Voipally

sureteq.com has a good guide to setting up the Asterisk PBX using the Trixbox bootable CD distribution.

Trixbox v1.2 is an all-inclusive Asterisk PBX solution that comes on a bootable CD. It makes the process of bringing up a VoIP PBX solution a piece of cake. This document details, step by step, how to install and configure Trixbox v1.2 for a small business. It includes information on how to set up extensions, incoming and outgoing phone calls, and other useful applications.

A quick pointer to a good review of the Netgear Skype SPH101 Wi-Fi phone. They find it good, but quite expensive. They also note that the phone doesn’t have a built-in web client, so can’t use Wi-Fi access points which rely on browser-based authentication.

SKY-Click is a 100% web-based and easy to use call centre solution based on Skype. Implementation and usage is simple and quick. SKY-click enables free PC to PC and cheap PC-to-Phone communication between a company and its customers. It allows the seamless integration between a company’s website, its customers and its call centre.

from Techcrunch.

This looks like a pretty good idea. It’s surprising there aren’t more entries in this market.

Many podcasters use Skype to do Podcasts. The benefits of PC-based voice calling are obvious compared to trying to record telephone conversations, and the free nature of them has allowed many long-distance podcast teams to collaborate. However, there are some good reasons why podcasters should look at other non-Skype tools to use when podcasting. In particular, Gizmo has some very compelling features for podcasters whne compared to Skype:

1. Voice Quality
   While Skype is rightly know for it’s good voice quality in most circumstances, Gizmo’s quality is just as good. Some people even find it better especially for Mac to PC or PC to Mac communication.
2. Free Recording
   While Skype has a number of add-ons to enable recording of conversations (eg, Skylook, Hotrecorder) recording is a built-in feature of Gizmo.
3. More people in conference calls
   Skype allows up to 10 people per conference call (if you have the correct hardware). Gizmo’s only limit is the power of your hardware – while 10 people may be the limit in many circumstances, a simple work-around can allow up to 28 people in a call at once.
4. Easier to use
   While ease-of-use is often subjective, and increasing number of people are saying they find the Gizmo GUI better laid out and more intuitive. This is very useful when podcasting with someone who is unfamiliar with either Skype or Gizmo, as they will be able to use it quicker – a podcast filled with where much of the time is spent trying to explain how to use the software is likely to annoy the listeners.

Skype has released an early-access development version for Windows. This version includes a new audio library that is supposed to improve voice quality.

We’re working on a new version of Skype for Windows which will be released soon, including a new audio library. This page give you all the details on this new release and lets you know how to give us your feedback.

/!\ This is an early version of Skype for Windows 2.6 and users may experience some problems when using it.
We do not offer Customer Support for this early version of Skype for Windows 2.6.

We recommend that novice users and those on production systems only use later production versions of Skype for Windows.

However if you are an experienced user and do not fear getting some errors then you are welcome to use this early version of Skype for Windows 2.6 and report any issues you may encounter to help us to improve the final version.

Feedback so far appears to be mixed, with many complaining about the installation of a new browser toolbar.

Sony have just announced the MyLo (My Life Online), which includes a webbrowser, IM client and a Skype phone in a form-factor roughly the size of a PSP. The exciting thing about this device is that – unlike most present Skype wireless phones – the addition of a web browser means that users will be able to authenticate at WiFi hotspots that require browser-based authentication (ie – most commercial hotspots today).

This makes the MyLo a much better optin than most other Skype phones.

More coverage at TechCrunch.

If you’d like to use a traditional telephone device to call other phones using Skype Oldskoolphreak has documented the process at http://www.oldskoolphreak.com/tfiles/voip/skypeout_via_ata.txt

It’s not exactly a simple process, and required a virtual PBX installed. The instructions use the Axon Virtual PBX, but note that:

I’m probably sure you can substitute the Axon PBX for Asterisk, seeing as Uplink isn’t hardcoded to use Axon. It’ll require some tweaking though. I didn’t have much luck with it. If anyone wants to give it a go with Asterisk and succeeds, let me know, and I’ll add it to this text file with full credit given.

The process also requires a SIP-to-Skype bridge, so it might be possible to make this work using a SIP Softphone like Gizmo.

Unlike most VoIP WiFi solutions, Nokia’s Unlicensed Mobile Access (UMA) technology will automatically switch between WiFi and GSM networks depending on coverage.

Nokia is still testing the technology, but recently began field trials in Finland. If the technology works as promised it could finally bring VoIP WiFi mobile solution to normal mobile phone users.

The NYT covers the growing number of mobile phones offering VoIP calling via WiFi:

The phones, while a potential money-saver for consumers, could cause big problems for cellphone companies. They have invested billions in their nationwide networks of cell towers, and they could find that customers are bypassing them in favor of Wi-Fi connections. The struggling Bell operating companies could also suffer if the new phones accelerate the trend toward cheap Internet-based calling, reducing the need for a standard phone line in homes with wireless networks.

One of the cool things about Jabber is that it allows you to host your own server, which gives you an IM address like name@host.com.
The webhosting company Dreamhost has taken advantage of this and now offers to host your own Jabber server in any of their hosting plans. I haven’t tried the Jabber hosting, but it seems like a pretty good deal – plans start at $7.95 per month for unlimited domain name hosting, SSH, etc as well as your own Jabber server.

UPDATE: During April, the code 30OFFER will get you a $30 discount on any plan from Dreamhost. Just enter it as a promo code during the sign-up process and the discount will be applied.