Phones

[andrewducker]

[Poll #1399191]

Comments

[ashfae.livejournal.com]

Need landline for international phonecalls. Mobile is mostly for texting. Rah for PAYG.

[the-magician.livejournal.com]

I make my international phonecalls from my mobile, using OneTel ... it uses local package minutes to phone a London number, and then I pay 3p/min to phone the US (I think that's right, it might be 5p/min) charged to my registered credit card.

Other friends use Skype out for similar purposes (Skype from PC over broadband to a Skype exchange near the recipient and then over local phone call from there, so quite cheap)

[luckylove.livejournal.com]

I use 1899 for international calls. They used to do cheap calls from mobiles via an 020 number but I can't find anything about it on their website. Maybe they've stopped it. I can call the US from my landline for 1p/min.

http://www.1899.com/index2.php

Edit: Found it. They still do it. http://www.1899.com/faq.php?question=26

[lilitufire.livejournal.com]

Skype Out is your friend! Assuming your connection is good enough - I am spoiled in Tokyo.

[davidcook.livejournal.com]

Voice over IP/Skype/etc.

Don't have one because I don't know if it's easy to set up, or if it'd be any cheaper than existing phone services (well, ok, that wouldn't be hard, but I haven't been sufficiently inspired to do any investigation into it).

[andrewducker]

I'd file that under "don't have one because I don't want one".

[the-magician.livejournal.com]

It's *free* for Skype to Skype or VoIP to VoIP (Skype is a flavour of VoIP really).

Set up was *really* easy ... I plugged the headset into the microphone and speaker sockets on my laptop, downloaded the free Skype software, ran the installer, and then clicked on the test button which makes a *free* call to a Skype server, plays you a welcome message (so you know your headphones work), records you saying something and plays it back to you (so you know your microphone works) and then it's just a matter of adding in your friends' Skype IDs or telling them yours so they can contact you.

I'm "magicianuk" at home if you ever fancy giving it a go.

[a-pawson.livejournal.com]

Landline for personal use

Yes, but only so I can receive broadband. Wouldn't pay for it just for making/receiving phone calls.

Voice over IP/Skype/etc.

No because call costs are so low on mobile/landline I can't be bothered setting it up.

[matgb]

Exactly. We have a Virgin landline because we have virgin TV and Virgin cable broadband, can't have those two without a phone. If it stopped working, I'd care not.

[andrewducker]

Same situation as me.

If I lose the Virgin TV (which I may do) then I'll switch ISPs to Be too.

[channelpenguin.livejournal.com]

By 'more personal calls' I mean calling my parents/my parents calling me. I don't otherwise make personal calls.

[andrewducker]

How do you arrange things with friends?

[ninebelow.livejournal.com]

Email or text? That is how I arrange things.

[channelpenguin.livejournal.com]

email, text, in person. I've never been a phone person.

[poisonduk.livejournal.com]

Once more a flawed poll to provoke discussion. Landline gives me my broadband and also free local, national and international calls. No option to tick making outgoing calls equally on both. I couldn't tell you which I use more - Kirsty's dad, Rachel, your house and Roy's house all get called from my landline but if I was calling a mobile I would use my inclusive minutes on my mobile as these are the only calls I don't get free with my landline. I'd say aggregated duration I probably use my landline far more as I'll chat for up to an hour when I make a call, whilst using my mobile will be quick 2 minutes calls but far more frequently - especially to nag Roy into doing stuff for me.

[andrewducker]

See, you're complex. I get 95% of my calls on my mobile, and make 95% of them from there.

[poisonduk.livejournal.com]

I suppose it's my home phone contract forcing the issue. If I didn't need it for broadband then I'd use the mobile all the time - I'm just more cost concious, why use the mobile inclusive calls when it's free because of the home phone? I couldn't afford to call Rachel for an hour at a time using my mobile.

Not in work? I have no green light in IM with which to poke and prod you.

[ninebelow.livejournal.com]

Yes, this is pretty much the same for me.

[aliiis.livejournal.com]

Landline for personal use
Read 'Landline for MY PARENTS' personal use' - my parents and don's parents are pretty much the only people who ever ring it ever EVER.

[anton-p-nym.livejournal.com]

Landline for local calls, Skype for long distance... most often using the SkypeOut service ($3/mo for unlimited calling in North America) instead of getting a long distance plan.

Don't want a ball-and-chain with me 24/7, so no cell and no pager.

-- Steve knew he was in the minority on this, but not to such an extent.

PS: I did ponder getting a 3G data plan and USB modem for my ultramobile, but decided that the plans cost more than they were worth to me. Guess I'll keep looking for hotspots.

[andrewducker]

My mobile has this marvellous function called an "off button". Also "offline mode".

In addition, I'm perfectly capable of seeing who's calling and not answering if necessary.

[anton-p-nym.livejournal.com]

I'd come to the conclusion that this purported "off" button was a myth, given my experience in movie theatres, libraries, traffic, and restaurants.

Still, it's not worth the added expense to me... especially given that my landline carries my DSL service, so I'd have to carry three plans instead of just swapping out the landline for mobile service.

-- Steve's just not the type to need or want it. (Plus he isn't exactly wealthy, though that's not the primary reason.)

[lpetrazickis.livejournal.com]

As a general remark, many DSL providers (e.g. Bell Canada) allow for DSL without a landline. It's called a "dry loop".

[luckylove.livejournal.com]

Voice over IP/Skype/etc.

Don't have simply because I can't be arsed. I do want it though.

[andrewducker]

Clearly not very much :->

[luckylove.livejournal.com]

:)

If I wasn't ill I'd definitely get round to doing it. I have bought something that'll work as a headset so I'm partway there. I've also downloaded Skype. I just need to wait for the headset thing to arrive and get round to installing the software and I'm sorted. I've had other things on my mind recently. I'm probably going to Sheffield on Tuesday assuming that my Dad makes it onto the flight tonight and the Hallamshire still has a bed. *fingers crossed*