Sipgate cheap calls Oz - UK

[brandyslad]

We have set up a VOIP account with Sipgate, they have allocated us a local UK number which we can use in Aus - people will call the UK number and we can talk online, we have tried it out and the number works and we can dial out, we still need to get a proper VOIP headset though. I think it's 1.9p a minute to call UK.

Anyway, has anyone any experience of them? And is anyone uses VOIP, what sort of headset, or phone should I get to use with it??

[Teresa01]

We have set up a VOIP account with Sipgate, they have allocated us a local UK number which we can use in Aus - people will call the UK number and we can talk online, we have tried it out and the number works and we can dial out, we still need to get a proper VOIP headset though. I think it's 1.9p a minute to call UK.

Anyway, has anyone any experience of them? And is anyone uses VOIP, what sort of headset, or phone should I get to use with it??

Hi,
Could you let me know who to contact to set up a Voip account with sipgate as this is just the type of low cost call system that we are looking for, after we arrive in July. We use voip in the UK which is fine, we have a handset which I think we bought from P.C World or you can buy them on-line.

Teresa & Andy

[brandyslad]

Hi,
Could you let me know who to contact to set up a Voip account with sipgate as this is just the type of low cost call system that we are looking for, after we arrive in July. We use voip in the UK which is fine, we have a handset which I think we bought from P.C World or you can buy them on-line.

Teresa & Andy

Hi,

It's www.sipgate.co.uk

I have never used VOIP before but I saw someone chatting about this on PIO, they are in Oz and using it, you need to set it up before you leave the UK to get a UK number, if you set it up in OZ, I think you can only get a non geographic 0845 number. It logs missed calls for you as well if you are not online I think.

It was easy to set up, and we are able to ring into it and hear them from our laptop but we need to get a headset and microphone.

I'm hoping it is good as it will mean most people will be able to call us for free.

[Curry Lover]

Hi,

We set up a Sipgate account before leaving the UK and it works really well. See the Sipgate website, it was very easy to set up but needs to be done before you leave the UK. As already mentioned, you ask to be allocated with a UK number local to the area you were in before leaving - for us this was Orpington in Kent. We have it set up on our computer and just use a microphone and speakers when phoning people in the UK so that the whole family can hear and talk. We bought a cheap microphone from Harvey Norman once we got out here, however, if you are just talking one to one it is probably best to use a headset to cut out background noise - we got a cheap one from PC World before leaving.

It's a great way to communicate with people back in the UK who either haven't got computers or aren't technically minded so not set up with Skype etc. My mother-in-law has found it a godsend as she can phone this local number whenever she wants to speak to us without having to worry about the cost of phoning Australia. It is just charged at the same rate as a local UK call so is exactly the same as her phoning us when we lived just down the road. Also means that she doesn't have to worry about international dialing codes either.

The only downside is that as with Skype, the signal isn't always the best, and you have to have your computer turned on for people to be able to phone you of course, but other than that we can heartily recommend it! Hope that I've explained this properly, but if not feel free to ask questions and we'll do our best to help. :)

[brandyslad]

Hi,

We set up a Sipgate account before leaving the UK and it works really well. See the Sipgate website, it was very easy to set up but needs to be done before you leave the UK. As already mentioned, you ask to be allocated with a UK number local to the area you were in before leaving - for us this was Orpington in Kent. We have it set up on our computer and just use a microphone and speakers when phoning people in the UK so that the whole family can hear and talk. We bought a cheap microphone from Harvey Norman once we got out here, however, if you are just talking one to one it is probably best to use a headset to cut out background noise - we got a cheap one from PC World before leaving.

It's a great way to communicate with people back in the UK who either haven't got computers or aren't technically minded so not set up with Skype etc. My mother-in-law has found it a godsend as she can phone this local number whenever she wants to speak to us without having to worry about the cost of phoning Australia. It is just charged at the same rate as a local UK call so is exactly the same as her phoning us when we lived just down the road. Also means that she doesn't have to worry about international dialing codes either.

The only downside is that as with Skype, the signal isn't always the best, and you have to have your computer turned on for people to be able to phone you of course, but other than that we can heartily recommend it! Hope that I've explained this properly, but if not feel free to ask questions and we'll do our best to help. :)

Thanks for this, I have downloaded Sipgate X-Lite so the wee phone opens when we log on, once I get a headset do I just plug it in and away we go? I have been looking at headsets and USB phones and have confused myself as some are endorsed by Skype, but I don't know if this means they will only work with Skype? Am I going complicating myself and should I just buy a basic headset?

[ozzieclare2be]

We have set up a VOIP account with Sipgate, they have allocated us a local UK number which we can use in Aus - people will call the UK number and we can talk online, we have tried it out and the number works and we can dial out, we still need to get a proper VOIP headset though. I think it's 1.9p a minute to call UK.

Anyway, has anyone any experience of them? And is anyone uses VOIP, what sort of headset, or phone should I get to use with it??

its actually cheaper if you use skype and buy credit to call uk landlines

[Curry Lover]

Thanks for this, I have downloaded Sipgate X-Lite so the wee phone opens when we log on, once I get a headset do I just plug it in and away we go? I have been looking at headsets and USB phones and have confused myself as some are endorsed by Skype, but I don't know if this means they will only work with Skype? Am I going complicating myself and should I just buy a basic headset?

That's exactly what we have. Yes, just plug in your headset, dial the UK number and you should be away. As far as I understand it, if Skype endorse the headset it means that they guarantee it will work with their system but it should still work with other systems. To be honest, if I were you I'd just go for the basic headset. Skype may well be cheaper to call the UK but Sipgate is brilliant for people in the UK who haven't got a computer to call you. I had a friend in Scotland phone me on Sipgate and she was delighted at how cheap the call was - her husband did wonder who she'd been on the phone to in Orpington for over an hour though!:)