[asterisk-users] Hardphone SIP phone costs

[Norman W. Franke]

On Mar 21, 2008, at 11:48 AM, asterisk-users-request at lists.digium.com  
wrote:
> I'm getting the impression that the telcos in the US are basically
> shafting you because of the monopoly they have. More intersted in  
> keeping
> themselves happy than their customers. I think it's nice I have a  
> choice
> of 5 major mobile phone carriers in the UK, and well over 100 ISPs for
> broadband via the BT Wholesale network.

That's nearly always the case in the US. 50 years ago, it was great  
since we had excellent and widespread service, but now they just  
aren't keeping up with technology. The recording industry is another  
similar monopoly.

>> A fun test is to call a landline from your cell in the same room and
>> note now long the delay is. I find it long enough to interfere with
>> conversations, people talking over each other (especially when  
>> both are
>> on cells from different carriers.)
>
> There is a delay - but I've never really noticed it unless I play  
> tricks
> on the network like that. It's certianly nothing like making a call to
> Austrailia!

Never called Australia, but I've found cell-to-cell delays enough to  
interfere with normal conversations.

> Don't rely on the carriers to provide you anything - there are  
> plenty of
> phones on the market which do SIP now - most modern Nokias do. I  
> use an
> E90 Communicator, but the E95 is popular too, so I'm experimenting  
> with
> using my mobile as my "one" phone, via Wi-Fi/SIP when I'm in the
> home/office and GSM/3G when out and about. It's not perfect yet, but
> getting there.

Then you need to pay for the handset yourself without discount. Of  
late, they refuse to discount their rate or shorten the term if you  
provide your own handset.

> (And 10:1 gives you a SIP service on the iPhone that's locked into  
> their
> own service ;-)

Since PJSIP is being ported, and I am a registered iPhone developer,  
I can assure you, I won't have a locked in SIP client for the iPhone. :)

Norman Franke
ASD, Inc.
www.myasd.com