.

He is old and unwilling to learn new stuff and has never been great when dealing with technology to start with. “Hidden” menu options and “fiddling” around on a handset isn’t going to be an answering machine he will get on well with and I would prefer to keep the same functionality he currently has with large dedicated buttons and a speaker voice telling him things like “Answer Set” “You have 3 new messages. Message 1. Beep. Blah blah blah, Friday Two Fifteen, Message 2, etc...” All from a dedicated answering machine device.

You know, something like this:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Gigaset-AS405A-Cordless-Ans...

But with IP or VoIP in is product name.

Is this possible though as I can’t seem to find anything resembling a traditional answering machine on Amazon that has IP or VoIP?

This is what I’m currently looking at to do everything I want besides the answering machine:

https://www.broadbandbuyer.com/products/25844-gigase...

Is this comparable to the N300a? This new range seems to be all that is available to buy now from online stores that I’ve actually heard of and have used before. Gigaset has nothing current at the consumer level, only “pro” stuff it seems?

That is how the N300a works. (however, the N300a does seem to be discontinued and is in now limited supply).. - The N300a has two ports and as i recall. one port s for an RJ45 lead to your internet connection and one port for a RJ11 lead to your copper line, (if you have one).

An issue for you could be that, (after it has been setup), the N300a functions are controlled by the handsets and you do not want that. - eg. We have set each handset screen to show the time and when we receive a call the caller ID pops up on all of the handset screens and you either answer or you don't. - If you do not answer the call it goes to answer and the caller can record a message and and your handset displays show a clear orange box on the screen to say that there is a message. - Messages are accessed via the handsets.

Most of us are just home users and we are not linked in any way to the VOIP providers that we use, (in my case at the present time it is Voipify and Sipgate), but some may have links to one of the providers.

You seem to want an inclusive package deal which is fine and at one time that would have been my own preference but their is only so much time that we use the phone each day and I find that paying a cheap rate is a good option plus the fact the we have mobiles with lots of free call minutes that we can use as well,

Regarding equipment; most of us know about the the equipment that we have chosen ourselves and if it is any good or not but for specifics about different equipment makes and types and compatibilities you are best calling the VOIP providers that I provided links to in my first post on this thread some of whom offer pre setup equipment and or liGo which is a supplier of various makes of equipment, (that can normally be purchased via Amazon)..

Calling the VOIP Providers may provide an insight as to how knowledgeable they are, how they will deal with you as a customer, also how their own call answer systems work if you decide on equipment that does not have a answer system included in the device and the difference and the call security of the call answer systems that they offer as part of their service and how their systems will operate with equipment that you see as meeting their needs but they are commercial companies.

Regards,
Fido

In reply to a post by Icgaln:

What I feel like I’m now getting a little stuck on is understanding how the old phones, specifically the answering machine, would connect to the N300a or other VoIP base unit.

What I’m looking for is to take the rj11 cable coming out of the answering machine I’m currently using and being able to plug it into the N300a or other VoIP device and then having the N300a do its VoIP thing and allowing incoming calls to be taken via my answering machine just like it’s a handset.

Or buying a new answering machine that is VoIP compatible and connecting it up so it goes like this:

Answering machine > VoIP base unit > Local network > Internet > VoIP Service provider.

Nothing requiring router compatibility.

However, I’m strongly suspecting that is not what happens?

The handset of the answering machine would be compatible because it uses DECT, but the answering machine itself wouldn’t work because it would still need its rj11 cable to be physically plugged in to something to enable it to take calls, right?

Yes. You probably want to be looking at an ATA (Analogue Telephone Adapter) instead which has an RJ45 for connection to the local network and an RJ11 for connection to the answering machine, wired phones and/or existing DECT base.

It's more boxes but the end-user experience is unchanged as you carry on using the existing answering machines and phones.

I've used Sipura/Linksys/Cisco ATAs in the past, however the only supported versions have restrictions on getting hold of firmware updates so I'd suggest looking at the Grandstream equivalents, e.g. HT801.

If you want to use your existing phones then Vonage is well worth considering. We've been using our Panasonic KX-TG8120E base station plus 3 handsets with no problem for several years now. We're currently on Vonage's Premium Mobile 1000 tariff -
£9.99/ month
£5 charge for delivery of pre-configured ATA
1000 min included UK non premium landline calls
1000 min included UK mobile calls.

For us it was simply plug the ATA into the router, connect the base station into the ATA, and good to go.

This package is more than enough for our needs and accommodates my wife's technophobia ... More than happy!

Edited by Mygri (Thu 08-Jun-23 14:18:22)

When I first went to VOIP my original plan was to use a Grandstream HT-812 ATA with my Panasonic KX-TGJ324EB phones but I could not get it to work.

An ATA may work for the OP as a lot of people do use them but when I first went to VOIP I did a few types of ATA and I could not get an ATA to work at all. - At the time it may have been something to do with Sipgate, (my sole VOIP Provider at the time), not having been set up properly to start with by Sipgate or the ATA not being compatible or the my router firewall settings/my not disabling SIP ALG but I put it in a demilitarized zone and made no difference as it would not work so I gave up on an ATA and I chose an N300a which was very easy to set up and it worked out of the box.

An ATA may work for the OP and it is worth considering and the Grandstream HT-812 seemed to be a good ATA.

In reply to a post by tdw42:

...You probably want to be looking at an ATA (Analogue Telephone Adapter) instead which has an RJ45 for connection to the local network and an RJ11 for connection to the answering machine, wired phones and/or existing DECT base.

It's more boxes but the end-user experience is unchanged as you carry on using the existing answering machines and phones.

...I'd suggest looking at...Grandstream...

That was the advice I got from VoIPify when I called them recently - not sure if they still recommend Grandstream ATA's though nor whether they can provide them pre-configured. However the OP may find it worth checking with other providers to see what they can offer in terms of pricing and recommended ATA's etc.

Edited by 4M2 (Thu 08-Jun-23 15:14:24)

In reply to a post by Fido:

That is how the N300a works. (however, the N300a does seem to be discontinued and is in now limited supply).. - The N300a has two ports and as i recall. one port s for an RJ45 lead to your internet connection and one port for a RJ11 lead to your copper line, (if you have one).

As a specific item teh N300A may not be available - however they also named it teh GO box a few years back when supplied with specific handset.

On te Giigaset website are several equivalents:

https://www.gigaset.com/hq_en/gigaset-as690-ip/ for example

My recommendation would be:

1) get a Fritz Box, e.g. a 7530. These sell for as little as £25 on eBay. You get a built in answerpfone and DECT Base station and you can plug in one analog corded phone as well. Fritz Boxes work well with Gigaset DECT phones but should also work with most other makes, although you may not get the full functionality.

2) Port your number to A&A for incoming and 999/0800 calls, £1.44 pcm.

3) Set up an account with Freevoipdeal (or another Dellmont label) and top up with €10 (+ €2 VAT and €0.50 servide charge added, so €12.50 in total), at todays exchange rate £10.74.
Set the caller ID for the account to your landline number so even when making outbound calls via freevoipdeal, people will see your correct number.
The €10 topup gives you 120 days of free calls (FUP applies) to UK geographical numbers and landlines in over 30 other countries (and mobiles in some countries as well),
After the 120 days, you pay appr. 1p per min to UK landlines and 1.2p per minute to UK mobiles.
See here for rates https://www.freevoipdeal.com/calling_rates/

I have been with frevoipdeal for over 10 years now and rarely had any problems. I switched incoming calls from analog POTS to A&A VoIP at the beginning of the year, fairly hassle free as well.

In reply to a post by MHC:

As a specific item teh N300A may not be available - however they also named it teh GO box a few years back when supplied with specific handset.

On te Giigaset website are several equivalents:

https://www.gigaset.com/hq_en/gigaset-as690-ip/ for example

Wow that is good to know.

The Gigaset GO Box 100 is still available from Amazon and from other sellers.

The thing that I really like about having all Gigaset Phones with a Gigaset Base Station is that it links together flawlessly and it was easy to set up.

Mixing different makes and systems can sometimes work OK and costs a bit less but it can be flaky in operation and sometimes does not function properly if at all. (eg. I am with Zen but I would not use the Zen supplied Fritzbox 7530 in some type of lashed together gaffer tape setup but that is a personal choice).

No doubt there are other equipment makers that can do the same as Gigaset and it is a pity that Panasonic do not make a device to link with their Panasonic Phones.

Older people can cope: As a 70 year old who is now older and unwilling to change - I find the Gigaset easy to use from the handset.

In reply to a post by Fido:

That is how the N300a works. (however, the N300a does seem to be discontinued and is in now limited supply).. - The N300a has two ports and as i recall. one port s for an RJ45 lead to your internet connection and one port for a RJ11 lead to your copper line, (if you have one).

When you say “and one port for a RJ11 lead to your copper line” it makes me question if the N300a still needs a traditional telephone line to allow the traditional handsets to work?

This would be no good for me as the plan is to only have 1 FTTP connection coming into the house. Nothing else.


I did take the advice to call someone.

I called voipfone and had a good chat with one of their sales guys.

They recommended the Grandstream HT-801.

According to them it will allow me to plug in my existing answering machine like it’s connected to a traditional telephone line. This is good.

However, what I then found out was that i can’t then have another VoIP base unit be registered on the same account/number without paying for a second unlimited package as they consider doing this to be two users and the HT-801 only supports traditional phones, not VoIP ones.

This is a little annoying because what i was hoping to do at this point was buy the HT-801 along with a Gigaset base unit with 3 handsets allowing me to just use the answering machine as an answering machine while having modern compatibility with the handsets.

Instead it looks like I’m going to have to use all my old handsets + answering machine while only using the HT-801. Ultimately, provided everything works like it does now i could live with this.

However, this is a little frustrating because i feel like it is going to significantly limit my ability to upgrade or change anything in the future because I will always want a traditional style answering machine which for some reason no one seems to manufacture as a VoIP enabled base station allowing multiple handsets to register with it. This is what I ultimately want.

So with that said: Does anyone know if there is a device that combines the ability of the HT-801 to allow the traditional answering machine to work while simultaneously working in parallel alongside new VoIP handsets that wouldn’t require 2x unlimited packages be paid for or continuing to pay for a traditional phone line?

Or, going back to the start of this post, is that what you’ve been trying to tell me the N300a does?

You can’t use “traditional” wired analogue handsets with any Gigaset base like an N300 IP - it’s *not* an Analogue Telephone Adapter (ATA) - it’s a DECT base with VoIP and analogue incoming line capability, for use with DECT wireless handsets be they from Gigaset (full function) or third party DECT like BT wireless handsets (partial functionality, basic calling essentially)

Clear as mud 👍

Ah, ok so it seems like my only options then are to use the HT-801 with my existing answering machine and handsets and hope they continue to work as they currently do or I pay double each month to have the answering machine on the HT-801 and a Gigaset VoIP base unit linked to 3 handsets working parallel together?

Can I ask why you are so set on using the existing analog answer machine?

You are taking te step to VoIP so why not move to digaital answermachine too?

In reply to a post by MHC:

Can I ask why you are so set on using the existing analog answer machine?

You are taking te step to VoIP so why not move to digaital answermachine too?

A good point you make there MHC. No need to mess around with local answering machines as you have better facilities using the hosted VoIP service which not only can store very many more messages than a local setup bit will also send a copy of the message left to your email account.

So whatever hardware you get, try to purchase something that does not have a local answering machine facility.

BTW, with a hosted arrangement, in the event of a local power cut your answerphone service in the cloud will still kick in.

That question was answered earlier in the thread I think

Having now read about the N300a having an inbuilt answering machine is good but ultimately not helpful to me as when I say “answering machine” I mean a physical device my Dad can walk up to, press a button to activate it and turn it off and other buttons to play and go back to previous messages.

He is old and unwilling to learn new stuff and has never been great when dealing with technology to start with. “Hidden” menu options and “fiddling” around on a handset isn’t going to be an answering machine he will get on well with and I would prefer to keep the same functionality he currently has with large dedicated buttons and a speaker voice telling him things like “Answer Set” “You have 3 new messages. Message 1. Beep. Blah blah blah, Friday Two Fifteen, Message 2, etc...” All from a dedicated answering machine device.

As I understand it with an ATA you can simply plug your present phone base station, (which has an intergrated answering machine), into it and it will work as it does now with a copper line and that was why I originally planned to use an ATA.

However, I could not get an ATA to register with my sole VOIP provider at the time Sipgate; possibly because Sipgate had not properly set the Sipgate Account up.

In reply to a post by Fido:

When I first went to VOIP my original plan was to use a Grandstream HT-812 ATA with my Panasonic KX-TGJ324EB phones but I could not get it to work.

An ATA may work for the OP as a lot of people do use them but when I first went to VOIP I did a few types of ATA and I could not get an ATA to work at all. - At the time it may have been something to do with Sipgate, (my sole VOIP Provider at the time), not having been set up properly to start with by Sipgate or the ATA not being compatible or the my router firewall settings/my not disabling SIP ALG but I put it in a demilitarized zone and made no difference as it would not work so I gave up on an ATA and I chose an N300a which was very easy to set up and it worked out of the box.

An ATA may work for the OP and it is worth considering and the Grandstream HT-812 seemed to be a good ATA.

We only have one FTTP connection with no copper line but your Router will have more than one RJ45 port and you can get unmanaged hubs/switches to create more RJ45 ports if you need more.

If a person cannot press a few buttons on a handset they cannot place telephone calls and if a person can make telephone calls they can use the handset to access an answering system in the base device in the same way that they can use a TV remote.

Speak with Voipify and ask LIGo about your equipment options.

On a separate point: you seem fixated on Voipfone because of the £20.00 call package, (which is fair enough), but it is plus VAT which brings it up to £24.00 and for some reason it does not seem to be per calendar month but is for a 30 day period which is much harder to keep track of and there are, (as all have), exclusions.

I am with Zen and they have Zen Digital Voice at £6.00 per month with 1,000 minutes of free calls but I have never used it as I do not want a VOIP service tied to the ISP but that may suit you.

I hope VOIP works out for you.

I would argue that there is no need for an answering machine with VOIP providers such as Voipfone.

If I don't answer a call, and the caller leaves a message, I get an email with a sound file containing the message. I can listen to this on my laptop or mobile phone. There will be a light on the Gigaset Dect phones showing that there has been a call which I could listen to if I wanted.

In reply to a post by ian72:

That question was answered earlier in the thread I think

Having now read about the N300a having an inbuilt answering machine is good but ultimately not helpful to me as when I say “answering machine” I mean a physical device my Dad can walk up to, press a button to activate it and turn it off and other buttons to play and go back to previous messages.

He is old and unwilling to learn new stuff and has never been great when dealing with technology to start with. “Hidden” menu options and “fiddling” around on a handset isn’t going to be an answering machine he will get on well with and I would prefer to keep the same functionality he currently has with large dedicated buttons and a speaker voice telling him things like “Answer Set” “You have 3 new messages. Message 1. Beep. Blah blah blah, Friday Two Fifteen, Message 2, etc...” All from a dedicated answering machine device.

Well now, don't let's forget that on many phones there is a dedicate button that you press to initiate reading back messages stored in the cloud. If there is no dedicate button, then holding down the '1' key does the same thing. Voice prompts guide you through the process.

No hardware to go wrong and a far greater storage capacity for messages than any other standalone device on the market.. There is nothing to learn to use a cloud base facility and if anything is far simpler to use than something that harks back to half a century ago.

You don't believe me? Well, you could it least run a trial that costs nothing to have and honestly come back to me to say he really couldn't cope with it all. Just a thought, how does he change channels on his TV set, a zapper or a walk over to the TV?

A Gigaset N500, or similar, should be your default purchase.

Not the N500 - no answer capability but it can be PoE.

In reply to a post by Michael_Chare:

I would argue that there is no need for an answering machine with VOIP providers such as Voipfone.

If I don't answer a call, and the caller leaves a message, I get an email with a sound file containing the message. I can listen to this on my laptop or mobile phone. There will be a light on the Gigaset Dect phones showing that there has been a call which I could listen to if I wanted.

+1

It’s not that he can’t press the buttons on a handset it’s that he won’t. If it isn’t what he’s already doing he doesn’t want to know. Same problem with email messages, he doesn’t have email. He doesn’t have a smart phone or laptop/PC either. He’s just sticking to what he knows which is buttons on an answering machine.

I’d love to get rid of the answering machine requirement. Things would be easier then. But alas he is an old man stuck in his ways and is unwilling to change so the ATA option seems like the only realistic option to take even though if I told him he either had to “fiddle” with a handset to get answering machine messages or pay double the price for a ATA and extra VoIP base station with handsets he would rather pay double. That’s how stuck in his ways he is.

However, I can also be stubborn and just on principle I’m not willing to pay for 2 separate packages for the same line/number, so ATA it is.

As to the plan I’m buying the way I see it is this:

If 1 hours usage = 36p and the phone gets used for 5 hours a day on average then each day would cost us, on average, £1.80?

Multiply this by 28 days per month and each month would cost us, on average, £50?

So the way I see it, paying £24 a month is a pretty good deal or am I missing something?

And in case you doubt the 5 hours per day usage. He doesn’t have a laptop or PC etc so isn’t sitting at home watching fluffy kittens on youtube all day or communicating via them. All his communication happens through the home phone line.

He’s president of a gardening club (Although I get told off for calling it that. It’s pronounced “horticultural club”. He also goes rambling, bird watching and is very active in the community in general so he is constantly talking to people on the phone, chatting and organizing things.

It’s frustrating for me because like you're probably thinking now as well, I know how much better and easier things would be if he did use email, had a smart phone for texts and basically got with the 21st century but he likes the personal touch, he likes having a “proper conversation” with people and the phone system he has now is all he believes he needs and will use.

Even worse is that he has the charm/likeability and iron will to make everyone else involved in what he’s doing not just tolerate him ringing them or them having to ring him but enjoy doing it as well so he never has a problem of lacking communication with others.

Anyways, I think I’ve figure out what I need to do now. HT-801 + current phone system. We will find out in a couple of weeks if it all works when I get FTTP installed.

Thanks for all the replies and advice, highly appreciated.

Edited by Icgaln (Sat 10-Jun-23 08:43:19)

In reply to a post by trolleybus:

In reply to a post by Michael_Chare:

I would argue that there is no need for an answering machine with VOIP providers such as Voipfone.

If I don't answer a call, and the caller leaves a message, I get an email with a sound file containing the message. I can listen to this on my laptop or mobile phone. There will be a light on the Gigaset Dect phones showing that there has been a call which I could listen to if I wanted.

+1

Most of the ones I get start off with: "This is bank security ...", "I am calling about your Amazon Prime ...", "this is OpenReach Technical ..."

In reply to a post by Icgaln:

If 1 hours usage = 36p and the phone gets used for 5 hours a day on average then each day would cost us, on average, £1.80?

Multiply this by 28 days per month and each month would cost us, on average, £50?

So the way I see it, paying £24 a month is a pretty good deal or am I missing something?

Either the batteries in my calculator needs changing or maybe your device as your figures are suspect.

5 hours is 300 minutes. Voipfone call rate to 01/02/03 numbers is 1.2 ppm
300 * 1.2 = 360p or £3.60 a day. £3.60 * 30 days = £10.80 pm
However, all of the calls, or at least some, could be to mobile number costing 8 ppm which would skew the total call spend. It assumes that there were no calls to Crown Dependency landlines which are excluded from the plan.

If all calls happened to be to mobile numbers, then I see the costs escalating almost 10 times.
300 * 8.4 = 2772p or £27.72 a day. That would be a bill of £83.16 for the month; but that could hit fair usage policies.

So, yes a fixed fee of £24 a month could be a bargain if the range of numbers was indeed 01/02/03/07, but it seems 03 numbers are excluded as the numbers included in the package is defined as UK landlines or mobiles,

I would say that 5 hours usage per day ever day is pretty unusual anyway, but if true might hit the buffers with a fair usage policy.

With a seemingly enormous usage of 9,000 minutes per 30 day period an inclusive minutes package of £24.00 per 30 day period is a no brainer. - (Subject to a fair use policy which is very likely to kick in).

If the inclusive minutes package did not allow 9,000 minutes use, (5 hours x 60 minutes x 30 days), per 30 day period you may wish to consider a mobile phone Sim Only Mobile Deal as a backup and very cheap unlimited minutes mobile phone call deals, (of around £5.00 per month including VAT), with a rolling one month contract are cheaply available from Asda and Smarty etc. which would at least be a backup and maybe a even a viable alternative.

Also, with such a huge monthly usage a Business Account may be better for you as the fair usage limits probably will not apply.

Sipgate have Business Deals, from £30.00 per month, that you may wish to consider;

https://www.sipgate.co.uk/call-packages

Regarding Sipgate: Sipgate are a reliable VOIP provider from Germany and many of us still have PAYG Sipgate Starter Accounts, (which have now ended for new customers).

The only downside with Sipgate was that they never seemed to answer their own phones but do usually answer emails). - However now that Sipgate concentrate on business customers this may be different but since most of do not need higher usage accounts a Sipgate Business Account is not an option for most of us.

You may be able to obtain discounted prices of the type that a small business users would obtain from other providers;

https://help.voipify.net/faq/article/are-call-discou...

What you want is an open version of the BT Smart Hub 2 - a CAT-iq DECT base station supporting HD voice, but with an analogue port on it as well. The Cisco SPA232D comes close but it's an EOL product now and the old Sipura devices are insecure and won't be fixed with updates.

Edit: Whoever mentioned the Fritzbox 7530 earlier was bang on, that should do what you need.

Edited by jpm (Sat 10-Jun-23 17:30:23)

In reply to a post by MHC:

Not the N500 - no answer capability but it can be PoE.

I'm assuming you are refering to the current model, the N510 IP Pro. In addition to no answerphone as it's a Oro model yo ideally need Pro handsets, otherwise you get limited functionality with non-Pro Gigaset handsets.

In reply to a post by trolleybus:

In reply to a post by Icgaln:

If 1 hours usage = 36p and the phone gets used for 5 hours a day on average then each day would cost us, on average, £1.80?

Multiply this by 28 days per month and each month would cost us, on average, £50?

So the way I see it, paying £24 a month is a pretty good deal or am I missing something?

Either the batteries in my calculator needs changing or maybe your device as your figures are suspect.

5 hours is 300 minutes. Voipfone call rate to 01/02/03 numbers is 1.2 ppm
300 * 1.2 = 360p or £3.60 a day. £3.60 * 30 days = £10.80 pm
However, all of the calls, or at least some, could be to mobile number costing 8 ppm which would skew the total call spend. It assumes that there were no calls to Crown Dependency landlines which are excluded from the plan.

If all calls happened to be to mobile numbers, then I see the costs escalating almost 10 times.
300 * 8.4 = 2772p or £27.72 a day. That would be a bill of £83.16 for the month; but that could hit fair usage policies.

So, yes a fixed fee of £24 a month could be a bargain if the range of numbers was indeed 01/02/03/07, but it seems 03 numbers are excluded as the numbers included in the package is defined as UK landlines or mobiles,

I would say that 5 hours usage per day ever day is pretty unusual anyway, but if true might hit the buffers with a fair usage policy.

Your calculator needs fixing ....

£3.60 per day for 30 days is £108 - simple check 3*30=90 4*30=120

In reply to a post by Icgaln:

Unfortunately my Virgin bill does not seem to split the cost of each service to separate amounts so all it tells me is that I’m currently paying around £120 a month but that is for TV, Broadband and Landline Phone.

The enormous 9,000 minutes of, calls made, per month is a bit of a curve ball.

If Virgin Media allowed this level of calls perhaps it is possible that the Voipfone £24.00 inclusive package may also allow this high usuage or even higher. (I would have guessed at a limit of 3000 minutes per month but it does not say in the Voipfone T&C). - It is certainly worth checking with Voipfone before you join them.

If not the question is: how bad is the Latency with Virgin Media who you were paying £120.00 per month all in ?

We have the full Sky Q Package, (including two extra multiroom mini boxes boxes and BT Sport), for £100,00 per month, (discounted/mid-deal), plus Zen 900 mbps FTTP, (price for life), at just over £50.00 per month and Voipify, (including the base cost and less than 300 minutes of calls per month), costs under £6.00 per month which is a total of £156.00 per month all in.

Your unlimited call deal with Virgin Media costs £36.00 less per month and apparently you can make a stonking 9,000 minutes of calls per month.

If Voipfone do allow 9,000 minute of ca lls per month for £24.00 then OK.

If Voipfone or others do not and Virgin Medua do, perhaps, a rethink is in order.

Edited by Fido (Sun 11-Jun-23 01:12:07)

There is also something of an assumption that the 5 hours per day is all outgoing, if any of it is incoming then the other party would be paying for the call.

Also, VoipFone Unlimited Ts&Cs can be found here under the heading "Allowable Use (Voipfone Unlimited)". No specific maximum call amounts but it does say if it isn't normal compared to other business customers then they may take action.

Never understood why they don't just explicitly say what their acceptable limit is rather they use the word 'unlimited' as the vast majority have a FUP.

In reply to a post by dect:

Never understood why they don't just explicitly say what their acceptable limit is rather they use the word 'unlimited' as the vast majority have a FUP.

I agree, but if they keep it woolly they can go after the top x% users and always clear out the heaviest users.