"VOIPBuster" and "Internetcalls"

[mancombseepgood]

I received a very suspicious email today (5:21 pm). It was supposedly from "ralf@voipbuster.com". On opening it, it launched my browser to the following site: www.internetcalls.com
The email claims the following:

Dear Voip-Fan,

From the makers of Voipbuster: http://www.internetcalls.com

Over 40 FREE destinations, PLUS free VoipIn number AND Call Forwarding!

For more rates, click here: http://www.internetcalls.com/en/rates.html


Kindest regards,
The VoipBuster Team

If you want to be removed from our mailing list click here:
http://www.voipbuster.com/en/feedback.html

The internetcalls site looks very similar to the voipbuster site. Their "product" looks similar too according to the screenshots. The voipbuster site does not hint at the "new product" at all.

Has anyone else got this email? What do you think. I am definately not going to try signing up with the "internetcalls" product - more than likely a credit card scam. If so... the question is... how did they know that I use VOIPBuster and how did they get my email....:confused:

[Silent_Bob]

just stick it on block!

and, any1 can get your email

[mancombseepgood]

Interesting... both domains owned by the following:

Registrant:
Betamax GmbH & Co. KG
Im Mediapark 8
Koln 50670
DE

Domain Name: INTERNETCALLS.COM

Administrative Contact, Technical Contact:
Betamax GmbH & Co. KG register@betamax.com
Im Mediapark 8
Koln 50670
DE
+49221 55405 564

Record expires on 03-Mar-2009.
Record created on 09-Oct-2005.
Database last updated on 2-Mar-2006 15:26:24 EST.

Domain servers in listed order:

NS1.BETAMAX.COM 80.239.136.190
NS2.BETAMAX.COM 194.120.0.222
NS3.BETAMAX.COM 194.221.62.222

Does this mean that they are creating a "false competition" environment. Two identical products from the same company... sounds like our cell networks

[kilos]

Betamax also owns sipdiscount.com too

[mancombseepgood]

So... it's all marketing hype... get you to believe you are trying a new product... considering they charge you to "join the network" and thereafter you can make free calls to the free destinations... poor

[G2V]

They are genuine, although it is unusual that they send out unsolicited emails.

Internetcalls.com belongs to the same group as VoIPBuster.com as well as voipstunt.com, sparvoip.de, netappel.fr, voipcheap.co.uk and sipdiscount.com. The holding company, Betamax in Cologne, Germany took over the Finerea group in Switzerland towards the end of last year.

We have been using sparvoip.de for the past few weeks to make unlimited free calls to most European destinations and even all national calls and local calls within South Africa (0.06 Euro per/min and thus far cheaper than Telkom). Just on international calls in the past three weeks we have denied Telkom over R1500 by using Sparvoip and it has cost us nothing except for the 10 Euro signup fee.

The voice quality has been exceptional (and even far better than Skype) and only calls to cell phones are dicey. After 40 -60 minutes they seem to cut you off, but you can dial again at no additional cost.

For more information on the Betamax group activities and a summary of all free international call destinations check this link on free voip providers (http://www.myvoipprovider.com/Free_VoIP/)

Just for information, we use a sipura 3000 on a 128k Wifi package.

[kilos]

Thanks G2V for that interesting feedback on Internetcalls and the MyVoIP Provider website. Great comparisons.

I have connected my Sipura SPA3000 to an Asterisk PBX on IS 512k DSL to Sipdiscount.com
but seem to have cutoff problems after 1 minute. Paid my 10 Euro and no feedback from my 2 questions

[G2V]

Just an update on internetcalls.com.

2-3 days ago Internetcalls reduced their VoIP rates to SA to 0.046 Euro per minute :) (with the current exchange rate this is now only R0.335 per minute and way cheaper than a local Telcom call)

We signed up immediately (paid 10 Euros) and again no complaints on the voice quality (Sipura 3000 and narrowband 128 WiFi connection).

We are now counting the days until Internetcalls or any of their sister companies decide to offer free!!!!!!!! landline calls to SA.

[kilos]

Thanks G2V.
Great update on pricing

[G2V]

Another update on internetcalls.com.

Yesterday 20 March 2006 Internetcalls.com and their sister companies Voip Buster etc. launched a new VoIP provider in Germany www.voipdiscount.com.

The interesting fact is that they now offer free calls to 52 landline and mobile destinations around the world and most importantly calls to South Africa, Zambia and Zimbabwe cost only !!!!!! 0.0116 Euro !!!!!!!( oh yes this includes VAT). Using the current exchange rate this is now 8.7 South African cents per minute.

It will now cost you 90% less to phone JHB from Cape Town in comparison to Telkom. This should ruffle a few feathers in the Telkom head office.

More details on www.myvoipprovider.com.

[8321]

Another update on internetcalls.com.

The interesting fact is that they now offer free calls to 52 landline and mobile destinations around the world and most importantly calls to South Africa, Zambia and Zimbabwe cost only !!!!!! 0.0116 Euro !!!!!!!( oh yes this includes VAT). Using the current exchange rate this is now 8.7 South African cents per minute.

It will now cost you 90% less to phone JHB from Cape Town in comparison to Telkom. This should ruffle a few feathers in the Telkom head office.

More details on www.myvoipprovider.com.
Just to get the full picture, roughly how many megs bandwidth will be used to phone Jhb from Cape Town for 30 minutes @ approximately R200 per gig?

[G2V]

Just to get the full picture, roughly how many megs bandwidth will be used to phone Jhb from Cape Town for 30 minutes @ approximately R200 per gig?

Voipdiscount uses the G711u codec. G711 transmits VoIP data uncompressed and provides the same Voice Quality as a PSTN line. With overheads it uses about 87.2Kbps in both directions at the Ethernet layer. During a call, you are transmitting approximately 87.2Kbps while at the same time receiving 87.2Kbps. This equates to about 39Mbytes per hour of incoming traffic.

That's 19.5 Mb for 30 minutes = R3.90. Add the rate of 0.0166 Euro (R0.087) per minute from voipdiscount.com and you will have a total cost for the call of R2.61+R3.90 = R6.51.

Telkom would charge R0.801/min * 30min = R24.03.

Just tested the G729 codec with voipdiscount and it worked as well and uses only 1/3 of the bandwidth.

[8321]

Amazing! So why does anybody still use telkom? Here comes the price war or telkom will shape VOIPBuster etc out of existence.

Of course you need a pretty stable broadband connection.

[G2V]

For all VoIP Buster users in SA.

This afternoon www.voipbuster.com reduced their VoIP call rates to South Africa to 0.0116 Euro per minute (R0.087 per min).

[kilos]

Hi G2V

UK Primus Test No: +442071959999

I have tried the SipDiscount with the Sipura SPA3000 on
a SAIX shapped ADSL and got a 3 second delay in speech
phoning SA cell numbers.
Tried it with the G729 codec & GSM
On a 512k Business IS ADSL line I get one way speech to
an SA Cellphones. Will try again on the Sipura SPA3000

Must be a setting within the SPA3000.
Any idea where I can get an echo test PSTN no like SkyPE's echo123

VoIP Servers
sip1.sipdiscount.com (194.221.62.207)
sip.voipbuster.com (194.221.62.206)
sip.voipdiscount.com (194.120.0.202)

http://196.211.2.162/cgi-bin/traceroute.cgi?t=sip1.sipdiscount.com
1 196.211.2.161 (196.211.2.161) 1.179 ms 1.171 ms 1.103 ms
2 196.211.129.13 (196.211.129.13) 112.696 ms 143.747 ms 64.691 ms
3 196.36.80.209 (196.36.80.209) 69.346 ms 63.676 ms 66.954 ms
4 196.26.96.198 (196.26.96.198) 117.024 ms 61.558 ms 134.888 ms
5 168.210.250.81 (168.210.250.81) 692.733 ms 617.444 ms 635.595 ms
MPLS Label=77 CoS=5 TTL=254 S=0
6 168.210.250.80 (168.210.250.80) 633.581 ms 663.184 ms 668.049 ms
7 168.209.244.21 (168.209.244.21) 652.601 ms 670.117 ms 634.286 ms
8 so-2-2-2-ecr1.nyk.cw.net (195.2.5.125) 626.847 ms 720.019 ms 638.080 ms
9 nyk-b2-link.telia.net (213.248.82.153) 672.563 ms 796.859 ms 624.577 ms
10 nyk-bb1-link.telia.net (213.248.82.205) 627.240 ms 641.192 ms 639.840 ms
11 ldn-bb1-pos7-1-0.telia.net (213.248.65.89) 713.922 ms ldn-bb1-link.telia.net (213.248.65.97) 712.284 ms ldn-bb1-pos7-1-0.telia.net (213.248.65.89) 769.972 ms
12 prs-bb1-pos6-0-0.telia.net (213.248.64.9) 760.836 ms ffm-bb1-link.telia.net (80.91.249.9) 745.515 ms prs-bb1-pos6-0-0.telia.net (213.248.64.9) 883.625 ms
13 ffm-b1-link.telia.net (213.248.64.138) 804.106 ms 787.259 ms ffm-bb1-pos6-0-0.telia.net (213.248.64.109) 742.383 ms
14 * ffm-b1-pos9-0.telia.net (213.248.68.10) 741.743 ms 751.868 ms
15 * * *


Traceroute from SAIX ADSL

traceroute to 194.221.62.207 (194.221.62.207), 30 hops max, 40 byte packets
1 192.168.10.1 0.673 ms 0.492 ms 0.531 ms
2 dsl-145-0-01.telkomadsl.co.za (165.145.0.1) 34.803 ms 42.322 ms 47.433 ms
3 ndn-ip-er-1-fe-3-0-0-1.telkom-ipnet.co.za (196.43.10.130) 47.841 ms 50.519 ms 51.984 ms
4 ash-ip-dir-equinix-pos-4-0.telkom-ipnet.co.za (196.43.18.30) 391.227 ms 391.165 ms 391.632 ms
5 pos2-0.cr02.ash01.pccwbtn.net (63.218.94.17) 393.601 ms 394.784 ms 396.968 ms
6 * * *
7 so-5-0-0-dcr1.was.cw.net (195.2.0.217) 402.044 ms 404.214 ms 405.416 ms
8 so-0-0-0-dcr1.par.cw.net (195.2.10.118) 450.747 ms 457.811 ms 459.724 ms
9 so-0-0-0-dcr1.fra.cw.net (195.2.10.141) 469.117 ms 471.000 ms 472.225 ms
10 as0-dcr2.fra.cw.net (195.2.10.158) 476.130 ms 472.737 ms 474.844 ms
11 ge-3-2-0-zar1.fri.cw.net (166.63.193.206) 476.272 ms 477.473 ms so-5-0-0-bcr2.fra.cw.net (195.2.10.77) 479.932 ms
12 ge-3-2-0-zar1.fri.cw.net (166.63.193.206) 479.885 ms * *

[8321]

Installed VOIPBuster and called a Perth number, using iBurst UTC. Absolutely perfect voice quality. (And its 'free')

[G2V]

Hi G2V

UK Primus Test No: +442071959999

I have tried the SipDiscount with the Sipura SPA3000 on
a SAIX shapped ADSL and got a 3 second delay in speech
phoning SA cell numbers.
Tried it with the G729 codec & GSM
On a 512k Business IS ADSL line I get one way speech to
an SA Cellphones. Will try again on the Sipura SPA3000

Must be a setting within the SPA3000.
Any idea where I can get an echo test PSTN no like SkyPE's echo123



Hi Kilos,

Set your sipura 3000 to the preferred G711u codec. That should make quite a difference if you are on a 512 package, although your latency is maybe too high for a decent conversation.

Calls to cellphones are always dicey even in other parts of the world. What are your calls like to landlines in SA?

Here are the details of our tracert to sip.voipdiscount.com

Tracing route to sip.voipdiscount.com [194.120.0.202]
over a maximum of 30 hops:

1 2 ms 1 ms 1 ms 192.XXX.X.X
2 1 ms 1 ms 1 ms 192.XXX.X.X
3 4 ms 4 ms 6 ms 10.2.56.15
4 6 ms 8 ms 6 ms 33.89.28.196.gin.co.za [196.28.89.33]
5 8 ms 9 ms 6 ms 57.89.28.196.gin.co.za [196.28.89.57]
6 8 ms 8 ms 8 ms 61.89.28.196.gin.co.za [196.28.89.61]
7 8 ms 8 ms 14 ms 10.1.54.34
8 12 ms 14 ms 12 ms 10.1.32.1
9 20 ms 18 ms 11 ms 10.1.54.3
10 10 ms 20 ms 12 ms IS [196.28.89.161]
11 12 ms 12 ms 13 ms 168.209.28.9
12 23 ms 22 ms 11 ms 168.209.2.3
13 440 ms 440 ms 426 ms 168.209.0.18
14 559 ms 539 ms 591 ms 168.209.0.9
15 532 ms 528 ms 538 ms 168.209.246.8
16 528 ms 541 ms 572 ms ldn-s2-rou-1002.UK.eurorings.net [195.66.224.54]

17 1072 ms 536 ms 513 ms ldn-s2-rou-1001.UK.eurorings.net [134.222.231.61]
18 536 ms 538 ms 572 ms ffm-s1-rou-1002.DE.eurorings.net [134.222.230.121]
19 597 ms 639 ms 529 ms ffm-s1-rou-1001.DE.eurorings.net [134.222.230.105]
20 * * *

[kilos]

Thanks G2V, will give that codec a try, sitting in Springbok (en route to Namibia)
at a B&B called Annie's Cottage, good rates R250/night with ADSL in your rooms.
Anyway I tried VoipDiscount to a SA cell & SA landline number and the called party said their
was an echo of their voice when they spoke

Must be the laptop microphone as I forgot to bring my headset ?

Thanks for the traceroute's look like you route via IS Fibre route to UK
using Uninetworks ?

Thanks 8321 do you know of any echo test numbers in AU
very much like the SkyPE echo123 test number.
AAH *43 option echo test

[8321]

Thanks 8321 do you know of any echo test numbers in AU
very much like the SkyPE echo123 test number.
AAH *43 option echo test
No, I don't but could post on Whirlpool - or else you could after visiting Etosha.

[8321]

It doesn't seem possible to choose codecs inside Voipbuster. Or is it?

I have tried Xlite as a sip proxy (behind IPCop, using iBurst) and set codec order but it also seems to default to G711. Wanted to force it to use GSM.

Good quality to the UK test number. Not good quality to SA mobiles.

[kilos]

No, I don't but could post on Whirlpool - or else you could after visiting Etosha.
Yeah I wish I was on holiday, business as usual for 2 weeks giving Oracle DBA training,from a very wet Windhoek, this is how George used to be rain & more rain.
Seems like the Voipdiscount.com website is down
Not Found

The requested URL was not found on this server.
Apache Server at www.voipdiscount.com Port 80

Obviously no index.html file in the Document Root tut tut
Thanks neuvians for the below link
http://www.voipdiscount.com/en/index.html

[mancombseepgood]

Haven't had very good success with internetcalls - tried DC today - OK quality - got cut off after a few mins... very poor to Rwanda cellphone - but then that one was expected. Maybe it was the IS weather prob again!

[neuvians]

You can use Voipdiscount http://www.voipdiscount.com/en/index.html - (even with hardware - registrar: sip.voipdiscount.com + ID and Password) to call numbers in SA for 1 euro cent per minute. Quality is acceptable though some latency experienced (call is going from here to Germany and back to SA).

You have to upload 10 Euro but most calls to Europe and other exotic countries are free.

[mancombseepgood]

Looks like another Betamax company.. now if they could just amalgamate the entire lot into one package and offer the best of all...

[cyberbkk]

This is a SCAM - I transfered money to an account they listed in their site. the amount never showed up in my account and they never replied to any messages. Also, people who had their credit added could only use the free calls for a few days before they stopped providing free calls to the advertised destinations, saying that the people abused the system. In at least 1 case that I know personally that was completely nonsense.

So, lets face it, its a SCAM. I have fliled criminal charges against them in Austria and I urge everybody to do the same if you feel that you have been scammed!!

See also here:

http://www.voip.org.uk/forums/index.php?action=vthread&topic=2283&forum=3&page=-1

http://www.aximsite.com/boards/showthread.php?t=124466

http://voippark.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=450

cheers
cyber

[8321]

I am using Voipbuster with no complaints at all. Great service.

[G2V]

So, lets face it, its a SCAM. I have fliled criminal charges against them in Austria and I urge everybody to do the same if you feel that you have been scammed!!



Filing in Austria will not help you. The company is registered in Cologne, Germany.

Check out the company details on www.betamax.com.

Betamax GmbH & Co. KG
Postfach 19 04 25
50501 Köln
Germany

[Azrael]

This is a SCAM - I transfered money to an account they listed in their site. the amount never showed up in my account and they never replied to any messages. Also, people who had their credit added could only use the free calls for a few days before they stopped providing free calls to the advertised destinations, saying that the people abused the system. In at least 1 case that I know personally that was completely nonsense.

So, lets face it, its a SCAM. I have fliled criminal charges against them in Austria and I urge everybody to do the same if you feel that you have been scammed!!

See also here:

http://www.voip.org.uk/forums/index.php?action=vthread&topic=2283&forum=3&page=-1

http://www.aximsite.com/boards/showthread.php?t=124466

http://voippark.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=450

cheers
cyber


I'm using voipdiscount without hassles...bought 10 euros credit with my credit card - was using it within 5 minutes..

[kilos]

Registered a couple of accounts ie voipdiscount.com, voipbuster.com
no problems definitely not a scam

[Marc Myle]

Just read the discussion on this forum on the relation between voipbuster and internetcalls. All the programs that offer free calling to regular landlines are as far as I know owned by one company in Germany; Betamax. THey have at least 9 !!! different programs, the only difference is the name and the costs because the application itself is 100% the same. The costs can vary a lot, also the countries you can call for free vary. I use this website get informed about the latest prices for calling. http://www.voipproducts.eu

[kilos]

Voipbuster introduced some really good deals to some local African countries:
Telkom rates are during peak rates
Voipbuster rates http://www.voipbuster.com/en/rates.html
Telkom rates http://www.telkom.co.za/common/pricelist/prices/international/internationaldestinations/countries.html

* Benin (mobile) 32c/min cheaper than landline [Telkom R5.20/min]
* Botswana (landline) 32c/min [Telkom R1.66/min]
* Burundi (landline) 16c/min [Telkom R5.17/min]
* Kenya (landline) 32c/min [Telkom R2.30/min]
* Laos (landline) 16c/min [Telkom 6.00/min]
* Namibia (landline) 32c/min [Telkom R1.66/min]
* Nigeria (landline) 8c/min [Telkom R3.30/min]
* Uganda (landline) 32c/min [Telkom R2.70/min]

Exchange Rate:
0.01 EUR = 0.0807230 ZAR

[zaphod]

I am not sure if this is a new feature.

I only noticed it today.

When you log into your account at voipbuster.com, there is a function where you could request a phone-to-phone VOIP connection.

You type in your phone number, and the destination phone number.

When you click on the call button, your own phone rings.
After picking up your phone, and after a few seconds the phone rings to your destination number.

The cost for this connection, is the cost to your phone as well as to the calling party. The advantage is that you are not using your internet connection for the VOIP call.

E.g. To phone from yor Telkom phone to any other landline in South Africa, will cost you 0.02 Euros per minute. That is about 16 RSA cents per minute, about the cost of a local landline call with Telkom at Callmore rates.

:p

Unfortanately, you still need your Telkom phone for this.

:(

[Masu]

Hi.

I have been using skype, but my daughters boyfriend is in the States until September and she constantly uses up all my skype credit to call him. I saw the ads stating free calls to the States if you purchase 10euros credit with internet calls etc. Also I would like to try using this to make calls locally instead of using telkom. Any advice on which would be the cheapest route to go ie. internet calls, voipbuster etc. I am using a cyberphoneK. I am not all that clued up with settings so some of the discussions here are a bit baffling. Just so sick and tired of telkom and high telephone bills and would like another alternative.

Any advice would be appreciated.

Ingrid

[Mask]

Masu...try VOIPBuster. I am using it to make most local calls now as well as using it to call my brother in the US - both destinations cost around 8c per minute (SA cents).

Good luck...

[zaphod]

Hi.

I have been using skype, but my daughters boyfriend is in the States until September and she constantly uses up all my skype credit to call him. I saw the ads stating free calls to the States if you purchase 10euros credit with internet calls etc. Also I would like to try using this to make calls locally instead of using telkom. Any advice on which would be the cheapest route to go ie. internet calls, voipbuster etc. I am using a cyberphoneK. I am not all that clued up with settings so some of the discussions here are a bit baffling. Just so sick and tired of telkom and high telephone bills and would like another alternative.

Any advice would be appreciated.

Ingrid

Rather, use www.internetcalls.com, the calls to the USA is "free" (terms and conditions apply).
With VoipBuster it is around 8 cents / minute to the USA.

Both sites are owned by a German company called Betamax
(see previous posts on this)

[Masu]

Mask and Zaphod...thanks to you both for your replies. Another question..Can you each make a comment on the reception, is the line clear for both international and local and also whether you get disconnected at all or has it mainly been trouble free and how long have u both been using each service.

Thanks.

[zaphod]

Mask and Zaphod...thanks to you both for your replies. Another question..Can you each make a comment on the reception, is the line clear for both international and local and also whether you get disconnected at all or has it mainly been trouble free and how long have u both been using each service.

Thanks.

I had troubles with the dialler program of VoipBuster (it is still in beta). I used another SIP softphone (Adore SoftPhone Lite 2.0) from www.adoresoftphone.com. It uses the G.723 codec which bitrate is low enough to work even on a dial-up connection. Voice quality is not perfect but acceptable. There is also about a 1 second delay which one have to get use to.

The Adore program sometimes crashes after about a 15 minutes of a call.

Another one that might be better can be obtained from www.xten.com (Xlite 2.0). There might be even better SIP softphones available; I did not do an extensive search for one.

If you have limited bandwidth, or have a GPRS/EDGE Internet connection, it might be better to consider a phone-to-phone VOIP connection with the callback function which is available if you logged into your account at Viopbuster.com or internetcalls.com. See my previous post about this.

[Mask]

Masu...I have only used it for a month or so and find the reception perfectly fine. There has at some stages been a very slight delay, but I guess that is expected with a 192 connection these days. I haven't been disconnected at all.

[Masu]

Thanks to both of you.

[kilos]

Checkout http://www.voipproducts.eu/ for detailed price changes

This is just web based calling system where you insert your
dialback phone number and the number you wish to call.
http://www.webcalldirect.com

[zaphod]

This is just web based calling system where you insert your
dialback phone number and the number you wish to call.
http://www.webcalldirect.com

Another one of the cloned web sites from this company, Betamax GmbH & Co in Germany.

Others are:

www.voipbuster.com
www.voipcheap.com
www.voipstunt.com
www.internetcalls.com
www.poivy.com
www.voipdiscount.com

(there are probably more)

What are these guys idea with this ??? :eek:

Anyway voipbuster.com and internetcalls.com also provide web based call back services. Their rates to South Africa is also cheaper
(1 euro cents / min)

[Daveogg]

Just a heads up.

Voipdiscount has upped their SA rate from 1 to 4 eu cents per minute.

Looks like some of the other betamax "services" are still at 1 cent - checked voipbuster still 1 cent.

[Jeeva]

Btw, each sister company ov VOIPBuster offers you something else for free, or something. Check it out first.

Like with VOIPBuster, I got a free UK +44 incomming number on my Telkom phone.

[firefly550]

Another update on internetcalls.com.

Yesterday 20 March 2006 Internetcalls.com and their sister companies Voip Buster etc. launched a new VoIP provider in Germany www.voipdiscount.com.

The interesting fact is that they now offer free calls to 52 landline and mobile destinations around the world and most importantly calls to South Africa, Zambia and Zimbabwe cost only !!!!!! 0.0116 Euro !!!!!!!( oh yes this includes VAT). Using the current exchange rate this is now 8.7 South African cents per minute.

It will now cost you 90% less to phone JHB from Cape Town in comparison to Telkom. This should ruffle a few feathers in the Telkom head office.

More details on www.myvoipprovider.com.


Landline calls in SA through VoipDiscount is now 33 cents per minute and through VoipBusters still only 8.27 cents per minute. Best to use VoipDiscount for overseas calls as VoipBusters is more expensive. I call my fiancee in the Philippines on her cell phone and that costs me R 1.15 per minute!!!!

[Random717]

i've had some problems with VOIP Buster with local calls, every 2nd or 3rd call cuts out after a few seconds, and most have lag of 1-3 seconds. Calls to Europe are excellent quality though (except for the odd strange echo, but for the price its ok :D ) this is using a headphone/microphone combo on a 192kb connection.. maybe performance will improve in august?

[firefly550]

i've had some problems with VOIP Buster with local calls, every 2nd or 3rd call cuts out after a few seconds, and most have lag of 1-3 seconds. Calls to Europe are excellent quality though (except for the odd strange echo, but for the price its ok :D ) this is using a headphone/microphone combo on a 192kb connection.. maybe performance will improve in august?

Calling the Philippines and they have the worst telephone companies in the world, but the clarity of the call to a cell phone is perfect every time. I suppose it could depend on the traffic of calls to a country if that is at all possible

[Daveogg]

i've had some problems with VOIP Buster with local calls, every 2nd or 3rd call cuts out after a few seconds, and most have lag of 1-3 seconds. Calls to Europe are excellent quality though (except for the odd strange echo, but for the price its ok :D ) this is using a headphone/microphone combo on a 192kb connection.. maybe performance will improve in august?


Xcleric here is the problem. The sip servers used by betamax (voipbuster/voipdiscount etc) is european based. So when you make a "local" call your voice packets are routed:

You--sat3--sip server in europe---sat3---person you are calling in SA.

His reply is doing the reverse. Your "conversation" is traversing sat3 4 times.

Obviously when you call europe or US(as transatlantic latency is much less than sat3 latency) your overall latency is going to be lower as you are only using Sat3 once in each direction.

What we need is a local sip provider so local calls are not routed international at all. Mweb has taken the first step in that direction, but due to interconnection costs a local call > Telkom.