michieru Premium Member join:2009-07-25 Denver, CO |
michieru
Premium Member
2010-Aug-12 2:26 am
[Mobile] Making SIP calls over a standard phoneI have a Sony Ericsson Equinox and on many phones I have noticed that you have options to put SIP information, now what I would like to know if I did have a SIP account from another provider, does this mean I can place VOIP calls over a providers data network if I had a unlimited data plan from say T-mobile or AT&T?
I been wondering about it for a while but I actually want to try this and see if it actually does work. |
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I have had mostly negative experiences with VoIP over cellular data. With some phones/apps, SIP calling only works over Wi-Fi. Even when operation over 3G is possible, it's often against the carrier's ToS, e.g. SFR (France) prohibits any VoIP on their cellular network. Here in Reno, at&t permits VoIP, but the voice quality is so bad that it is only of academic interest. In Thailand, True allows VoIP, but their servers block inbound and outbound UDP port 5060. With an appropriate technical workaround (in my case pbxes.org), if you are in Bangkok CBD and standing still, it actually works quite well. However, my provider charges only $0.009/min. to Thai mobile, so why bother?
OTOH, some others on this forum will tell you that voice over cellular data is wonderful and a great way to save money. Most of them have Verizon or T-Mobile and live in an area with excellent data coverage. |
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to michieru
I use Sipdroid (SIP client) for Android phone G1, provider - T-mobile. SIP server -- my own server, where FreeSWITCH runs. Seldom I call over T-Mobile's 3G network. Quality is not good, but acceptable. Also, huge latencies (~1+ sec).
Resume: This solution is usable, but performance is not impressive. |
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to michieru
I think others are right. It depends on where you are with what and how. I use it all the time without probs on 3G. Talkanaut, whistle all fine on the iPhone. Other soln is Inum to sip and use rebtel if you have unlimited local mins. Suck it and see |
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Slight shift: Has anyone used a VoIP service on a smart phone without being subscribed to a regular cellular service? I'd be interested in getting an Android device and playing around with Sipdroid. Use either wifi or 3g. Any experience with that sort of a setup? |
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said by FiReSTaRT:Slight shift: Has anyone used a VoIP service on a smart phone without being subscribed to a regular cellular service? There should be no problem using VoIP over Wi-Fi on a phone without cell service. However, for 3G, you may have a problem getting a data plan (or prepaid data) without voice service; I'm not familiar with what the Canadian carriers may offer. |
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Test99 Premium Member join:2003-04-24 San Jose, CA |
to michieru
VOIP works well for me over the Sprint network, except sometimes when there appears to be a problem with the tower.
But I'm using a grid antenna carefully aimed at the tower. Not a solution for handheld use. |
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What about ripping a sim card out of one of those mobile data sticks and putting it into a smart-phone or a MID? Is it doable? |
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tom thomas
Anon
2010-Aug-20 1:04 pm
said by FiReSTaRT:What about ripping a sim card out of one of those mobile data sticks and putting it into a smart-phone or a MID? Is it doable? you should be able to get it to work with the correct APN settings, etc. but in nearly all cases it would actually be cheaper to use regular voice/data plan and also often be truly unlimited instead of capped at a few GB per month. actually when looking for the best value the opposite is what makes sense. take a basic voice plan with feature phone data added and use it in a data card for less than the usual data card subscription and without the monthly cap. |
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Unfortunately, I live in Canada. The only country where mobile services are more expensive than here is Uganda. The rest of the world is cheaper. The cheapest I could get a voice and data plan with enough data would be in the $40-50 ballpark. All I need is a gig of data for my mobile needs (as I'd just wifi it at home), and they have that for $25. |
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tom thomas
Anon
2010-Aug-20 2:04 pm
said by FiReSTaRT:Unfortunately, I live in Canada. The only country where mobile services are more expensive than here is Uganda. The rest of the world is cheaper. The cheapest I could get a voice and data plan with enough data would be in the $40-50 ballpark. All I need is a gig of data for my mobile needs (as I'd just wifi it at home), and they have that for $25. well you are cheaper then here(USA) we can't get a GIG for $25. ipad owner can get 2 gigs for $25 but its locked to the device. we can get unlimited on virgin mobile for $25 with some voice minutes included. but its locked to the branded CDMA phones. the phones can be hacked for tethering but its a TOS violation. also technically the ESN's can be cloned onto a USB device or MIFI but that is clearly illegal. |
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Our mobile data rates have been going down. Even the big players offer a $30 1gig mobile data plan. The $25 was with a new player, with fairly limited coverage (but sufficient for my personal needs and I don't wanna give any of my money to the cartel if I can get away with it). |
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michieru Premium Member join:2009-07-25 Denver, CO |
to Stewart
Alright thanks guys, would of been a nice alternative if it did work though. |
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to michieru
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