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.