Guide to VoIP in Australia

What you'll need for VoIP
The requirements will obviously differ depending on what type of VoIP you're using (netphone or hardware), but the main common denominator is a broadband internet service -- for consistent quality, dial-up will simply not do.

As to the speed of broadband you'll need, different providers will state different requirements, but a connection of 256kbps download/64kbps upload is generally regarded as the minimum. If you're consistently getting 256/64kbps with your connection (and aren't subject to things like speed throttling during peak hours) then you should be able to run a fairly high quality VoIP connection.

If you're going the netphone route, you'll need a PC and a headset as minimum. If you're going with an ATA, you'll obviously need the ATA, an account with a VoIP service provider and a telephone you can plug in.

Don't forget...
We mentioned it earlier, but remember that using VoIP does take up your bandwidth. The generally accepted equation is 1MB download per 10 minutes of conversation -- take into account roughly how much time you spend on the phone a month and see whether it will affect any download restrictions that may be on your broadband service.

Doing other Internet related activities while making a VoIP call can also affect quality, depending on your connection speeds. If you have a fairly slow broadband connection, try not to make downloads while on the phone.

And finally, don't throw away your existing phone. Using a VoIP service requires at least the electricity on and your Internet connection running -- if either of these two are out during an emergency, you won't be able to make calls, whereas you'll still be able to with the normal landline. Some Australian VoIP services, however, provide an automatic forwarding service to your analog phone should the power or the Internet connection ever be down.

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Talkback 5 comments

  1. There are many more other Australian providers Anonymous -- 05/09/05

    There are many more other Australian providers than listed in this story. The site http://www.ozinternetphones.com/ provides a much better reference (disclaimer, I have no connection with this site)

  2. NeoInvent Voip for business Anonymous -- 08/09/05

    I have just stumbled across a company here in Australia that actually does Voip. It does this for business only but the equipment they use is of high standard same kind of thing as the rest of them but i found also a couple of extra features.
    1. Follow me Phone
    2. Remote desktop Access
    3. All calls within Australia are charged at a local call except for mobiles.
    4. no line rental fee

    there phone number is : 1300554271

    1. neoinvent Anonymous -- 02/11/06

      i Wouldnt touch neoinvent with a bargepole if I had to again. I got my fingers well and truly burnt. I paid what they asked and then it was more bills on top of more bills from them , which I refused to pay. They couldnt even get the system up and running ,they disconnected my alarm system, which cost me a further $500 to fix, because they couldnt even fix that. Lots of smiles and "yes Yes we will fix this"alex beaumont and NOTHING. lOTS OF PROMISES TO GIVE ME BACK MY MONET , NEXT WEEK, NEXT WEEK AND A YEAR LATER nothing!!!!!!!!!!!

  3. voip - skypeIN availale in Australia Tom Schofield -- 13/08/06

    You can get a skype In phone number in Australia now

  4. Cheaper mobile calls lucas -- 13/05/08

    Just like to point out two things:
    Mynetphone national calls are 10c untimed, not capped at a $1.50 like it says above (might apply to the softphone version only) and
    Mobile calls start at 16c/min which is 40% off the price of everyone else in Australia!

    I've been using mynetphone.com.au for a year now with my cable internet and no line rental (!). I don't pay a monthly fee use my mobiles for backup phones but never needed to anyway

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