| [TekTalk] How is TekTalk? What is your opinions on TekTalk? Is it a good VoIP service compared to Cogeco? How are the prices and features? Right now we are paying $20/month for the basic plan of the Cogeco phone.
Does the system go out much? I guess TekTalk would use the Bell system? |
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decxPremium
join:2002-06-07
Vancouver, BC | The prices and features are listed right on the website.
Tektalk is, like you said, a VoIP service and does not use Bell's POTS lines or other Bell services. |
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| reply to robman50
TekTalk is VoIP which you clearly stated in the other thread that you don't want. |
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| reply to robman50
True but if VoIP is my only choice than would you guys recommend I give TekTalk a try? |
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koreybReplace the CRTC NOW
join:2005-01-08
East York, ON | reply to robman50
My friend has it and uses it for 2 different lines in their home over TSI cable, and loves it.. |
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| I wonder does it also runs over TSI DSL? I don't think I can get TSI cable in my area. |
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decxPremium
join:2002-06-07
Vancouver, BC | VoIP runs over any internet connection provided that you have sufficient bandwidth and have decent latency (ping times to the VoIP server). |
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 JCohenPremium
join:2010-10-19
Nepean, ON
kudos:3 | reply to robman50
VoIP = Voice over Internet Protocol so as decx said, all you need is an active internet connection with a sufficient upload speed and/or a router with good QOS settings. |
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| reply to robman50
My personal recommendation is to get VoIP from a place that specialized on VoIP. You'll get much better tech support as their staff are trained in that area and wearing many other hats. A lot of the places also offers user bringing in their own ATAs.
TSI only support only one ATA model and you are on your own if you want anything thing else. That particular model is more expensive and has built-in router, but the router is limited to below 7Mbps and even some TSI tech recommend not using the built-in router. |
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decxPremium
join:2002-06-07
Vancouver, BC | said by Ott_Cable :My personal recommendation is to get VoIP from a place that specialized on VoIP. You'll get much better tech support as their staff are trained in that area and wearing many other hats. A lot of the places also offers user bringing in their own ATAs.
TSI only support only one ATA model and you are on your own if you want anything thing else. That particular model is more expensive and has built-in router, but the router is limited to below 7Mbps and even some TSI tech recommend not using the built-in router.
True in a way. But given the OP's level of expertise with VoIP, he will probably have less issues getting up and running with TekTalk than with other more specialized VoIP joints, especially the BYOD ones.
That said, the ATA TSI is using is definitely old and slow. While it does the ATA portion just fine, the router portion is slower than even the 10 year old WRT54G v1. Plus the SPA2102 won't receive any significant support from Cisco as it has been EOLed and will be discontinued effective Aug 14, 2012. |
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 kragop
join:2006-02-15
Scarborough, ON | reply to robman50
TekTalk is amazing. My parents are really happy with the service, the price point is perfect $14.95, and the features are great. |
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| reply to robman50
There is a small chance that Bell gave TSI some free spots for the POTS service for certain areas. Now the main thing is which way should I go POTS or VoIP? |
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Reviews:
 ·TekSavvy DSL
| said by robman50:Now the main thing is which way should I go POTS or VoIP?
Remember with VOIP if your internet goes down for whatever reason ( hydro or network goes down etc.) you will have no phone . Also 911 may not be what your used to ...  |
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| reply to robman50
The big thing to remember here is that Cogeco/Rogers phone (anything that goes over the coax) is different from any other VoIP service you're going to have, because its traffic a) is not subject to whatever else is happening with your internet connection, and b) AFAIK, it never hits the public internet. Hell, they even give you a battery back-up so you retain your phone for ~8 hours after losing electrical power.
What everyone else has said is true: if you do 'real' VoIP there are advantages (for example, I use Voip.ms and you can do a *lot* with it, plus the service has been impeccable save for a tiny issue with calls to Whitehorse), but if you don't have things set properly you'll have problems. For example, when torrenting Linux ISOs, my pfSense box handles the VoIP traffic without quality issues, even without setting up QoS. My Asus router absolutely does not. As someone mentioned above, you can help to prioritize the VoIP traffic by using the ATA as the edge router, but that presents other problems (consensus seems to be that it tops out around the 7.5 mbit/sec mark, which means it's wildly inadequate for my 25/7 connection).
Since I started this post, I note that you've now mentioned POTS service. My limited experience with Cogeco phone was actually very positive; any particular reason why you want to dump their service?
-P |
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koreybReplace the CRTC NOW
join:2005-01-08
East York, ON | reply to robman50
If you have voip.. you need to have a cell phone... even if it's just prepaid... It will ensure you always have 911. |
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decxPremium
join:2002-06-07
Vancouver, BC | reply to robman50
said by robman50:There is a small chance that Bell gave TSI some free spots for the POTS service for certain areas. Now the main thing is which way should I go POTS or VoIP?
The issue isn't that TSI can't activate a POTS line. It's just that Bell hasn't been allowing transfers from Bell POTS customers to TSI. If you aren't a Bell customer or if you don't mind getting a new number you're good to go. |
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| reply to robman50
I'd be weary of tektalk.
I signed up for it and have had issues with the quality of the calls.
I called tech help who after a few days called me back to update some settings on the ATA, as they said I had high jittery or something like that and made adjustements. Didn't really help.
I had it set up though my router and set up QOS, but still was awful. Having any active torrents, forget about using the phone. I could hear the callers, but they could barely understand what I was saying.
I haven't had time to call them back, as I do not have over 1hr to spare waiting on hold for a CSR, as when I'm able to call them, it's usually past 8:30 at night. |
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 rjbrakePremium
join:2010-06-19
Petawawa, ON | reply to robman50
torrents + voip is never a great idea. both can saturate your connection real fast. |
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| reply to koreyb
All you'll need is a working cellphone for Canada to reach 911 even if you are not a current subscriber. Given the disposable culture that we are in these days, a working phone that is no longer used should be very pretty easy to come by. |
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Mangowww.toao.net
join:2008-12-25
Alberta
kudos:11 Reviews:
 ·Anveo
 ·Shaw
·AcroVoice
·Callcentric
·callwithus
·voip.ms
·FreePhoneLine
·TELUS
| reply to rjbrake
Actually I run torrents and VoIP regularly. The most important point is to set the maximum speed in your QoS settings to about 75% of the actual speed of your internet connection. Using this technique, you do sacrifice some speed...but you maintain low latency and low jitter.
You may also need to limit your torrent client so that it does not open hundreds of connections at one time. Several dozen is fine and imho produces adequate speeds. |
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