[Rabbit]

I bought a Tesco Internet phone today, two actually for £30. The price includes 2x£5 call credits (pay-as-you-go), so say £10 each for the phone - not bad.

It will enable me to keep a local telephone number in the UK, together with voice mail for free. This will allow people to contact me in NZ from the UK at the cost of a local call.

I can also use Skype if I want to for outbound calls using the same phone (Skype calls are cheaper).

Skype does offer the option of having your own number with voicemail, but the range of local codes is not that great, also you need to pay £20 a year for that option.

The Tesco service does not have call divert yet, other than to voice mail (e.g. to a mobile or other number). The Call charge from the UK to NZ via the tesco service is 2p a minute.

[katandbob]

yes but can you use it when you live in NZ? I thought it says that you have to be living in the UK...or did I read the leaflet wrong??

Kat

[Rabbit]

yes but can you use it when you live in NZ? I thought it says that you have to be living in the UK...or did I read the leaflet wrong??

Kat

From the TESCO Internet phone FAQ list in the installation guide.
Q7: If I take my computer abroad can I still use the Tesco internet phone service?
A: Your Tesco internet phone will work from anywhere in the world if it has a broadband connection.

[Dozzer]

I also E-mail'd Tesco about it and as long as you can pay for the credit you can use it anywhere. So I bought one...

[DB]

I have a combination of services which seems to work well for us.

I use a VoIP-User (http://www.voipuser.org) service that provides a UK 0844 number which redirects to my ordinary NZ landline. The UK caller pays standard 0844 rates, and I pay... nothing. Service is free to set up. Anyone can do this, no equipment needed.

For my outgoing calls its a bit harder, I use a VoIP SIP converter box which plugs in between the phone and the phone line. It redirects calls via VoIP through SIP Discount (http://www.sipdiscount.com), which (with a catch) gives unlimited free outbound calls to fixed line phones in most European countries plus the USA. I can also call any NZ landline for 1.2cUS per minute, so its generally cheaper for me to call folks up the road via Germany rather than to make a toll call...

The catch is you need to deposit 10 euros into your SIP discount account every three months. Its actually quite hard to spend 10 Euros over three months when all your calls are free...

The VoIP box I use is the HandyTone 386, which is fairly available, but any VoIP SIP box or phone or software will work, but I just like talking on a real phone, not on a PC :)

[Rabbit]

Is it possible to order an ADSL Broadband contract in NZ without having to pay line rental to the TELCO?

In the UK I have to pay the line rental for the land line to BT and also the broadband charge to the ISP. (OK they use the same line).

I do not think I will need a landline phone in the future, my mobile and the voip will be enough.

Any idea how these things (Internet / Landline) are priced/bundled in NZ?