Re: [Evolution] using skype

[Simon Roberts <thorpflyer yahoo com>]

----- Original Message ----

> From: Jo-Erlend Schinstad <joerlend schinstad gmail com>
> To: evolution-list gnome org
> Sent: Monday, May 25, 2009 11:46:31 AM
> Subject: Re: [Evolution] using skype
>
> 2009/5/25 Simon Roberts :
> > Can I dial ordinary phones using Ekiga? What does it cost, and whom do I pay? 
> Does Ekiga connect to skype users (most of my contacts are already there and 
> won't be moving).
>
> Yes, Ekiga uses real voip protocols, used by all normal telephony
> service providers in all countries. Skype, on the other hand, cannot
> be used by real telephony service providers. Using normal VoIP instead
> of Skype, means competition, which means lower prices and higher
> availability. You can also purchase VoIP hardware that works with SIP
> and H.323, like Ekiga uses.
>
> There are many telephony service providers around the world and it's
> quite common for businesses to have their own telephony service. You
> can use Ekiga with that, but you cannot use Skype, since it doesn't
> use real VoIP protocols, but something proprietary to Skype only.
>
> However, if you use Ekiga, you're not depending on Ekiga in any way.
> All compliant VoIP solutions can work with public protocols. There are
> many, many different softphone solutions for Windows, almost all of
> which are compatible with Ekiga. There are also many manufacturers of
> compliant hardware phones, like Cisco, Nokia, Sony Ericsson, Motorola
> and Siemens (of the top of my head). All major manufaturers support
> SIP.
>
> Would you buy a phone from Nokia if you could only call other Nokia
> phone owners?
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Thanks for the enthusiastic and detailed reply. That answers the first question, but not the second, third, 
and fourth:

2) Whom do I pay for service that allows me to call ordinary phones, and 3) how much does it cost?

4) Can I call other skype users from Ekiga

BTW, I'm not sure what you're getting at in your final point, but I most certainly can call ordinary phones 
from Skype. I don't particularly care how they do it, just that the cost is reasonable (which it certainly 
is--I just spent two weeks in Poland, calling my girlfriend's cell phone in the US, for 2cents per minute).

Thanks,
Simon