Re: Linux for low cost telephone
- From: Douglas Mayne <none@xxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Fri, 8 Oct 2010 14:32:15 +0000 (UTC)
On Fri, 08 Oct 2010 05:43:14 -0400, Ohioguy wrote:
I'm currently using a dialup account, but am going to upgrade, probablyThe solution below is not Linux per se, but would get you started at a
to cable internet. My primary pc is Windows 7. My only Linux
experience was with a copy of Ubuntu that I set to dual boot with XP on
a system about 3 years ago. Wasn't happy that it couldn't play most of
my compressed videos (Nero Digital), and I couldn't figure out how to
install VLC media player, so I gave up on it.
I've heard that there are some hardware based solutions that allow a
person with a high speed internet connection to simply plug in their
current telephone, and use the telephone as they are used to.
One of my ideas for going with cable internet is that I would like to
eventually drop our landline, which costs about $29 a month with taxes &
such. However, I would prefer not to have to mess with software, and I
know my wife won't put up with any solutions that require her to use
software, headsets, or anything like that.
In fact, I don't want to have my regular Windows 7 PC on all the
time. I would much prefer to be able to have some tiny, energy
efficient computer (netbook? some other type of mini pc?) on all the
time, acting as the computer that is hooked directly to the cable
internet. Other PC's in the house could be hooked up to the internet
wirelessly, or something like that.
Can anyone suggest:
A) version of Linux that would work well for 100% ontime as a server
B) hardware platform that would work well for this - dependable
small, and energy efficient (would need to be wall mounted, up on a
small shelf, bracket, or whatever)
c) some sort of hardware based telephony that works with Linux
just by plugging it in to the Linux PC, and then which allows people
to just plug their existing telephone into a jack on it?
(my current long distance solution - pingo - puts part of the calls over
the internet, but acts like a calling card on my end. While it costs
just 1.8c a minute, it is trouble prone when calling maybe 1/4 of my
relatives. I need something that gives a better voice quality than it
offers, but especially fewer disconnects)
If I can get answers to these 3 things, I think I'll be able to set
all of this up in a way that my wife will use without complaining about
the changes. It would also allow me to finally drop my landline
telephone, which would save me over $340 a year. (probably enough to pay
for the Linux hardware in the first year)
Thanks!
low price point. The open hardware solutions from Digium for VoIP for
Linux are quite pricey. IMO, for it to be a viable choice and be cost
effective, it needs to be setup for more than a single line. For example,
VoIP solutions can be cost effective in commercial/business settings.
Maybe, less so for home users. Other issues, creep in, too: 911, quality,
hassle, etc.
Simple Solution?
You could get a Cisco PAP2 Phone Adapter for Vonage. AIUI, that device
can be setup to feed dial tone to all of your house phones. The downside
is that it requires a VoIP service- Vonage in this case. I see on the
Vonage website that the pricing for the first three months is $14.99 and
then jumps to $25.99* (close to what you are paying now).
* Plus applicable taxes. Watch out.
Caution: Technically it can be done. Whether it is worth it in terms of
actual cost and headaches is another matter.
Switching to Broadband will give you new features and may eliminate cost
in certain cases. For example, I have found Skype to offer a useful and
fairly high quality service for making video calls. Now, Google Voice**
(GV) is offering a similar service. Both of these services allow users to
make free calls in many cases. This is especially true when both ends of
the call are strictly on the internet and do not require crossing over to
the telephone network. The big bonus to broadband is that video calling
is now possible.
** Google Voice even gives you a real phone number, but AIUI it isn't
designed to entirely replace or be your _only_ phone number. AFAICT, GV's
main purpose is to act as a common gateway to all of your phone numbers
(work, home, cell). The idea is to give out your GV phone number, and
then it will ring all of your listed phone numbers simultaneously on an
incoming call. Another thing GV offers is free VoIP calls to anyone in
the US and Canada, but the quality is still a little lacking. YMMV.
--
Douglas Mayne
.
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