I'm wondering if people here have experience using VOIP in Shanghai such as Vonage /Skype In/ Grand Central + Gizmo. I took a Vonage box to SH about a year ago and couldn't get it to work. I'm considering trying again, or possibly using Skype In or a combination of Gizmo with Grand Central as described in this article:
http://gigaom.com/2007/02/21/grandcentral-gizmo/
I won't be doing tons of calling to the USA from China, but it would be nice if my biz contacts in the USA could easily call me in China while using a local USA number. Any info you could provide about this matter would be most appreciated.
Best,
Alexander
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@hanguolaohu: skype works great for me (with the unlimited monthly charge - as paid in US region)
I have tried gizmo...the outgoing calls are not free (from US atleast, so discontinued using it...though the quality was better than skype)
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I have been using Packet 8 and have taken with me on business trips. Quality is okay but not great.
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I used to have Packet 8, but am quite upset at them for charging me a cancellation fee when I was signed up for their "monthly" plan. After Sunrocket folded, I vowed to not sign an annual contract, only to find out when I cancelled that Packet 8's "monthly" plan is actually an annual contract paid monthly. Deceiving.
I've heard good things about Skype In. When I call from China using my computer with China Telecome 2MB internet though, the voice quality is not that great. The connection should be fast enough, but I'm not sure if I have to free up a port or call China Telecom. I believe that Hong Kong's internet would be light years ahead of Shanghai.
Thanks guys.
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We're using Vonage in Guangzhou, and we love it. I do remember it taking some effort to get it to work, though. We had to get a rep from Vonage on the phone (via Skype) and get them to tweak some things for it to work. Haven't really had any problems since.
If you're not going to be making a lot of calls to the US, I would probably just get either a Skype-in number, or a Yahoo Voice number. Then you could just forward all your calls to your cell phone, and not even deal with the computer. In my opinion, the voice quality is so much better when the calls are forwarded rather than actually talking through the computer.
We forward Vonage when we're away from our apt....any extra $5 a month got us unlimited calls to various countries in Asia, so we can forward to our mobiles without any additional fees.)
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Skype is great. SkypeOut Subscription is US$8.50/month or so for unlimited calls to 36 countries if you prepay for a year. SkypeIn is US$ 50-80/year depending on location. Works fine most days. We haven't had a land line since we got to HK.
And for goodness sake, get a Skype Phone. The kind that doesn't require a computer. That way it is just like a normal phone. Totally "spouse proof". ;)
"I've heard good things about Skype In. When I call from China using my computer with China Telecome 2MB internet though, the voice quality is not that great. The connection should be fast enough, but I'm not sure if I have to free up a port or call China Telecom. I believe that Hong Kong's internet would be light years ahead of Shanghai."
As you say the problem is often the connection at one or the other end.
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I decided to buy a Vonage box. My reason being, I've had a cell # in the USA for 5 years and didn't want to lose it. Skype doesn't support # porting. Also I believe Skype phones still require connection to the computer's usb port. I could not find one that ran by itself, like a Vonage box does. I know my friends and family sometimes complain about the voice quality, but Skype's connection from Shanghai can be shaky as well. So we'll see... I ordered the $31/month basic world package, so I can call all over China, and 13 other countries, unlimited for free. Thank you for the advice guys!
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"Also I believe Skype phones still require connection to the computer's usb port. I could not find one that ran by itself, like a Vonage box does."
There are plenty that run "by themselves" and do not require a computer. These come in two types:
- Cordless phone with a base station. Supports both landline and Skype in the same device. Netgear makes a good one.
- WiFi phone. Looks like a largeish cell phone. Connects to WiFi networks such as hotspots. Very useful for travel.
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Sorry, my mistake. You're right. But I'm partial to corded phones. As far as I know, there is no corded phone solution for Skype. Unless you hack one of those Linksys VOIP boxes that came with Sunrocket :-p
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"But I'm partial to corded phones. "
I don't think my kids know what a corded phone looks like. Welcome to the 21st Century. ;)
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2 issues:
1. Radiation
2. Voice quality
I think corded is still king. But of course, I use cordless for my secondary house phones.
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