[ale] Slightly OT: recommendations for VOIP/SIP to replace POTS

Tue Nov 29 16:33:39 EST 2022

I'll second Ooma (which is where my "770 work number" went.  However,
here in S. FL outgoing FAX service stopped after a while most of the
time for unexplained reasons, usually after the first page with
my Brother Multi Center.

(Since thanks to this group I got Brother scanning from Linux to work
it doesn't matter much, though FAXes are secure and unencrypted email
is not.)

Bob

On Tue, Nov 29, 2022 at 04:10:10PM -0500, Neal Rhodes via Ale wrote:
> So, we dived in, bought the HT802, signed up with VOIP.ms, used their
> recipe, got it going fairly quickly.
> 
> Ported out AT&T line over, now we're paying $2/month for two inbound lines,
> with rollover.  We were paying AT&T $50 for one line.
> 
> Voip.ms support is really outstanding.   Compared to TCP/ip, VPNs, Routing,
> Firewalls, this stuff seems to be about 5X more complex in terms of fiddly
> parameters, but their support chat agents are prompt, knowledgeable, and
> thus far we've fixed everything with the first agent we've encountered.
> 
> 
> On 2022-11-25 01:42, David Ritchie via Ale wrote:
> > If you really don't want to have to screw around with this much, and
> > need to port your existing number in, I have found ooma premier
> > service to be a good option, and it supports nomorobo to filter
> > spammers. The unit is about $100 and comes with two lines - monthly
> > rates may be a bit higher but it is pretty much fire and forget.
> > 
> > -- David Ritchie
> > 
> > On Sat, Nov 12, 2022 at 3:06 PM Alex Carver via Ale <ale at ale.org>
> > wrote:
> > 
> > > The HT802 provides two line service using the standard inner/outer
> > > pair
> > > configuration of the single jack on the back. (That's why it's the
> > > HT802, two lines -- The HT801 is one line). Each line can be
> > > configured
> > > with separate SIP credentials/accounts to whomever the SIP provider
> > > is
> > > which would give you some combination of two lines. Some providers
> > > can
> > > give you two lines of the same number and others would give you two
> > > different numbers.
> > > 
> > > Keep in mind that a SIP trunking provider is different from a VoIP
> > > provider. The trunking provider doesn't necessarily have the POTS
> > > connection, the VoIP provider does. 3CX is a SIP trunking provider
> > > along
> > > with a cloud PBX provider. They're the ones you use to manage an
> > > office
> > > of VoIP phones but they don't necessarily give you the phone number.
> > > 
> > > Instead you connect your 3CX system to a VoIP provider to get a
> > > phone
> > > number. So you really only need a VoIP provider that has the
> > > interconnections in place like voip.ms [1] or Vonage or similar VoIP
> > > 
> > > providers. For a single SIP device like the HT802 ATA that's all
> > > you'd need.
> > > 
> > > On 2022-11-11 08:04, Neal Rhodes via Ale wrote:
> > > > Thanks to all for replies.   Yes, sounds attractive.  No, don't
> > > want to
> > > > add telecom guru to my brain if avoidable.  Installing subway tile
> > > 
> > > > backsplash in the kitchen is my brain exercise for the month.
> > > Following
> > > > a known recipe would be more better.
> > > > 
> > > > So, instead of paying $50/mo to AT&T to enable the POTS jack on
> > > the back
> > > > of their fiber device, which feeds the POTS wiring in the house, I
> > > can:
> > > > 
> > > > - Buy the Grandstream GS-HT802 2 Port Analog Telephone Adapter
> > > VoIP
> > > > Phone & Device for $38 one time;
> > > > - Use VOIP.ms Residential for about $5/mo, or maybe 3CX for
> > > free/mo.
> > > > - Port the existing phone number.
> > > > - Plug the existing house wiring into the HT802
> > > > - Use the existing house phones for inbound & outbound.
> > > > 
> > > > Yes?
> > > > 
> > > > I also see some ambiguity - The HT802 says it is 2 ports.  It says
> > > 2 SIP
> > > > profiles.  Some of the comments indicate it supports POTS Line 1 &
> > > Line
> > > > 2.  But the pictures only show one POTS jack.   (Which has 4
> > > wires, and
> > > > can support two POTS lines)   Our POTS phones ARE 2 line, using a
> > > single
> > > > POTS jack.  Are the pictures on Amazon wrong, does it really have
> > > two
> > > > RJ11 jacks, or is the single jack handling both?
> > > > 
> > > > Some of the questions/answers suggest the HT812 in order to have
> > > inbound
> > > > rollover from Line 1 to Line 2.  Which would be nice, but not
> > > necessary.
> > > > 
> > > > regards,
> > > > 
> > > > Neal
> > > > 
> > > > On 2022-11-09 22:27, DJPfulio--- via Ale wrote:
> > > > > On 11/9/22 21:18, Neal Rhodes via Ale wrote:
> > > > > 
> > > > > > 
> > > 
> > https://www.amazon.com/Grandstream-WP810-Portable-Wi-Fi-Device/dp/B087D5TB7C/ref=asc_df_B087D5TB7C
> > > > > 
> > > > > If you are still happy with your POTS normal home phones, get an
> > > ATA
> > > > > like I suggested in the earlier message.  Mine is a 6-node
> > > cordless
> > > > > (pre-DEC) system with chargers/handsets all around the house. The
> > > base
> > > > > station plugs into the ATA and all the handsets work as expected,
> > > > > including caller ID.
> > > > > 
> > > > > 
> > > 
> > https://www.amazon.com/Grandstream-GS-HT802-Analog-Telephone-Adapter/dp/B01JH7MYKA
> > > > > for $40 is what I'd get today.  The single-port version isn't
> > > much
> > > > > cheaper, but perhaps you still like to use fax?
> > > > > 
> > > > > VoIP.ms has configuration examples for many devices. Easy to
> > > follow if
> > > > > you don't want to become a telecom guru.
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> > 
> > Links:
> > ------
> > [1] http://voip.ms
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