New Price implications on VOIP

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LethalChicken

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I need some help with my calculations here. I'm using nukecap as an example as it's the only isp I have all the details for.

Assuming I want to make 5h worth of skype calls p/m.
Also assume that I will need to make use of the VPN as the shaped service
is not very clear and the older members of my family can not hear me.

Base costs:
R477 for line rental from telkom.
R350 Nukecap's 5GB
R85 125Mb VPN
R912p/m - for my abusive usage


Now assuming skype uses 5-8kb/s I'll round off a hour of talk to 25MB.
To talk to (almost) anywhere in europe via SkypeOut will be ~R9 p/h (@U$1 = R7)

Now since I use the normal bandwith and ADSL line to make the skype call, I will factor in those costs too.

5GB / 125MB = 40 ....

So I will use 1/40th of line rental and 1/40 th of my 5GB to call for 5 hours.


5 Hours Talk Time - break down:

R85 (VPN)
R9 (ADSL Bandwith)
R12 (ADSL Rental)
R45 (Skype)

R151 for 5 hours

So we get R30p/h or R0.5 per minute, total costs.


With the Call cards you pay about R3 per minute + (assume R0.10 of line rental) and no call cost.

So the cost via skype is 1/6th of a call card, but it is NOT almost free as most people believe it to be.


5Hours:

Skype ~ R150
Call Card ~ R920 (added R20 for line rental)

Also for 5 hours:
Skype (not using VPN) ~ R66 (makes it 14 times cheaper then call card)

Not using VPN and on the WebAfrica DSL R199 price (BW cost of R0.84 for the 125MB)
cost: ~R58

As you can see these are rough calculations and I could have made some mistakes.

Can anybody please check my clalculations and let me know if I have made any major mistakes or wrong assumptions.

Thanks


PS: I have not included unshaped from telkom as the whole package is too expensive and would make surfing a total no no.
 
Nice breakdown, but where are the costs for the 'free' P2P function of Skype.
A point not many people have picked up is that at present Skype have only signed up approx. 300k users on the SkypeOut product. Most people still use Skype for mostly P2P function or the free part (excluding the bandwidth costs as you have described above)

There is also quite a large difference in price between Mobile and Landline calls when suing SkypeOut.
 
ok sorry ... another assumption .... NO P2P .... there are better programs for P2P ... just SkypeOut .... and Just to landline numbers in europe ...

I want to be a telkom abuser, not an UBER abuser ;)
 
if you are looking for a solution for cheap calls to landlines in Europe , I suggest using Voipbuster, as they offer free calls to landlines in most of Western Europe. You have to deposit 5Euro, and this will be used if calling mobile numbers.

I have had some problems with C/Card clearing, but when I have been able to use it, it has been great.

Your summary of the costs re-Skype vs Telskum seem pretty accurate.
 
Imagine will be launching a local based service shortly. This will allow you to connect locally on the IS 30gb accounts...
 
What I understood from voipbuster's rates is that they are 4 times more expensive then skype .. I could be wrong ...

matt ... 1 problem is that this will still take up my INT bandwith 1st ... but if you have a cheaper solution than R45 p/h ... and it's good quality ... then I'm game ...
 
Thats fine as Skype is free PC to PC. Do not use anything else until Telkom plays the game right. Thus 4*3 = 4free
 
i tried voipbuster on my 56k, i phone a mate in the uk on his landline, the call went through and was free, i could hear him clearly but when i talked it was like when you phone someone on skype and you are downloading, he said he could hardly hear what i was saying, basically all he hear was He.......O, Wha........up.......broth......er....... and so on.

I am willing to try again when i have isdn
 
Guys

Skype uses up to 18 k per second, the more bandwidth it has, the more it will use ! thats how the codec works.
 
if you calling to most 1st world countries such as USA, UK and most other european countries, i suggest using VoIPBuster. calls to regular phones in these countries are completely free. in this country every cent counts, so save yourself some money instead of buying skypeout credits. also, using a free unshaped proxy is good enough as i've tried it out. enjoy.
http://www.voipbuster.com/en/index.html
 
SkyPE bandwidth

Gbush you mention SkyPE uses 18k/s, I have got 43-49 kilobits/s.
Try www.dumeter.com 30 day trial , Show d/l and u/l bandwidth
 
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