Alan has kindly pointed out that I posted this in the wrong place.
Here it is again:
"Has anyone used www.imeem.com?
This is a new (free) web service which might be useful for active members of the forum: you can create a private online community, a blog, share photos.....you retain full control over who can search, see & share your digitel content (it establishes a direct peer-to-peer connection).
Apparently (read: according to the FT) it is easier to use than many dedicated blogging packages and for forum members it creates a secure collaborative network. (Wow! did I say that? No, of course not, the FT said it.)
Maybe forum members who don't want their properties identified on a public site would share this information on imeem. (Did Renaud reply to your question, Alan?)
If anybody does build an imeem network I'd love to join it. I'm too computer-inept to start this myself.
_________________
Best,
Alexia.
"
www.imeem.com
www.imeem.com
Best,
Alexia.
Alexia.
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Alan Knighting
- Posts: 4120
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As a follow up to Alexia's posting above, I think that everyone should note that the Owner-to-Owner section does not allow for replies, only the Administrator can do that.
Perhaps Paolo will confirm that the Owner-to-Owner section should be treated rather like a "Notice Board" and not as a discussion area.
Alan
Perhaps Paolo will confirm that the Owner-to-Owner section should be treated rather like a "Notice Board" and not as a discussion area.
Alan
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centime
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- Location: Lisbon, city centre, Portugal
- Contact:
Alan: I just posted a new topic in the Owner to Owner section about another couple of communication tools. Especially like Skype.com as it has the facility of free online telephone calls over the net and also another service of paying for a number so that callers can call you up directly to the computer - plus the charges for one to call out to other fixed lines and mobiles worldwide through this computer program are the lowest yet! I think it would be a very cost efective system for VRO's who like to follow up enquiries via the phone, it almost makes it as easy and cheap as it is in the US. Perhaps we could think about a topic for this type of communications. 
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Alan Knighting
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Last evening I received a telephone call from a friend in the UK. She was using Skype on UK standard 0.5 mb broadband and I was using a normal telephone, therefore I assume she was using SkypeOut.
It was without doubt the worst telephone experience I have had in a long time. Although she could hear me OK everything she said was broken up into tiny little chunks so it sounded like something which was being produced my a machine gun. Absolutely appalling.
If that was a typical example of Skype, or VOIP in general, the technology has a long way to go before I would find it tolerable, even if it is cheaper than traditional methods of communication.
The theory is fine but has anyone else had actual real life experience?
Alan
It was without doubt the worst telephone experience I have had in a long time. Although she could hear me OK everything she said was broken up into tiny little chunks so it sounded like something which was being produced my a machine gun. Absolutely appalling.
If that was a typical example of Skype, or VOIP in general, the technology has a long way to go before I would find it tolerable, even if it is cheaper than traditional methods of communication.
The theory is fine but has anyone else had actual real life experience?
Alan
Alan,Alan Knighting wrote:If that was a typical example of Skype, or VOIP in general, the technology has a long way to go before I would find it tolerable, even if it is cheaper than traditional methods of communication.
The theory is fine but has anyone else had actual real life experience?
Alan
We switched to VOIP a few months ago because the savings are phenominal - the accounts I was able to cancel as a result amounted to more than $200 a month. Admittedly I reduced from two lines to one line, but all we lost was a dedicated fax line which we rarely use these days. The fax machine still picks up automatically, so the only difference is that I can't talk and fax at the same time now, no great loss.
To answer your question on quality, I have not noticed any deterioration whatsoever, in fact it seems better. This may be because we replaced the phone system as well. That was the only problem - our existing system (5 years old) was not compatible with VOIP, being 2.4ghz Siemens with 3 handsets. We were missing calls, calls were breaking up, but we were not really sure for a week or so, because it's not that the old phone didn't work at all, it just didn't work consistently.
In the end I had the VOIP tech people (who are also my ISP for cable internet and TV) run some tests, and eventually, I threw the Siemens system out. I bought the new system from one of the market leaders here in VOIP phones - it's a Uniden 5.8ghz with up to 10 handsets that is also compatible with wireless internet, which the 2.4ghz isn't. The new system with 3 handsets cost $135 on eBay brand new and it's great, I love it. I'm thinking of adding a handset for every room. It not only works as an intercom between handsets in the house, it also works as a walkie talkie, so you can take two handsets to a ball game and not have to use your cell phone minutes (not that I ever go to ball games!). Uniden also makes a higher model that is compatible with bluetooth, so in addition to all of the above you can integrate your landline phone with email and cell phone minutes. I opted for a walkie talkie function instead of bluetooth because the kids will answer a beep instantly, whereas they may have all calls being forwarded to voicemail. I know quite a few people now who don't have a landline at all actually, only a cell phone.....well, I could ramble on, but that is about the extent of my tech know how when it comes to phones.
Although I cannot speak for Skype or other broadband providers, ours here, Optimum, is rated highly in the US, and I like the bill at the end of the month. Because it's an add-on service to internet connection and TV, I'm now paying a whopping US$14.75 cents for everything phone related!!! That's not even 7 British pounds a month and for that, I can talk as long as I like, 24 hours a day to anywhere locally, regionally or nationally in North America including Canada and Puerto Rica. No call charges at all, ever, except for other international destinations, which is a "pay as you go" system. The rates are cheaper than my long treasured special discount rate plan, or the phone cards, and they charge my CC $10 to top up the account when needed.
So I guess you could say I'm a big fan so far, but changing the phone itself was the key to making it work for us. Europe is way ahead of the US when it comes to phone handsets, so I would be very suprised if you did not have something even better than the Uniden system over there.
Waves from America
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Alan Knighting
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Joanna,
When I said I was using a normal telephone I really meant it. While I do have an almost new telephone system with numerous cordless handsets I was using a stand-alone plug-in phone when I received the call via Skype. There are no compatability problems that I am aware of when using such phones.
My ideal for VOIP is to be able to telephone any telephone in the world and for any telephone user in the world to be able to telephone me. I don't think Skype offers that although some VOIP services in the USA do.
A further huge problem is that VOIP relies on the electrical supply and if that is down then so is VOIP, a "normal" telephone is not. For that reason, if and when I adopt VOIP I will continue to have a normal telephone line with a normal telephone and/or continue to have a mobile telephone.
Alan
When I said I was using a normal telephone I really meant it. While I do have an almost new telephone system with numerous cordless handsets I was using a stand-alone plug-in phone when I received the call via Skype. There are no compatability problems that I am aware of when using such phones.
My ideal for VOIP is to be able to telephone any telephone in the world and for any telephone user in the world to be able to telephone me. I don't think Skype offers that although some VOIP services in the USA do.
A further huge problem is that VOIP relies on the electrical supply and if that is down then so is VOIP, a "normal" telephone is not. For that reason, if and when I adopt VOIP I will continue to have a normal telephone line with a normal telephone and/or continue to have a mobile telephone.
Alan
Alan, if your phone works normally for other calls, there's no reason why it wouldn't work normally for my calls. I'm quite happy to phone you to prove it! If you're having problems hearing your friend, then I'm suggesting the problem is with the phone system with him/her at the originating end, not with you at the receiving end.Alan Knighting wrote:Joanna,
When I said I was using a normal telephone I really meant it. While I do have an almost new telephone system with numerous cordless handsets I was using a stand-alone plug-in phone when I received the call via Skype. There are no compatability problems that I am aware of when using such phones.
I have exactly that service fortunately. It's seemless, you would never know it was not a normal phone.My ideal for VOIP is to be able to telephone any telephone in the world and for any telephone user in the world to be able to telephone me. I don't think Skype offers that although some VOIP services in the USA do.
I'll have to check into that, but I'm not sure you're correct. Some cordless handsets now have battery backup to ensure they continue to work in a power outage, otherwise you do indeed need to keep a hard wired phone available that can be plugged directly into the wall jack, whoever is providing your phone service. (we leave a spare one of these in the rental with instructions to unplug the cordless if there is a power outage).A further huge problem is that VOIP relies on the electrical supply and if that is down then so is VOIP, a "normal" telephone is not. For that reason, if and when I adopt VOIP I will continue to have a normal telephone line with a normal telephone and/or continue to have a mobile telephone.
Alan
I guess if the cable modem coming into the house does fail, then I hook up the whole house generator to keep the modem powered. It's not every likely the ISP would go down completely given the network covers nearly 3 States (NY, CT and NJ). If it's connectivity in a disaster you're after, then I can tell you that 9/11, which was before we had VOIP, we lost all phone service including cell mobiles completely. They didn't work properly for days afterwards and not at all for the first 24 hours or so. The telephone exchange serving most of Long Island was located in the World Trade Centre unfortunately, so they had major problems for quite a while.
Everyone reverted to email, which never failed, and was our *only* means of communication with family abroad. They say that text messaging on mobiles is extremely reliable also, but I would never expect a normal phone to work in any kind of major disaster, they just don't.
All things considered, I'm a big fan of the internet, it's extremely robust technology and has ways of routing itself round a problem to deliver packets to where they are supposed to go. And I can honestly say that I can't tell the difference when I pick up the phone and talk. But each to their own, I'm just saying don't dismiss VOIP on the basis of one call.....
Waves from America
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Alan Knighting
- Posts: 4120
- Joined: Mon Oct 18, 2004 7:26 am
- Location: Monflanquin, Lot-et-Garonne, France
Joanna,
No, I too am a big fan of the internet. Having been involved in IT for over 25 years I would say that wouldn't I? I am not dismissing VOIP at all; I hope it is the way of the future. Nor am I trying to argue the virtues of one system as against another but I do think that people should be aware that there are differences and what those differences might be.
What I am getting at is that Skype is a computer to computer software based VOIP system. For that reason anyone wanting to contact you over VOIP must have a PC and must have Skype. You don't get a real telephone number so people without a PC and without Skype can not contact you over VOIP. If your PC is down, or even just switched off, your VOIP doesn't work even if your telephones have battery back-up and continue to work.
Other VOIP systems, such as Lingo, are hardware based and don't rely on a PC or installed software to work, they rely on their own boxes which can have their own battery back-up. In fact you don't need to have a PC at all. With systems like Lingo you get a real telephone number which means anyone can call you from any telephone from anywhere in the world.
Yes, of course! If the backbone of the public telephone system, and that includes broadband which works over the public telephone system, fails then nothing works. That applies equally whatever flavour of telephone communication you use.
Hardware based VOIP systems are more expensive than software based VOIP systems and that has to be brought into the equation when considering their respective benefits.
There are numerous interesting articles about VOIP (amongst many other things) to be found if you do a search on http://www.wxpnews.com/. You can have their free newsletter delivered weekly by e-mail if you wish - just sign up.
Regards
Alan
No, I too am a big fan of the internet. Having been involved in IT for over 25 years I would say that wouldn't I? I am not dismissing VOIP at all; I hope it is the way of the future. Nor am I trying to argue the virtues of one system as against another but I do think that people should be aware that there are differences and what those differences might be.
What I am getting at is that Skype is a computer to computer software based VOIP system. For that reason anyone wanting to contact you over VOIP must have a PC and must have Skype. You don't get a real telephone number so people without a PC and without Skype can not contact you over VOIP. If your PC is down, or even just switched off, your VOIP doesn't work even if your telephones have battery back-up and continue to work.
Other VOIP systems, such as Lingo, are hardware based and don't rely on a PC or installed software to work, they rely on their own boxes which can have their own battery back-up. In fact you don't need to have a PC at all. With systems like Lingo you get a real telephone number which means anyone can call you from any telephone from anywhere in the world.
Yes, of course! If the backbone of the public telephone system, and that includes broadband which works over the public telephone system, fails then nothing works. That applies equally whatever flavour of telephone communication you use.
Hardware based VOIP systems are more expensive than software based VOIP systems and that has to be brought into the equation when considering their respective benefits.
There are numerous interesting articles about VOIP (amongst many other things) to be found if you do a search on http://www.wxpnews.com/. You can have their free newsletter delivered weekly by e-mail if you wish - just sign up.
Regards
Alan
Skype is free, isn't it? I have downloaded it but have never used it. I'm not surprised that the call quality isn't perfect, in that case.
I know I have sung the praises of Vonage before -- but something I may not have mentioned before is that now Vonage can forward to other phone numbers in case of a service outage.
That means that when I moved and had to disconnect my internet for several days, all my Vonage calls (i.e., calls to my home phone) were automatically forwarded to my mobile phone. That has worked during power outages as well.
Additionally, even though I moved, I didn't have to change my number, and I didn't have to do a thing but change my billing address on the Vonage website.
They also have a somewhat advanced feature whereby a call to a Vonage number will simultaneously ring your other telephone numbers, sort of a race to see which line picks up first (depending on what phone you're nearest to). So if you are one of those people who just *must* be contactable at all times, that would be useful. Personally, I would not like that, but that's me.
I also have a dedicated fax line for an extra $5 a month. My charges are more than Joanna's -- $35 per month including the fax line and also including an extra forwarding number, so that my friends in California can call me for free.
I know I have sung the praises of Vonage before -- but something I may not have mentioned before is that now Vonage can forward to other phone numbers in case of a service outage.
That means that when I moved and had to disconnect my internet for several days, all my Vonage calls (i.e., calls to my home phone) were automatically forwarded to my mobile phone. That has worked during power outages as well.
Additionally, even though I moved, I didn't have to change my number, and I didn't have to do a thing but change my billing address on the Vonage website.
They also have a somewhat advanced feature whereby a call to a Vonage number will simultaneously ring your other telephone numbers, sort of a race to see which line picks up first (depending on what phone you're nearest to). So if you are one of those people who just *must* be contactable at all times, that would be useful. Personally, I would not like that, but that's me.
I also have a dedicated fax line for an extra $5 a month. My charges are more than Joanna's -- $35 per month including the fax line and also including an extra forwarding number, so that my friends in California can call me for free.
Brooke
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Alan Knighting
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Vonage is in the UK now, so hopefully it won't be that long before it comes to France!
In the meantime, I totally agree -- I wouldn't go without a phone until I had an established VOIP company providing the service.
In the States, internet companies are now providing VOIP as part of their services. Wonder if other countries will start on that, too?
In the meantime, I totally agree -- I wouldn't go without a phone until I had an established VOIP company providing the service.
In the States, internet companies are now providing VOIP as part of their services. Wonder if other countries will start on that, too?
Brooke