VoipBuster
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
VoipBuster is one of several Internet telephony services (also called VoIP-service) of Betamax GmbH & co. KG in Germany. Formerly VoipBuster was a service of Swiss based Finarea SA. VoipBuster uses SIP-protocol. VoipBuster features low call rates. Users can mutually call for free, and call for free to fixed lines in several countries worldwide (0 pennies per minute and no start tariff) for a limited number of days after payments to VoipBuster.
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[edit] Functionality
VoipBuster provides voice-over-Internet services similar to (for example) Skype, but offers unique phone-to-phone call bridging service.
[edit] VoIP-Out
The user selects the name of another user from its list, or enters a username or phone number. The connection is made. User-to-user calls are free. There is a charge for user-to-phone calls in most countries, with the exception of several countries mostly located in Europe, North America and East Asia.
[edit] VoIP-In
Users are provided a Voip-In phone number, which others can call at no cost to the VoipBuster user. VoIP-in numbers are not available in all countries.
[edit] Web-based ring
Through VoipBuster software or via VoipBuster website a user enters his own phone number and the recipient's number. The user's phone rings, then the recipient's phone. There is no additional equipment needed to use VoipBuster on a landline. For both calls (to the user and recipient) call costs are charged, plus a start tariff.
[edit] Country-specific features
At one time [now?] users were able to obtain a Dutch phone number, which can be called from fixed and mobile lines. The caller pays the costs for calling to a fixed line in the Netherlands, for the recipient (the user) the conversation is free. VoIP-In offers the possibility for nomadic use of a Dutch phone number (a user can log in abroad and are rung there on the Dutch phone number); this is controversial and officially prohibited by the OPTA.
For Belgium are (still) no VoIP-In numbers available. Unfortunately now a free phone number is no longer offered.
[edit] SMS
Sending SMS to phone numbers which start with + 3 or + 4, users submit the message by means of the software or the subscriber page on the Internet site.
[edit] Other
Other VoipBuster options include forwarding all incoming calls to another number, anonymous calling, conversations specification of calls [what is this?]. Betamax are responsible for Internet telephony services VoipBuster, VoipBuster-Pro, Lowratevoip, VoipDiscount, VoipStunt, VoipCheap, Webcalldirect, Sipdiscount, Sparvoip, NetAppel, PoivY, Freecall and Internetcalls. These services are very similar, but each has its own rate plans.[1]
[edit] Costs
VoipBuster works with prepaid accounts, with no monthly subscription costs. Account creation is done using the VoipBuster software. Adding funds to an account ("topping up") can be done with a credit card or bank transfer; the funds will be immediately available as prepaid call credit and are valid indefinitely.
At payment the user receives also a number of "Freedays", depending on the amount and the used payment method (10 euro by credit card adds 120 Freedays). During "Freedays", no costs are charged for calling to designated destinations (the "free" countries mentioned above) listed on the VoipBuster website. These free calls terminate after one hour; afterwards a new call must be made. One can call max 300 minutes per week for free, measured over the last seven days. If this limit is reached or no more "Freedays" are left, the ordinary costs for the destinations are charged.
Accounts with no credit and no Freedays, are marked as "trial account". With trial accounts, a user can only call to other users and test calls of 1 minute to landlines in "free" countries (see above).
[edit] Disadvantages
- Restricted customer service: the user can only reach VoipBuster customer service via the website. However, there is a user forum in which users can compare notes mutually at https://www.voipbuster.com/forum/index.php. Many users have complained about technical problems.[citation needed]
- Free destinations change frequently, with no guarantee that calls in the future will be still free. Tariff changes are announced only on the website (however the softphone shows costs during the call, and VoipBuster provides a spoken cost report prior to connection). When numbers are no longer free, VoipBuster is still generally considered to be cheaper than other providers.
- Peering is limited to a small number of other VoIP networks, like Gizmo Project and the network of DID provider Voxbone.
- No free voicemail service is offered.
- No overview is given over available geographical phone numbers before the user registers.
[edit] References
- ^ VoipStunt Review. VoIP Service. Retrieved on 2006-11-20.
