Re: Now 0870/0845 was Re: Simple voip

["UKHA" <ukha@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

On 22/01/2005 at 13:26 mailinglists wrote:

>>
>> 0845/0870 numbers arent there to "rip people off".
>>
>But isn't it true that some 0870 'National' rate number now cost 10p
(or=20
>more?) per minute? Substantially more than a 'normal' national rate
call?
>
>Lee

iirc in the UK 0870 numbers require the 'owner' to pubish the rate if it's
=
anything other than national. 0900, premium rate numbers definately
require=
this. It's strange but the telecom industry is full of kickback deals for =
carriers who terminate for other networks. The good news is that in
essence=
it works, particularly now with voip, where carriers take their money from=
the kickback rather than the customer - which is why some services can off=
er what appear to be very good deals for the consumer.=20

Looking at numbers from a slightly different perspective is always a good
w=
ay of seeing their value. Here's an example 'Voip User' will take a UK
0844=
number charged at 5p per minute from anywhere in the UK and terminate it t=
o the following countries:

Australia Austria Belgium Canada China China Mobile Czech Republic Denmark
=
Finland France Germany Greece Hong Kong Hong Kong Mobile Ireland Israel
Ita=
ly Japan Liechtenstein Luxembourg Malaysia  Malaysia Mobile Monaco
Netherla=
nds New Zealand Norway Poland Portugal Singapore Singapore Mobile Spain
Swe=
den Switzerland UK - national USA Any SIP phone

This is from a PSTN line in the UK to a PSTN line (or SIP device if you
pre=
fer, IAX in testing) in any of these countries - the ONLY charge is the 5p
=
per minute - there are no other fees... I have no idea what the current
nat=
ional/local rates for the the UK but you can see the attraction - Imagine
g=
oing on holiday to Australia and having your calls routed to your
location!=
I'm not talking Voip - I'm talking PSTN...

This sort of thing is a dream for expats - think of all those people who
li=
ve in Spain, their families can call at 5p a minute and not have to worry
a=
bout the international call fees. BT currently offer 5p a minute on
interna=
tional calls IF you pay =A31 for their "BT Together
International" plan but=
you have to subscribe to their "BT Together" plan with a minimun
cost of  =
=A310.50 - That's 5p per minute plus 11.50 per month - true you get some
ot=
her benefits from their plans but imho not value for money.

If Mr McCall setup a mainland uk 0844 number we could all be wearing his
st=
ylish wares ;)


VoipUser are at:

http://www.voipuser.org/


BT Plan info  at

http://www.bt.com/Choices/index.jsp?obsNoSee=3DY&vStore=3D1120&obsPage=3D/a=
thome/at_home_2level.jsp&obsType=3DLINK&obsOID=3D72672

or=20

http://tinyurl.com/3u52h


Andy