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adminsly
@electronicbox.net

adminsly

Anon

what is the best to replace cell plan?

hi, my plan with telus will end in january and i wish to save money by going with voip.ms , i know i need to port my number .

what else do i need ?
i just need to replace telus by voip.ms for my cell phone.
can my number be store on voip.ms server , so i dont need a voip router? or the voip router is a must?
for the cell wich provider is the best at the best price , probably only data plan ?

thanks for your in and info !!!

sly
DanTou
join:2006-10-14
Quebec, QC

DanTou

Member

From my tests... I don't know if it will help.

If you get ONLY voip.ms without a voip router (ATA), you will be able to port your number to voip.ms, transfer your calls to any number, have a voicemail if your transfered call doesn't go through, apply caller id filtering to any number coming in, use DISA to make long distance phone calls from numbers you have selected (work, cell, or other).

With an ATA, in addition to the above, you will be able to make calls from a home phone connected to the ATA.

With a cell phone and SipDroid (you need an Android phone; I don't think SipDroid exists for Windows 7 phone, Blackberry, iPhone or others), you will be able to use your cell phone as an ATA: it will work the same way an ATA works.

WARNING

Many other softwares beside SipDroid exist but they all use UDP instead of TCP, and this takes a lot of data from your plan and gets your batteries drained in no time. Some software is compatible with TCP but they don't work right with pbxes.org. Why pbxes.org? The only FREE voip provider using TCP I know of. You have to create a truck to voip.ms, then create a subaccount in voip.ms, and voilĂ , you cell phone is an ATA.

If you are willing to go throught the install process, you will get a cell phone that uses only data for calls. It uses about 1/2MB per minutes. So with a Telus 10$/100MB prepaid plan, you can talk 200 minutes anytime from/to anywhere. If you talk less, you can use what's left for Internet applications. I'm not a heavy user, and I haven't gone over 100MB in the last 6 months.

One fun thing about only using data: you can call from anywhere in Canada, and it's not long distance. You can call or answer anywhere without fear of a fat bill at the end of the month.

One thing I haven't done yet: get a postpaid plan for tablet on my phone. Telus doesn't want to give it to me because they say it is incompatible with a phone. I am trying to find somebody to lend me a SIM from a tablet to verify their claim (which I believe inaccurate). If it works, I will get a flexible plan for my tablet... That's what I'll tell them I have.

adminsly
@electronicbox.net

adminsly

Anon

thanks so much dantou, ok if i understand i really dont need a voip router at home, and my cell phone will work?

sipdroid is the software i need in my cell phone.

you write, You have to create a truck to voip.ms .... what is this?

i took a look at the phone on telus website and it seem to only have the lg optimus one that use android?

any other phone sugestion ? if any

PS at home i already have an voip box from talkit (cantalk9000)

thanks

sylvain
adminsly

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Anon

to DanTou
i only see prepais plan at 20$ but in the option i can see the 10$ plan but is it an optin on top of the 20$ plan or i can only take the 10$ option ?

does the setup will give me a voicemail box ?

knowing that i am porting my number , do i need a number from voip.ms ?

thanks

sly
adminsly

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Anon

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why can the support at voip.ms can not tell me all these thing ??
DanTou
join:2006-10-14
Quebec, QC

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Oops... Trunk, not truck. May bad.

Create an account at pbxes.org (it's free), take a look at the site. I'll try to give you a few hints how to setup later. A trunk is a link from pbxes.org to voip.ms so you don't pay the minutes to pbxes.org, but to voip.ms. You can see it as a call forward.

I'm not sure the talkit ATA would work; somebody else could tell you.

Data plan: you take a prepaid plan and add the data option. Since you don't use any minutes, all you'll end up paying is the $10 for the option and the 911 fees (about $1).

The Optimus One is fine. I have a Bell Samsung Gio. I had to pay $10 to unlock it (but the Gio was on sale for $70). Any Android phone should do: unlocked or from the company you'll choose your data plan from (Bell, Telus, ...).

Porting... You don't need a number from voip.ms if you port your number. But, as a safeguard, I used a number from voip.ms for testing. When I was happy with my tests, I ported my Vonage number (originally from Bell) to voip.ms. Keep in mind, a number from voip.ms is only $1 a month.

By the way, Telus says in it's contract you are not supposed to use voip on 3G. But at the same time, they have publicity about Skype... And, their contract violates Net neutrality. So, if they catch me, they could, theoritically, end my contract... But it's prepaid. Nothing to lose: I'd switch to Bell right away on another prepaid plan.

adminsly
@electronicbox.net

adminsly

Anon

ok i will create my account on pbx.... tonight and i will go with the samsung gio.... 2 other are using it and they really like it.
adminsly

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with sipdroid does the caller id will work ?
DanTou
join:2006-10-14
Quebec, QC

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To unlock the Gio, I used this site:

»www.fastgsm.com/en/samsu ··· nlocking

It is $15 right now (was $10 when I unlocked mine).

You'll have to pay $10 for a SIM at Telus. Bell's SIM are Free. If you buy a Gio, Bell now also has a $10 option for 100MB... And you wouldn't have to unlock the phone. And you'll get the $30 activation credits.

Caller ID works perfect when using Premium rates at voip.ms. 1 Cent a minute instead of 1/2 cent a minute. Voice is also better. With normal rate, Caller ID doesn't always work perfectly.

The Gio is more expensive these days. I've seen it for $140 - $30 activation fees. But if you want to shop for other phones, this may help you:

»www.compare-cellphones.o ··· imus-One

The people you know are right: this is a really nice phone for the price.

adminsly
@electronicbox.net

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Anon

to DanTou
to unlock if i need it do i go to ottawapc.ca ??

thanks

sly
adminsly

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Anon

to DanTou
i heard that with bell you can use sims for tablet , so it might work with telus to!

buy your experience does bell or telus have a better service speed , ping , ??

sly
DanTou
join:2006-10-14
Quebec, QC

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ottawapc.ca charges $45!!! Too expensive.

Use fastgsm.com.

Keep note of the unlock code. It might come handy later if you reset your phone.

I believe SIM for tablet should work for phones, but Telus says no. It's one thing I haven't tried. Watch out : there are two SIM format.

I don't know about service, ping, ... Between Telus, Bell or any other. My guess is: they have exactly the same for performance as they share the same network. For service; up to now, not the greatest from any of them. But what other choice do we have? Anyways, Bell/Telus/Virgin/Rogers share the same network and they are everywhere. Which is not the case for Videotron, Wind or others.

adminsly
@electronicbox.net

adminsly

Anon

thanks dantou i really apreciate your help...

my account is create with pbxes.org.

i saw the tab for trunk

what is next.... can i configure something at pbxes ?

sly
DanTou
join:2006-10-14
Quebec, QC

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PBXes.org - Extensions

Click for full size
After creating an account, create an extension.

This is the username and password you put in your cell phone (the cell phone doesn't know voip.ms exists).

What I blacked out is my user name for loging in to pbxes.org.
DanTou

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PBXes.org - Trunks

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Now you have to create a link to voip.ms. This is done with trunks.

The username and password are those of the account or subaccount in voip.ms.

You need subaccount in voip.ms when you have multiple ATA connected.

This is also where you put the Caller ID name you want to appear when you call.

The SIP server or proxy is the one you use in voip.ms.

For register, select in and out.
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PBXes.org - Route

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You need a route for all this to work.

All you have to do is create it, then select voip.ms.
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PBXes.org - Global setup

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In the global setup, I have setup the number before sending to voicemail, to 600.

This is necessary if you want the voip.ms voicemail to be your voicemail.
DanTou

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Other thoughts...

All that being said...

You can have a paid account with PBXes.org without using voip.ms at all. But I never checked what their prices were since I already was with voip.ms and I am happy with the functionalities.

In the last 6 months, PBXes.org had 3 outages. They lasted less than an hour. They send you an email saying you are routed to another server automatically with a paid account.

When you install SipDroid, an ad banner appears: if you have already configured your phone for voip.ms, SipDroid will do all of this automatically for you. But you will have to review all parameters because it will also setup voicemail and other stuff you don't want if you want to stick with voip.ms.

I use the GSM CODEC in my phone. It is compatible with voip.ms, the sound is clear enough and takes 1/2MB per minute.

I may (or may not) have forgotten something because I setup everything about 6 months ago. I hope I didn't.

Have fun!
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Android phone

I have the samsung Gio that was very inexpensive in august ($70). It is now back to $150. For the same price, if you can get the Samsung Ace, it is better.

Here's a comparison:

»www.compare-cellphones.o ··· LAXY-Gio

The Galaxy Ace is $150 at Koodo right now.

»shop.koodomobile.com/koo ··· ACE.html

adminsly
@electronicbox.net

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Anon

to DanTou

Re: Other thoughts...

thanks dantou i ll do that tonight and i will only have to find a plan with someone, bell or telus.....

and after wait for my porting to be done..

thanks

i really apreciate the time you took

sly
DanTou
join:2006-10-14
Quebec, QC

DanTou

Member

Before you port your number...

Test with another number (DID) you can buy from voip.ms for $1. If your cell plan is your main phone, you may have problems for a few days while you setup everything.
DanTou

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911

911 is available if you use the regular dialing on your phone. So, in case of an emergency, you don't have to worry about server outages.

But... Watch out! I used regular dialing a few times by mistake: I got charged 20 cents/minute. Not a big deal if you don't make the mistake too often.

Bell/Telus will give you a phone number: don't give that phone number to anyone. It is of no use anyway as you will use voip.ms phone number.
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Recording

Don't forget to turn on "recording" in SipDroid. Useful when getting promises from Bell/Videotron.
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Funny thing

When you have an ATA at home and a cell phone...

You can call home from your cell. You can call your cell from home... With the same number!

adminsly
@electronicbox.net

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Anon

to DanTou

Re: 911

if i take a data plan they still give me a phone number ??
adminsly

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Re: Funny thing

yes this i know , because i think they bith gonna ring at same time, of course not if i am calling myself, but if i receive call.
DanTou
join:2006-10-14
Quebec, QC

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Re: 911

Telus told me they always give a phone number, even with tablets.

I think, with tablets, the phone number is only for their billing system; you can't use it.

The Telus $10/100Mb is an option for prepaid phones, not tablets, so you will be charged about $1 for 911.

I don't think you'll be charged the 911 fees if you succeed in telling them you have a tablet. But I haven't tried that yet. They tell me data plans are incompatible with phones. I don't really believe that. Data is data. Prepaid or not. But, I can't tell you it works because I haven't tried it yet.

But reading the Telus site, I found this: "If a SIM card is installed on a voice device, airtime is charged at $1.00 per minute". So, I guess it does work. But don't make the mistake of answering or calling with the regular phone instead of SipDroid! I haven't found a way to disable the regular phone.
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Blocking regular phone calls

I found a way...

Installing Avast! Free Mobile Security gives you the ability to block all incoming and outgoing phone calls.

SipDroid incoming and outgoing calls still work.

If you wish, you can also block incoming SMS (SMS is a $5 option at Telus). You can still send SMS, but it's more obvious, so you won't do it if you didn't take the option.

You should replace the regular phone by SipDroid in the dock at the base of the screen. You should also link contacts with SipDroid only: you will have full phone integration through SipDroid.

adminsly
@electronicbox.net

adminsly

Anon

i heard that the batterie does not last long, how long do you last with sidroid?
DanTou
join:2006-10-14
Quebec, QC

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Battery life on a Samsung Gio

If I don't use it much, 3 days.

I use it as a FLAC player, I use a few Internet apps every day. But I talk no more than a couple minutes per day. SipDroid seems to take more CPU (battery life) than the regular phone. It is expected because it's not using built-in phone functions. I have never tested how long I could talk to completely drain the batteries.

The batteries always last a full day (for my use).

You should install an app to monitor CPU (I use Watchdog). If you get rid of apps that use too much CPU, your batteries will last longer. You should also install an app to monitor 3G data (I use My Data Manager).

Completely off topic: I use Dropbox almost everyday. It will sync all files in designated folders. On your PC, the complete files will be in sync with "the cloud". On your phone, only the file names. When you select one of the files, it will ask if you want to download. Very clever and very useful.