VOIP Information in the UK

This was recently posted on the skype blog:

Do you live in or around London? Interested in visiting Skype and meeting with the team?

Whether you’re new to Skype or a grizzled veteran, we want to talk with you about what you like and what we could do better. It’s more than just a focus group, as we would like your input over several months (don’t worry, it won’t require that much time from you).

We’ll invite you to our offices a few times so our relationship can grow, and soon we’ll be finishing each other’s sentences.

If this sounds like fun, go ahead and send an email to “voices ‘at’ skype.net”.

A new version of skype for the Pocket PC 1.1.0.20 was released yesterday. A few major bugs were fixed in the networking code. Make sure to update.

Skype for pocket pc requires the following before it can be installed

Windows Mobile 2003
400mhz processor
wifi connection

A new service launched on Tuesday, Skype Groups, which enables companies to set up Skype accounts for employees.

This new service, enables just one person within the company to pick up the bill for all Skype users in an organization.

Until now, every Skype user had to individually purchase credits for calls to normal telephone numbers.

Skype calls are free when other Skype users are called over the Internet, but when normal telephone numbers are called Skype charges by the minute, because it uses the part of the land line network.

New toolbars introduced last week for outlook, Internet Explorer and Firefox, allow employees to call their contacts straight quicker and easier with skype.

A survey among 400 subscribers who used Skype Groups in the trial period showed that 63 percent used it for business and avoiding expensive international calls, and almost half of them used it for free conference calls.

Today a new version of skype was released, below is a list of the new enhancements

1. Improved Voice Quality

2.Call Forwarding – You can set your Skype client to forward to 1 or multiple PSTN numbers simultaneously, or to another Skype name.

3.Peronalise Skype – You can choose from a wide selection of sounds, ringtones and pictures to customize your Skype experience and show the world who you are!

4.Improved Search and Add a Contact functions -- cleaner, more intuitive features and layout... and smarter results!

5.Friendlier Getting Started & Import Contact Wizards & visual setup guides & dynamic tooltips -- make getting started even easier!

6.One-click calls from any website with Outlook and IE toolbars

7.New Skype sounds!

www.skype.com

Skype web toolbar has been released for Firefox, it allows you to combine Skype with your web browser. Once installed a button with skype logo appears and you have your online status and contacts. It recognises phone numbers and Skype Names on web pages so that you can call them with one click which will then launch the Skype application. Internet Explorer version is also available. Some of the features are:

* Call and chat to your existing contacts
* Change your online status
* See how much Skype Credit you have left
* Automatically send a contact a link to the web page you’re viewing

Samsung has just introduced OfficeServ, a new wireless VoIP application, which provides support for numerous voice and data functions.

The OfficeServ system can support as many as 240 wireless handsets, making it an excellent choice for corporate offices, campuses, hospitals, factories, and warehouses.

I spotted this on ebay the other day i wonder if he'll make his target
very expensive

I have been testing 2 VOIP companies offering free calls to UK land lines







www.voipcheap.co.uk
www.voipbuster.com

Both offer very similar packages
The software was easy to install and more basic looking compared to Skype but it does the job, It costs €5 to signup with voipbuster or £5 with voipcheap, Both offer Calls to UK land lines which are unlimited and FREE.

If you just want to trial the software you get 1 min of free calls to UK land lines but PC to PC calls are also free. The software tells you if the call is free which is a nice feature as it puts your mind at rest, that your not using your VOIP credit. There are about 10-15 other countries you can call for free including USA, Voipbuster includes free calls to USA mobiles!

The call quality was clear most times and you could hold a decent conversation. What would happen sometimes is only one party could be heard, in this case redialing would not clear the problem, i had to exit the program and then redial.

At this moment in time they do not offer IP telephone numbers both these companies are good alternatives to skype and the Free calls to uk land lines is definatley a bonus.

I recently purchased the following:

Linksys Bluetooth adapter USBBT100
Plantronics M3000 Bluetooth headset

The linksys bluetooth adapter has 100m range and works very well, i read a article regarding adding a antenna to increase tha range which i will do in the next few weeks, but once i had setup the headset to work with skype, i liked the freedom of walking around the house and still talking for free.


Widcomm Bluetooth icon



Microsoft Bluetooth icon


1. When you first connect the Linksys adapter, Microsoft Bluetooth drivers are automatically installed the Microsoft drivers do not support Bluetooth headsets.






2. Install the Drivers for your manufacturer in my case Linksys which will overwrite the Microsoft drivers

3. Go to Device manager and check the Bluetooth adapter, it should have the manufacturer of your bluetooth adapter and not Microsoft.






4. If you still see the Microsoft adapters, right click and disable the Microsoft enumerator






5. Now right click on the generic Bluetooth radio and click update driver

Pick > install from specific location
Pick > choose driver to install
Click > have disk
Browse to the folder or CD than contains the Bluetooth adapter drivers
You are looking for this file BTWUSB.INF

6. Once you have manually updated you should now see your manufacturers driver assigned to the Bluetooth adapter see step 3


7. Check the icon in the bottom right corner of the screen for the Bluetooth icon





8. Go into My Bluetooth places or double click the icon in the bottom right hand corner

9. Click Bluetooth setup wizard, then click Bluetooth service selection, find Headsets in the list, and the next screen will prompt you to make the headest discoverable, once this is done click search button.

10. Once found you may be prompted for a pin code for the device, put in the code and you will see M3000 Plantronics paired or the manufacturer of your own device.












11. Now go into control panel, Sounds and Audio devices, click audio tab and in the drop drown box labeled DEFAULT DEVICE you should see Bluetooth audio in the list.

12. Start skype, goto tools > options > sounds devices change Audio IN/OUT and ringing to Bluetooth Audio










13. Make a test call or check voicemail if you have this setup.

The IM fone adapter allows your mobile phone to connect to your PC using bluetooth this enables the mobile phone to be used for calls on the SKYPE internet service, rather than the mobile phone network, also the reciever of the call will still see's your mobile phone number on the caller id. Great for International calls and people travelling around the world.
The makers of the device are Korean manufacturer AVING

I have listed a few of the popular add-ons for skype

www.hotrecorder.com
HotRecorder™ allow's Skype users to record and add sounds to conversations. There is also a voice mail facility for both Google Talk and Skype, You can download it for free but it does have adverts and the premium version which costs $15

www.pamela-systems.de
Pamela version 1.2 is a quite a comprehensive add-on it has recording, voicemail, automatic pocasting. You can personalize messages to certain people on your contacts list and auto answer chat messages. There is a free trial version available but the full version is 17 euros

www.video4im.com
Video4im enables you to make free video calls using skype, the plugin is free and doesn't contain adverts

www.jybe.com
Jybe is a plug-in for skype that enables users to share documents, browse the internet and chat together using Internet Explorer and Firefox, its free to download