voip or fax to email services?

[completerookie]

is anyone using VOIP services or fax to email type of services

I am a Skype user so I am aware of what this particular service is all about, its the others that I'm interested in.

any recomendations (ones to avoid), whats reliability like, do you see any differences in "qaulity" ?

[wjcampbe]

I used Net2Phone for both voice and fax until I converted to Skype for voice. The fax service is pretty good and not expensive. Once you 'send' the fax, the service will try repeatedly to get through. Certainly less hassle than standing beside the 'real thing'.

[NormanRouxel]

I use Draytek VOIP hardware to give me an 0131 number that rings anywhere in the world via their DrayTel service (www.draytel.org).

No computer is needed, just internet access. You use either a specialised router or a small box that attaches to the LAN. You plug a normal phone into said box and that's it.

A very useful facility is that you can have up to 3 such boxes, all listening to the same number, located anywhere in the world. Someone calls and they all ring. Whoever picks it up gets the call. Bit like having a global "night service".

[NigelH]

Me too, I have Draytel and I must say it is absolutely excellent!

I make calls to New Zealand landlines at just over 1p per minute (day or night) and the recipients of the calls can't believe it is VOIP because of the clarity and lack of echoes compared with Skype.

Another thing to think about is how compatible the service is with other VOIP service providers. With Draytel you can call any other user with a SIP number for free, which means that you will also be able to connect to future VOIP service providers. With Skype you are locked in to making free calls only to other skype users! Not really the point of VOIP.

Buy yourself a Draytek router and you get the "adapter" built in.

[Darren B]

DRAYTEL for me too

Works a treat, i have phones in 2 locations. i think you can be logged on in a maximum of 3 different places at once.

Plus they do all the kit from basic telephone adapters to VPN firewall routers with 2 phone ports e.t.c. i use theirs and linksys pap2 kit

Cheers
Darren