Free Calls?

Icarus3000 · #1 02-21-2006, 11:06 AM

www.internetcalls.com

Free for Canada and US.

Has anyone used this?

kwag · #2 02-21-2006, 12:27 PM

And Puerto Rico

I'm trying it right now

Thanks,
-kwag

black prince · #3 02-21-2006, 03:01 PM

@Kwag,

Tried internetcalls.net and it appears to be the same company as
voipbuster, sipdiscount, etc. My userid's from the old company were
already in use with internetcalls, so I made up another one. I did call a
landline with no trouble. The softphone looks like voipbuster except it's
orange.

I wonder what the settings would for PAP2

-BP

kwag · #4 02-21-2006, 08:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by black prince

I wonder what the settings would for PAP2

The SIP server is

connectionserver2.internetcalls.com
And use your user name and password to log in

I just added a SIP trunk to my Asterisk PBX, and it works

-kwag

black prince · #5 02-21-2006, 10:47 PM

@Kwag,

This is from "internetcalls.com" FAQ:

Quote:

I want to configure my own SIP device for calling with Internetcalls, is that possible?^ top

It is possible to use your own SIP device, however we do not support it. We advise you to use SIP-Discount instead.

Also, you must subscribe for $12 US to have free unlimited calls or you
are limited to 1 minute calling. For SIP device calls they recommend using
"SipDiscount"

-BP

kwag · #6 02-21-2006, 11:17 PM

Hmm, that's weird that they are recomending another provider

But I have it now configured in my Asterisk box as a SIP trunk, and it's working fine. Here's the log:

Code:

asterisk1*CLI> sip show registry
Host                            Username       Refresh State
connectionserver.internetcalls  ****               105 Registered

So it means you can connect with any SIP device, as it shows "Registered".
I haven't paid anything yet, so my calls are limited to one minute.
Let's just keep our eyes open on this system, and see how long they last.
This could be a marketing strategy just like "voipbuster" and "voipcheap", where they started as *free* calls, and now they charge.
It could be sort of a "pyramid" scam or something like that.

-kwag

kwag · #7 02-21-2006, 11:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by black prince

Quote:

I want to configure my own SIP device for calling with Internetcalls, is that possible?^ top

It is possible to use your own SIP device, however we do not support it. We advise you to use SIP-Discount instead.

I believe SipDiscount is the main company behind them, voipbuster AND voipcheap

Look at the similarities:
www.voipbuster.com
www.voipcheap.com
www.sipdiscount.com

-kwag

rds_correia · #8 02-23-2006, 06:47 PM

Yep

they're all owned by the same switzerland telecoms provider.

Icarus3000 · #9 03-08-2006, 04:44 PM

And I think they are all a big scam...

I paid my money to Voipbuster, but I only really use it once in a while. All of a sudden my credit is only good for the next 90 days... What the @$%^ is up with that?

They lure you in with "free" calls, then get you to pay for calls, and then tell you your credit has expired!

I don't think it is legal to change a contract once I've already paid for something, but what am I going to do? Sue a company in Switzerland (I'm in Canada) over $10?

(although it is possible this was mentioned in the fine print when I paid the $10 to start with... I have to admit I didn't really read the whole thing

)

Oh well.. I'll have to start using it more over the next 90 days.

kwag · #10 03-08-2006, 05:25 PM

Hi Icarus3000,

I think they have a model that is similar to a pre-paid cellular phone.
You must use the balance in a certain time, or you loose it.
So if you make a lot of calls , you win. If not, you loose

We can then conclude that it's better to choose a "Pay-as-you-go" service, which probably has a longer time retention for your deposit.
I haven't read the contracts, but I asume it must be at least a year that your balance is retained before you loose it, unless you make a payment to replenish the account.
At least that's how most cell phone pre-paid services work.

-kwag

Icarus3000 · #11 03-08-2006, 09:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kwag

Hi Icarus3000,

I think they have a model that is similar to a pre-paid cellular phone.
You must use the balance in a certain time, or you loose it.
So if you make a lot of calls , you win. If not, you loose

We can then conclude that it's better to choose a "Pay-as-you-go" service, which probably has a longer time retention for your deposit.
I haven't read the contracts, but I asume it must be at least a year that your balance is retained before you loose it, unless you make a payment to replenish the account.
At least that's how most cell phone pre-paid services work.

-kwag

Kwag:

I have no problem with the "pay-as-you-go" model. What I have a problem with is them changing the terms of the contract midway through. Like I said, I'm not going to make a fuss over $10, but it speaks badly of their business practice to do something sneaky like that.

kwag · #12 03-08-2006, 09:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Icarus3000

but it speaks badly of their business practice to do something sneaky like that.

Yes, I agree.
I think they are playing with their "resellers", and once they get enough money, they start closing the "Free" locations.
That happened with VoipBuster. US Calls were free, and now they charge.
But the funny thing is that now VoIPBuster calls to our location, Puerto Rico, and other locations that you had to pay before, are free

So I guess it's only a matter of time before they make another change and then some other countries will be free and the ones that were now free, will cost

-kwag

rds_correia · #13 03-09-2006, 04:19 PM

Exactly, they play with their free locations randomly so that they won't loose much and will always be pleasing many people.
At SIPDiscount the credit is valid for 120 days, but there's nothing saying that it can't change after a while.
It's just as Karl said, the more calls you make the more you take advantage on the money you deposited.
At the end of the day, the world is not a perfect place...