Internet Telephone (voip) Warning

[pattyboy]

I have now tried Skype, Gizmo Project, and most recently Yahoo Voice services to make phone calls (PC to Phone -- not PC to PC) and I feel that I should warn people away from Gizmo Project. It's garbage!

I liked Skype for quite a while but since being bought by Ebay the line quality has deteriorated, and the new(ish) policy of charging a connection fee makes it much more expensive for me than before.

Next, I tried Gizmo Project (after reading some favourable reviews on the internet). I installed it, paid for call out service, and used it for one day. It was fine the first time I used it, but now there are many problems with it -- often won't load due to a problem with their XML code. The occasional time that the software loads, calls simply don't work (drops the connection before trying to ring the other party) and to make this garbage system even worse, all of the contacts that I had to manually enter are gone. Apparently this type of info is stored on their useless server rather than on my computer. DO NOT GIVE GIZMO PROJECT ANY MONEY!!!

Yahoo Voice is my latest attempt. I installed Messenger this morning, paid for call out service, and was making a nice clean-sounding phone call to America within minutes (at 1 cent / minute). If Yahoo continues to work this well, it's the one I'll stick with.

This post is not here to sing the praises of Yahoo Voice, but more to warn people not to waste their time and money with Gizmo Project -- it is BAD!

Edited October 22, 2007 by pattyboy

[Carmine6]

Hm, I was trying them out since they had a free app for my cell phone versus having to pay for say a Skype compatible program. But one day in, the program wouldn't connect. Thought it was my phone data connection causing problems, but guess it was the same problem you had. I had already deleted it, but glad I didn't throw $10 on the account.

[cdnvic]

My wife loves this one:

http://www.voipdiscount.com/en/index.html

[pattyboy]

My wife loves this one:

http://www.voipdiscount.com/en/index.html

Thanks for the suggestion. Since Yahoo Voice seems to be working very well, I'll stick with it for now but may try your wife's favorite one later.

[pattyboy]

Hm, I was trying them out since they had a free app for my cell phone versus having to pay for say a Skype compatible program. But one day in, the program wouldn't connect. Thought it was my phone data connection causing problems, but guess it was the same problem you had. I had already deleted it, but glad I didn't throw $10 on the account.

Yeah, the shysters got my $10. I managed to use up $1.10 of it before it decided to stop working, so I got stuck for $8.90. I've asked them to cancel service and credit my CC account but doubt they will. I don't trust the Gizmo Project boys at all.

[Carmine6]

My wife loves this one:

http://www.voipdiscount.com/en/index.html

This is a great deal. I signed up before they were offering free calls to Thailand so I had loaded $20 or maybe 20 Euros. Even though I think I've been past the free period for over a year, I still have credit that I haven't used up.

[onethailand]

My wife loves this one:

<a href="http://www.voipdiscount.com/en/index.html" target="_blank">http://www.voipdiscount.com/en/index.html</a>

This is a great deal. I signed up before they were offering free calls to Thailand so I had loaded $20 or maybe 20 Euros. Even though I think I've been past the free period for over a year, I still have credit that I haven't used up.

Me too. Saved thousands of baht per month in phone bills at the office!

[junkofdavid2]

My wife loves this one:

http://www.voipdiscount.com/en/index.html

What's the minimum amount of credit you can purchase?

Can't find it on the website...

[junkofdavid2]

My wife loves this one:

<a href="http://www.voipdiscount.com/en/index.html" target="_blank">http://www.voipdiscount.com/en/index.html</a>

What's the minimum amount of credit you can purchase?

Can't find it on the website...

Oh, and is this a safe service (no spyware or whatever)?

I'm not a techie so I wouldn't know how to put in the safeguards it if it had spyware on it...

Edited October 23, 2007 by junkofdavid2

[cdnvic]

Yes it's safe, but no idea the minimum credit. Think she does $10 at a time and it lasts a long time.

[onethailand]

Yes it's safe, but no idea the minimum credit. Think she does $10 at a time and it lasts a long time.

10 Euros, I believe it is. Free calls to certain countries including Thailand for 120 days. Other destinations extremely cheap, usually 1 or 2 cents per minute.

I don't know if I've even used a cent yet - but that $10 (or 10 Euro) has already paid itself back handsomely.

[pattyboy]

Hm, I was trying them out since they had a free app for my cell phone versus having to pay for say a Skype compatible program. But one day in, the program wouldn't connect. Thought it was my phone data connection causing problems, but guess it was the same problem you had. I had already deleted it, but glad I didn't throw $10 on the account.

Yeah, the shysters got my $10. I managed to use up $1.10 of it before it decided to stop working, so I got stuck for $8.90. I've asked them to cancel service and credit my CC account but doubt they will. I don't trust the Gizmo Project boys at all.

I must be fair and report that although I'm not happy with the Gimzo product, the company has emailed me to say that they will be refunding my $10. So, even if their system may have some problems, it appears the management has some integrity.