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Groups > uk.telecom > #38892 > unrolled thread

Virgin Media's Digital Voice system

Started byRichmond <dnomhcir@gmx.com>
First post2026-02-12 14:13 +0000
Last post2026-02-15 16:33 +0100
Articles 20 on this page of 105 — 19 participants

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Contents

  Virgin Media's Digital Voice system Richmond <dnomhcir@gmx.com> - 2026-02-12 14:13 +0000
    Re: Virgin Media's Digital Voice system Theo <theom+news@chiark.greenend.org.uk> - 2026-02-12 14:49 +0000
      Re: Virgin Media's Digital Voice system Richmond <dnomhcir@gmx.com> - 2026-02-12 15:24 +0000
        Re: Virgin Media's Digital Voice system Andy Burns <usenet@andyburns.uk> - 2026-02-12 15:30 +0000
        Re: Virgin Media's Digital Voice system David Woolley <david@ex.djwhome.demon.invalid> - 2026-02-12 17:00 +0000
          Re: Virgin Media's Digital Voice system Richmond <dnomhcir@gmx.com> - 2026-02-12 17:51 +0000
          Interconnection with POTS (was: Re: Virgin Media's Digital Voice system) "J. P. Gilliver" <G6JPG@255soft.uk> - 2026-02-13 01:44 +0000
            Re: Interconnection with POTS (was: Re: Virgin Media's Digital Voice system) David Higton <dave@davehigton.me.uk> - 2026-02-13 16:54 +0000
              Re: Interconnection with POTS David Wade <g4ugm@dave.invalid> - 2026-02-13 20:57 +0000
                Re: Interconnection with POTS Richmond <dnomhcir@gmx.com> - 2026-02-13 21:17 +0000
                  Re: Interconnection with POTS David Higton <dave@davehigton.me.uk> - 2026-02-13 22:38 +0000
                    Re: Interconnection with POTS Richmond <dnomhcir@gmx.com> - 2026-02-14 09:27 +0000
                  Re: Interconnection with POTS Mark Carver <mark@invalid.com> - 2026-02-16 16:52 +0000
                    Re: Interconnection with POTS Richmond <dnomhcir@gmx.com> - 2026-02-16 16:57 +0000
                      Re: Interconnection with POTS Mark Carver <mark@invalid.com> - 2026-02-16 17:29 +0000
                        Re: Interconnection with POTS Richmond <dnomhcir@gmx.com> - 2026-02-16 17:49 +0000
                          Re: Interconnection with POTS The Natural Philosopher <tnp@invalid.invalid> - 2026-02-17 08:42 +0000
                            Re: Interconnection with POTS David Wade <g4ugm@dave.invalid> - 2026-02-17 08:58 +0000
                              Re: Interconnection with POTS Richmond <dnomhcir@gmx.com> - 2026-02-17 10:07 +0000
                                Re: Interconnection with POTS Richmond <dnomhcir@gmx.com> - 2026-02-17 10:11 +0000
                              Re: Interconnection with POTS The Natural Philosopher <tnp@invalid.invalid> - 2026-02-17 13:24 +0000
                                Re: Interconnection with POTS David Wade <g4ugm@dave.invalid> - 2026-02-17 13:55 +0000
                                  Re: Interconnection with POTS The Natural Philosopher <tnp@invalid.invalid> - 2026-02-17 14:35 +0000
                                Re: Interconnection with POTS "J. P. Gilliver" <G6JPG@255soft.uk> - 2026-02-17 21:39 +0000
                                  Re: Interconnection with POTS Tim+ <timdownieuk@yahoo.co.youkay> - 2026-02-17 21:46 +0000
                                  Re: Interconnection with POTS JMB99 <mb@nospam.net> - 2026-02-18 10:49 +0000
                                    Re: Interconnection with POTS The Natural Philosopher <tnp@invalid.invalid> - 2026-02-18 12:05 +0000
                                      Re: Interconnection with POTS "J. P. Gilliver" <G6JPG@255soft.uk> - 2026-02-18 13:13 +0000
                                        Re: Interconnection with POTS The Natural Philosopher <tnp@invalid.invalid> - 2026-02-18 14:36 +0000
                                          Re: Interconnection with POTS JMB99 <mb@nospam.net> - 2026-02-18 15:30 +0000
                                            Re: Interconnection with POTS The Natural Philosopher <tnp@invalid.invalid> - 2026-02-18 17:50 +0000
                                    Re: Interconnection with POTS Spike <aero.spike@mail.com> - 2026-02-18 12:05 +0000
                                      Re: Interconnection with POTS "J. P. Gilliver" <G6JPG@255soft.uk> - 2026-02-18 13:14 +0000
                            Re: Interconnection with POTS JMB99 <mb@nospam.net> - 2026-02-18 10:47 +0000
                              Re: Interconnection with POTS "J. P. Gilliver" <G6JPG@255soft.uk> - 2026-02-18 13:19 +0000
                              Re: Interconnection with POTS liz@poppyrecords.invalid.invalid (Liz Tuddenham) - 2026-02-18 13:25 +0000
                                Re: Interconnection with POTS JMB99 <mb@nospam.net> - 2026-02-18 15:34 +0000
                                Re: Interconnection with POTS Julian Macassey <julian@n6are.com> - 2026-02-25 12:56 +0000
                                  Re: Interconnection with POTS The Natural Philosopher <tnp@invalid.invalid> - 2026-02-25 13:20 +0000
                                    Re: Interconnection with POTS liz@poppyrecords.invalid.invalid (Liz Tuddenham) - 2026-02-25 14:01 +0000
                                      Re: Interconnection with POTS The Natural Philosopher <tnp@invalid.invalid> - 2026-02-25 14:14 +0000
                                        Re: Interconnection with POTS liz@poppyrecords.invalid.invalid (Liz Tuddenham) - 2026-02-25 19:31 +0000
                                  Re: Interconnection with POTS David Higton <dave@davehigton.me.uk> - 2026-02-25 19:55 +0000
                                    Re: Interconnection with POTS David Woolley <david@ex.djwhome.demon.invalid> - 2026-02-26 13:16 +0000
                                      Re: Interconnection with POTS David Higton <dave@davehigton.me.uk> - 2026-02-26 17:11 +0000
                        Re: Interconnection with POTS "J. P. Gilliver" <G6JPG@255soft.uk> - 2026-02-16 19:28 +0000
                      Re: Interconnection with POTS The Natural Philosopher <tnp@invalid.invalid> - 2026-02-17 08:39 +0000
                    Re: Interconnection with POTS Chris Green <cl@isbd.net> - 2026-02-16 17:18 +0000
                    Re: Interconnection with POTS JMB99 <mb@nospam.net> - 2026-02-18 10:33 +0000
                    Re: Interconnection with POTS JMB99 <mb@nospam.net> - 2026-02-18 10:38 +0000
                      Re: Interconnection with POTS JMB99 <mb@nospam.net> - 2026-02-18 10:56 +0000
                Re: Interconnection with POTS Roger Mills <mills37.fslife@gmail.com> - 2026-02-13 23:09 +0000
              Re: Interconnection with POTS "J. P. Gilliver" <G6JPG@255soft.uk> - 2026-02-14 03:12 +0000
                Re: Interconnection with POTS The Natural Philosopher <tnp@invalid.invalid> - 2026-02-14 10:13 +0000
                  Re: Interconnection with POTS "J. P. Gilliver" <G6JPG@255soft.uk> - 2026-02-14 15:28 +0000
                    Re: Interconnection with POTS David Wade <g4ugm@dave.invalid> - 2026-02-14 16:51 +0000
                      Re: Interconnection with POTS The Natural Philosopher <tnp@invalid.invalid> - 2026-02-14 19:14 +0000
                      Re: Interconnection with POTS "J. P. Gilliver" <G6JPG@255soft.uk> - 2026-02-14 22:05 +0000
                        Re: Interconnection with POTS Andy Burns <usenet@andyburns.uk> - 2026-02-15 09:25 +0000
                          Re: Interconnection with POTS "J. P. Gilliver" <G6JPG@255soft.uk> - 2026-02-15 12:31 +0000
                        Re: Interconnection with POTS The Natural Philosopher <tnp@invalid.invalid> - 2026-02-15 20:29 +0000
                    Re: Interconnection with POTS The Natural Philosopher <tnp@invalid.invalid> - 2026-02-14 19:11 +0000
                    Re: Interconnection with POTS Marco Moock <mm@dorfdsl.de> - 2026-02-15 12:00 +0100
                      Re: Interconnection with POTS The Natural Philosopher <tnp@invalid.invalid> - 2026-02-15 20:34 +0000
            Re: Interconnection with POTS (was: Re: Virgin Media's Digital Voice system) Marco Moock <mm@dorfdsl.de> - 2026-02-15 11:58 +0100
              Re: Interconnection with POTS "J. P. Gilliver" <G6JPG@255soft.uk> - 2026-02-15 12:39 +0000
                Re: Interconnection with POTS Mike Humphrey <mail@michaelhumphrey.me.uk> - 2026-02-15 18:24 +0000
                  Re: Interconnection with POTS "J. P. Gilliver" <G6JPG@255soft.uk> - 2026-02-16 16:35 +0000
                    Re: Interconnection with POTS Mike Humphrey <mail@michaelhumphrey.me.uk> - 2026-02-16 19:35 +0000
                      Re: Interconnection with POTS David Woolley <david@ex.djwhome.demon.invalid> - 2026-02-17 09:28 +0000
                        Re: Interconnection with POTS JMB99 <mb@nospam.net> - 2026-02-18 10:44 +0000
                        Re: Interconnection with POTS Andy Burns <usenet@andyburns.uk> - 2026-02-24 11:15 +0000
                        Re: Interconnection with POTS Davey <davey@example.invalid> - 2026-02-24 12:45 +0000
                    Re: Interconnection with POTS JMB99 <mb@nospam.net> - 2026-02-18 10:28 +0000
              Re: Interconnection with POTS The Natural Philosopher <tnp@invalid.invalid> - 2026-02-15 20:33 +0000
                Re: Interconnection with POTS David Wade <g4ugm@dave.invalid> - 2026-02-15 20:43 +0000
                Re: Interconnection with POTS "J. P. Gilliver" <G6JPG@255soft.uk> - 2026-02-16 16:45 +0000
                  Re: Interconnection with POTS liz@poppyrecords.invalid.invalid (Liz Tuddenham) - 2026-02-16 19:15 +0000
                  Re: Interconnection with POTS The Natural Philosopher <tnp@invalid.invalid> - 2026-02-17 08:36 +0000
        Re: Virgin Media's Digital Voice system Marco Moock <mm@dorfdsl.de> - 2026-02-15 11:55 +0100
    Re: Virgin Media's Digital Voice system Richmond <dnomhcir@gmx.com> - 2026-02-12 18:23 +0000
    Re: Virgin Media's Digital Voice system The Natural Philosopher <tnp@invalid.invalid> - 2026-02-13 10:02 +0000
      Re: Virgin Media's Digital Voice system David Wade <g4ugm@dave.invalid> - 2026-02-13 12:46 +0000
        Re: Virgin Media's Digital Voice system Richmond <dnomhcir@gmx.com> - 2026-02-13 13:07 +0000
          Re: Virgin Media's Digital Voice system Theo <theom+news@chiark.greenend.org.uk> - 2026-02-13 14:58 +0000
            Re: Virgin Media's Digital Voice system Richmond <dnomhcir@gmx.com> - 2026-02-13 15:54 +0000
          Re: Virgin Media's Digital Voice system The Natural Philosopher <tnp@invalid.invalid> - 2026-02-14 10:07 +0000
            Re: Virgin Media's Digital Voice system Chris Green <cl@isbd.net> - 2026-02-14 11:04 +0000
              Re: Virgin Media's Digital Voice system David Wade <g4ugm@dave.invalid> - 2026-02-14 13:24 +0000
                Re: Virgin Media's Digital Voice system Mark Carver <mark@invalid.com> - 2026-02-14 16:01 +0000
                  Re: Virgin Media's Digital Voice system Richmond <dnomhcir@gmx.com> - 2026-02-14 16:46 +0000
                    Re: Virgin Media's Digital Voice system The Natural Philosopher <tnp@invalid.invalid> - 2026-02-14 19:12 +0000
                  Re: Virgin Media's Digital Voice system "J. P. Gilliver" <G6JPG@255soft.uk> - 2026-02-14 22:08 +0000
                    Re: Virgin Media's Digital Voice system David Wade <g4ugm@dave.invalid> - 2026-02-14 22:42 +0000
              Re: Virgin Media's Digital Voice system "J. P. Gilliver" <G6JPG@255soft.uk> - 2026-02-14 15:32 +0000
            Re: Virgin Media's Digital Voice system Julian Macassey <julian@n6are.com> - 2026-02-16 13:55 +0000
              Re: Virgin Media's Digital Voice system Tim+ <timdownieuk@yahoo.co.youkay> - 2026-02-16 14:24 +0000
                Re: Virgin Media's Digital Voice system Richmond <dnomhcir@gmx.com> - 2026-02-16 15:24 +0000
                  Re: Virgin Media's Digital Voice system Tim+ <timdownieuk@yahoo.co.youkay> - 2026-02-16 16:06 +0000
                    Re: Virgin Media's Digital Voice system Richmond <dnomhcir@gmx.com> - 2026-02-16 16:17 +0000
              Re: Virgin Media's Digital Voice system David Wade <g4ugm@dave.invalid> - 2026-02-16 15:29 +0000
              Re: Virgin Media's Digital Voice system The Natural Philosopher <tnp@invalid.invalid> - 2026-02-17 08:32 +0000
    Re: Virgin Media's Digital Voice system Marco Moock <mm@dorfdsl.de> - 2026-02-15 11:53 +0100
      Re: Virgin Media's Digital Voice system Richmond <dnomhcir@gmx.com> - 2026-02-15 13:21 +0000
        Re: Virgin Media's Digital Voice system Marco Moock <mm@dorfdsl.de> - 2026-02-15 16:33 +0100

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#38892 — Virgin Media's Digital Voice system

FromRichmond <dnomhcir@gmx.com>
Date2026-02-12 14:13 +0000
SubjectVirgin Media's Digital Voice system
Message-ID<82v7g2uk0q.fsf@example.com>
I read that VM uses SIP for its business services, but for residential
services it uses its own digital voice system. Why does it do this you
might wonder? Call me a cynic, but I would say it is so that it can
never interoperate with the SIP telephone network, and they can always
charge a connection fee. This is the same approach of Google and Amazon,
just refuse to co-operate and so make life difficult for customers.

So there it is, we've destroyed the telephone network and handed
ourselves over to corporations to feed parasitically on us. All this was
started by Margaret Thatcher.

Without these arbitrary contrived obsticals there would be no reason for
charging separately for voice calls as if they are different from any
other internet service.

[toc] | [next] | [standalone]


#38893

FromTheo <theom+news@chiark.greenend.org.uk>
Date2026-02-12 14:49 +0000
Message-ID<ytg*xO3yA@news.chiark.greenend.org.uk>
In reply to#38892
Richmond <dnomhcir@gmx.com> wrote:
> I read that VM uses SIP for its business services, but for residential
> services it uses its own digital voice system. Why does it do this you
> might wonder? Call me a cynic, but I would say it is so that it can
> never interoperate with the SIP telephone network, and they can always
> charge a connection fee. This is the same approach of Google and Amazon,
> just refuse to co-operate and so make life difficult for customers.
> 
> So there it is, we've destroyed the telephone network and handed
> ourselves over to corporations to feed parasitically on us. All this was
> started by Margaret Thatcher.
> 
> Without these arbitrary contrived obsticals there would be no reason for
> charging separately for voice calls as if they are different from any
> other internet service.

I don't have any particular information about Virgin's implementation, but
that sounds similar to all the other domestic broadband providers.  You pay
for 'a landline' and you get a socket on the back of the router that
provides it.  You get a similar level of service as you did with a copper
landline - no more no less.

They use SIP internally but they don't expose that to customers.  For some
it's possible to work out the SIP credentials and connect your own SIP
endpoint, but they would rather you didn't do that.  I expect Virgin also
use SIP behind the scenes.

It doesn't sound surprising to me.  Landline telecoms is not a great revenue
earner for ISPs any more - people just don't use them enough.  But what they
really don't want is having to support domestic users using their own SIP
clients - it's just too complex to setup and debug.

Just like ISPs prefer not to run their own email service nowadays - it's
not worth the hassle.

If you want to use SIP, port your number to a third party provider who
allows you the level of access you desire.  Many have been discussed in
these groups.  You just pay them acording to your requirements.  Calls are
not free and never have been - if you want free voice chat then use some
other service like Whatsapp or Facetime.

Theo

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#38894

FromRichmond <dnomhcir@gmx.com>
Date2026-02-12 15:24 +0000
Message-ID<82ms1eugqr.fsf@example.com>
In reply to#38893
Theo <theom+news@chiark.greenend.org.uk> writes:

> Richmond <dnomhcir@gmx.com> wrote:
>> I read that VM uses SIP for its business services, but for residential
>> services it uses its own digital voice system. Why does it do this you
>> might wonder? Call me a cynic, but I would say it is so that it can
>> never interoperate with the SIP telephone network, and they can always
>> charge a connection fee. This is the same approach of Google and Amazon,
>> just refuse to co-operate and so make life difficult for customers.
>> 
>> So there it is, we've destroyed the telephone network and handed
>> ourselves over to corporations to feed parasitically on us. All this was
>> started by Margaret Thatcher.
>> 
>> Without these arbitrary contrived obsticals there would be no reason for
>> charging separately for voice calls as if they are different from any
>> other internet service.
>
> I don't have any particular information about Virgin's implementation, but
> that sounds similar to all the other domestic broadband providers.  You pay
> for 'a landline' and you get a socket on the back of the router that
> provides it.  You get a similar level of service as you did with a copper
> landline - no more no less.
>
> They use SIP internally but they don't expose that to customers.  For some
> it's possible to work out the SIP credentials and connect your own SIP
> endpoint, but they would rather you didn't do that.  I expect Virgin also
> use SIP behind the scenes.
>
> It doesn't sound surprising to me.  Landline telecoms is not a great revenue
> earner for ISPs any more - people just don't use them enough.  But what they
> really don't want is having to support domestic users using their own SIP
> clients - it's just too complex to setup and debug.
>
> Just like ISPs prefer not to run their own email service nowadays - it's
> not worth the hassle.
>
> If you want to use SIP, port your number to a third party provider who
> allows you the level of access you desire.  Many have been discussed in
> these groups.  You just pay them acording to your requirements.  Calls are
> not free and never have been - if you want free voice chat then use some
> other service like Whatsapp or Facetime.
>

I think what I am trying to do is work out which charges are for which
costs. To answer your last point first, I have already transferred my
line to SIP, and in fact I have two SIP services configured on the same
router. But some of the people I phone use Virgin Media, and they are
not the type of people who will be configuring routers.

The problem of configuration could be solved by providing preconfigured
equipment which has been tested.

So considering the costs, I asked before somewhere why we need to pay
for calls if we are all on VOIP, which we will be presumably by the end
of January '27. I accept that services cost money, but we are all paying
for the fibre broadband. So why are there additional costs for using it?
I think you replied to me before that it is because of connection
charges.

As I understand it, if you know a SIP address,
e.g. 666666@voipfine.co.uk, then you can phone it directly using your
own SIP account. How is this different from connecting to Wikipedia, or
downloading a file? Why does it have to be a special case internet
service with special case charges? It's not like Netflix, Netflix makes
films, and making films costs money. But I don't pay my ISP to watch
Netflix, or BBC Iplayer. Perhaps someone does? But the data transferred
is considerably more than for a voice call.

I think corporations would like to move to a monopolistic or walled
garden situation, as Whatsapp is enjoying. Imagine if everyone in the
world decided to use the same open source software to make calls. We
just get an account and tell people the ID. It runs on smartphones and
desktops. That's it, who needs a landline? How much would a call cost
per minute? Nothing, if you measure it like that. But we all pay for the
fibre.

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#38895

FromAndy Burns <usenet@andyburns.uk>
Date2026-02-12 15:30 +0000
Message-ID<mv6a0fFlko2U1@mid.individual.net>
In reply to#38894
Richmond wrote:

> Imagine if everyone in the
> world decided to use the same open source software to make calls. We
> just get an account and tell people the ID. It runs on smartphones and
> desktops. That's it, who needs a landline? How much would a call cost
> per minute? Nothing

Imagine the level of voip spam you'd get ...

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#38896

FromDavid Woolley <david@ex.djwhome.demon.invalid>
Date2026-02-12 17:00 +0000
Message-ID<10ml102$1kgul$1@dont-email.me>
In reply to#38894
On 12/02/2026 15:24, Richmond wrote:
> The problem of configuration could be solved by providing preconfigured
> equipment which has been tested.

And to ensure that it remained as tested, you would keep the credential 
secret and not allow the user access.  Oops! I think that is exactly how 
consumer "Digital Voice" is implemented!

> As I understand it, if you know a SIP address,
> e.g.666666@voipfine.co.uk, then you can phone it directly using your

This looks to be a VoIP provider type address; if you were really going 
direct, the address would have personal domain name, so you'd be 
contacting something like sips:lounge@the-house-of-john-smith.example

> own SIP account. How is this different from connecting to Wikipedia, or

I think you mean without using any SIP account!

The reasons are very similar to reasons why nearly every one sends email 
via their ISP's outbound relay, and receives it by IMAP.  The system 
that Demon used, originally, was to make their customers full status 
mail nodes, with SMTP both ways, but that wouldn't work well these days 
as many destination would refuse to accept the incoming traffic, to 
avoid abuse. (I think there is no even a trend to doing email via web 
servers, even for outbound).

The Demon way of handling email was also helped because they gave people 
public IP addresses, and personal domain names.  You would need personal 
domain names to do direct VoIP, and public addresses would help, 
although dynamic DNS would be a work round (but someone has to pay for 
that).

An added reason is that VoIP always had to interwork with the 
traditional phone system and you needed someone to operate that interface.

> downloading a file? Why does it have to be a special case internet
> service with special case charges?

Telephones were an area in which it was traditional to pay time based 
charges.

In any case, you will pay for the infrastructure one way or another.

I think that the internet ended up mainly fixed fee because it too 
expensive to bill on real usage.

[toc] | [prev] | [next] | [standalone]


#38897

FromRichmond <dnomhcir@gmx.com>
Date2026-02-12 17:51 +0000
Message-ID<82ikc1vois.fsf@example.com>
In reply to#38896
David Woolley <david@ex.djwhome.demon.invalid> writes:

> On 12/02/2026 15:24, Richmond wrote:
>> The problem of configuration could be solved by providing
>> preconfigured equipment which has been tested.
>
> And to ensure that it remained as tested, you would keep the
> credential secret and not allow the user access.  Oops! I think that
> is exactly how consumer "Digital Voice" is implemented!

You can allow someone to see something without allowing them to change
it. And all they really need to see is their SIP URI.

>> As I understand it, if you know a SIP address,
>> e.g.666666@voipfine.co.uk, then you can phone it directly using your
>
> This looks to be a VoIP provider type address; if you were really
> going direct, the address would have personal domain name, so you'd be
> contacting something like sips:lounge@the-house-of-john-smith.example

I don't know what difference this makes. If you want to have your own
SIP service by registering your own domain, yes, but either way it is
like an email address. 666666@voipfone.co.uk is a unique user, SIP URI,
(Fine was a freudian slip, I meant fone).
>
>> own SIP account. How is this different from connecting to Wikipedia,
>> or
>
> I think you mean without using any SIP account!

I don't really. I mean a SIP URI. The address is part of the protocol as
it is with email. You can still set up your own email server if you want
to. You just have to know much more than you used to.

>
> The reasons are very similar to reasons why nearly every one sends
> email via their ISP's outbound relay, and receives it by IMAP.  The
> system that Demon used, originally, was to make their customers full
> status mail nodes, with SMTP both ways, but that wouldn't work well
> these days as many destination would refuse to accept the incoming
> traffic, to avoid abuse. (I think there is no even a trend to doing
> email via web servers, even for outbound).

You now have to provide DMARC information in the headers yes, but that
doesn't mean you have to use a third party email provider. It is more
convenient as you don't need to configure it.


>
> The Demon way of handling email was also helped because they gave
> people public IP addresses, and personal domain names.  You would need
> personal domain names to do direct VoIP, and public addresses would
> help, although dynamic DNS would be a work round (but someone has to
> pay for that).

You can use direct VOIP on a VOIP provider's domain. I am not sure why
this means you have to pay by the minute. A&A allows direct VOIP calls
(if you configure it).

>
> An added reason is that VoIP always had to interwork with the
> traditional phone system and you needed someone to operate that
> interface.

That system will be gone by January 31, and many calls must already be
between VOIP systems.

>
>> downloading a file? Why does it have to be a special case internet
>> service with special case charges?
>
> Telephones were an area in which it was traditional to pay time based
> charges.

That's not a reason for continuing to do it.

>
> In any case, you will pay for the infrastructure one way or another.
>
> I think that the internet ended up mainly fixed fee because it too
> expensive to bill on real usage.

I can make a video call free but I have to pay for an audio call. If I
am using Google Meet they make some money out of me, but does that
account for the difference? audio is less data. I can use an Amazon
device to make free calls, even to landlines. I had to pay for the
device, and they will try to sell me subscriptions for music, video,
etc.

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#38899 — Interconnection with POTS (was: Re: Virgin Media's Digital Voice system)

From"J. P. Gilliver" <G6JPG@255soft.uk>
Date2026-02-13 01:44 +0000
SubjectInterconnection with POTS (was: Re: Virgin Media's Digital Voice system)
Message-ID<10mlvmo$1hfpc$4@dont-email.me>
In reply to#38896
On 2026/2/12 17:0:49, David Woolley wrote:
[snip]

> An added reason is that VoIP always had to interwork with the 
> traditional phone system and you needed someone to operate that interface.

Is the entire world going VoIP (or, at least, turning off its POTS)? I
presume the interworking - interface - will continue in some places.

> 
>> downloading a file? Why does it have to be a special case internet
>> service with special case charges?
> 
> Telephones were an area in which it was traditional to pay time based 
> charges.
> 
> In any case, you will pay for the infrastructure one way or another.
> 
> I think that the internet ended up mainly fixed fee because it too 
> expensive to bill on real usage.

Anytime call plans are available on both landlines (while they still
exist) and VoIP; they're quite expensive on both. They're also available
on mobile (cellular), usually for less, but it's hard to tell because
the mobile operators tend to "throw in" unlimited minutes with other
sorts of things (e. g. so many GB).

-- 
J. P. Gilliver. UMRA: 1960/<1985 MB++G()ALIS-Ch++(p)Ar++T+H+Sh0!:`)DNAf

Alcohol is way ahead of cocaine as the world's deadliest drug,
hastening around three million people per year into their graves
(cocaine and heroin and crystal meth account for around half a million
annually). - Revd Richard Coles, RT 2021/7/3-9

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#38905 — Re: Interconnection with POTS (was: Re: Virgin Media's Digital Voice system)

FromDavid Higton <dave@davehigton.me.uk>
Date2026-02-13 16:54 +0000
SubjectRe: Interconnection with POTS (was: Re: Virgin Media's Digital Voice system)
Message-ID<fe7a97aa5c.DaveMeUK@BeagleBoard-xM>
In reply to#38899
In message <10mlvmo$1hfpc$4@dont-email.me>
          "J. P. Gilliver" <G6JPG@255soft.uk> wrote:

> Is the entire world going VoIP (or, at least, turning off its POTS)?

I'd expect so, wouldn't you?  POTS requires a lot of expensive
specialise dinfrastructure to be maintained.  Increasing numbers
of people (me included) have ditched land lines, since mobile
phones do the job better.  Those who want to retain a service
equivalent to POTS can use VoIP, which uses the same infrastructure
as everything else that moves our data around.

David

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#38906 — Re: Interconnection with POTS

FromDavid Wade <g4ugm@dave.invalid>
Date2026-02-13 20:57 +0000
SubjectRe: Interconnection with POTS
Message-ID<10mo38f$2l38u$1@dont-email.me>
In reply to#38905
On 13/02/2026 16:54, David Higton wrote:
> In message <10mlvmo$1hfpc$4@dont-email.me>
>            "J. P. Gilliver" <G6JPG@255soft.uk> wrote:
> 
>> Is the entire world going VoIP (or, at least, turning off its POTS)?
> 


Many have already done so. You can deliver VOIP over low bandwidth 
internet, over LEO satellite, or over 5G. Yes modern mobile is VOIP!


> I'd expect so, wouldn't you?  POTS requires a lot of expensive
> specialise dinfrastructure to be maintained.  Increasing numbers
> of people (me included) have ditched land lines, since mobile
> phones do the job better.  Those who want to retain a service
> equivalent to POTS can use VoIP, which uses the same infrastructure
> as everything else that moves our data around.

So true, why would any one want a phone that only works when plugged in 
to a wall socket...

> 
> David

Dave

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#38907 — Re: Interconnection with POTS

FromRichmond <dnomhcir@gmx.com>
Date2026-02-13 21:17 +0000
SubjectRe: Interconnection with POTS
Message-ID<82cy28uyuy.fsf@example.com>
In reply to#38906
David Wade <g4ugm@dave.invalid> writes:

>> specialise dinfrastructure to be maintained.  Increasing numbers
>> of people (me included) have ditched land lines, since mobile
>> phones do the job better.  Those who want to retain a service
>> equivalent to POTS can use VoIP, which uses the same infrastructure
>> as everything else that moves our data around.
>
> So true, why would any one want a phone that only works when plugged
> in to a wall socket...
>

Because you can have a mobile phone aswell, but the landline is better,
because mobile phones are crap.

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#38908 — Re: Interconnection with POTS

FromDavid Higton <dave@davehigton.me.uk>
Date2026-02-13 22:38 +0000
SubjectRe: Interconnection with POTS
Message-ID<a8f8b6aa5c.DaveMeUK@BeagleBoard-xM>
In reply to#38907
In message <82cy28uyuy.fsf@example.com>
          Richmond <dnomhcir@gmx.com> wrote:

> David Wade <g4ugm@dave.invalid> writes:
> 
> > > specialise dinfrastructure to be maintained.  Increasing numbers of
> > > people (me included) have ditched land lines, since mobile phones do
> > > the job better.  Those who want to retain a service equivalent to POTS
> > > can use VoIP, which uses the same infrastructure as everything else
> > > that moves our data around.
> > 
> > So true, why would any one want a phone that only works when plugged in
> > to a wall socket...
> > 
> 
> Because you can have a mobile phone aswell, but the landline is better,
> because mobile phones are crap.

I suspect you've not been using a decent, modern mobile phone, because
my experience is the opposite.  Plus my mobile is always with me, so I
can use it all over the place - I'm not restricted to just at home.
And of course my smartphone can do hugely more stuff than any landline
ever could.

David

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#38911 — Re: Interconnection with POTS

FromRichmond <dnomhcir@gmx.com>
Date2026-02-14 09:27 +0000
SubjectRe: Interconnection with POTS
Message-ID<821pinhdyg.fsf@example.com>
In reply to#38908
David Higton <dave@davehigton.me.uk> writes:

> In message <82cy28uyuy.fsf@example.com>
>           Richmond <dnomhcir@gmx.com> wrote:
>
>> David Wade <g4ugm@dave.invalid> writes:
>> 
>> > > specialise dinfrastructure to be maintained.  Increasing numbers of
>> > > people (me included) have ditched land lines, since mobile phones do
>> > > the job better.  Those who want to retain a service equivalent to POTS
>> > > can use VoIP, which uses the same infrastructure as everything else
>> > > that moves our data around.
>> > 
>> > So true, why would any one want a phone that only works when plugged in
>> > to a wall socket...
>> > 
>> 
>> Because you can have a mobile phone aswell, but the landline is better,
>> because mobile phones are crap.
>
> I suspect you've not been using a decent, modern mobile phone, because
> my experience is the opposite.

Perhaps you have a good signal in your house. I don't. But then often
the people I am talking to don't have a good signal either, and whole
words can get chopped out, changing the meaning of the sentence.

> Plus my mobile is always with me, so I
> can use it all over the place - I'm not restricted to just at home.
> And of course my smartphone can do hugely more stuff than any landline
> ever could.

But as I said, I can have both, I don't have to choose one or the other.

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#38949 — Re: Interconnection with POTS

FromMark Carver <mark@invalid.com>
Date2026-02-16 16:52 +0000
SubjectRe: Interconnection with POTS
Message-ID<10mvi0f$11sl6$1@dont-email.me>
In reply to#38907
On 13/02/2026 21:17, Richmond wrote:
> David Wade <g4ugm@dave.invalid> writes:
> 
>>> specialise dinfrastructure to be maintained.  Increasing numbers
>>> of people (me included) have ditched land lines, since mobile
>>> phones do the job better.  Those who want to retain a service
>>> equivalent to POTS can use VoIP, which uses the same infrastructure
>>> as everything else that moves our data around.
>>
>> So true, why would any one want a phone that only works when plugged
>> in to a wall socket...
>>
> 
> Because you can have a mobile phone aswell, but the landline is better,
> because mobile phones are crap.

Yes, you're right, they've been a total and utter consumer failure, so 
few people worldwide bother with one.

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#38950 — Re: Interconnection with POTS

FromRichmond <dnomhcir@gmx.com>
Date2026-02-16 16:57 +0000
SubjectRe: Interconnection with POTS
Message-ID<82bjhowrqs.fsf@example.com>
In reply to#38949
Mark Carver <mark@invalid.com> writes:

> On 13/02/2026 21:17, Richmond wrote:
>> David Wade <g4ugm@dave.invalid> writes:
>> 
>>>> specialise dinfrastructure to be maintained.  Increasing numbers of
>>>> people (me included) have ditched land lines, since mobile phones
>>>> do the job better.  Those who want to retain a service equivalent
>>>> to POTS can use VoIP, which uses the same infrastructure as
>>>> everything else that moves our data around.
>>>
>>> So true, why would any one want a phone that only works when plugged
>>> in to a wall socket...
>>>
>> Because you can have a mobile phone aswell, but the landline is
>> better, because mobile phones are crap.
>
> Yes, you're right, they've been a total and utter consumer failure, so
> few people worldwide bother with one.

What you've done there is distorted what I said into something else, and
then responding to that.

I can have an opinion about mobile phones which is different from
yours. I base my opinion on my own experience of the quality of mobile
phone calls.

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#38951 — Re: Interconnection with POTS

FromMark Carver <mark@invalid.com>
Date2026-02-16 17:29 +0000
SubjectRe: Interconnection with POTS
Message-ID<10mvk6o$12ouj$1@dont-email.me>
In reply to#38950
On 16/02/2026 16:57, Richmond wrote:
> Mark Carver <mark@invalid.com> writes:
> 
>> On 13/02/2026 21:17, Richmond wrote:
>>> David Wade <g4ugm@dave.invalid> writes:
>>>
>>>>> specialise dinfrastructure to be maintained.  Increasing numbers of
>>>>> people (me included) have ditched land lines, since mobile phones
>>>>> do the job better.  Those who want to retain a service equivalent
>>>>> to POTS can use VoIP, which uses the same infrastructure as
>>>>> everything else that moves our data around.
>>>>
>>>> So true, why would any one want a phone that only works when plugged
>>>> in to a wall socket...
>>>>
>>> Because you can have a mobile phone aswell, but the landline is
>>> better, because mobile phones are crap.
>>
>> Yes, you're right, they've been a total and utter consumer failure, so
>> few people worldwide bother with one.
> 
> What you've done there is distorted what I said into something else, and
> then responding to that.
> 
> I can have an opinion about mobile phones which is different from
> yours. I base my opinion on my own experience of the quality of mobile
> phone calls.

I've distorted nothing, you stated, quote "mobile phones are crap", it's 
there above in black and white !.

What you should have said is mobile phones, in your house, are crap, YMMV

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#38953 — Re: Interconnection with POTS

FromRichmond <dnomhcir@gmx.com>
Date2026-02-16 17:49 +0000
SubjectRe: Interconnection with POTS
Message-ID<827bscwpd9.fsf@example.com>
In reply to#38951
Mark Carver <mark@invalid.com> writes:

> On 16/02/2026 16:57, Richmond wrote:
>> Mark Carver <mark@invalid.com> writes:
>> 
>>> On 13/02/2026 21:17, Richmond wrote:
>>>> David Wade <g4ugm@dave.invalid> writes:
>>>>
>>>>>> specialise dinfrastructure to be maintained.  Increasing numbers of
>>>>>> people (me included) have ditched land lines, since mobile phones
>>>>>> do the job better.  Those who want to retain a service equivalent
>>>>>> to POTS can use VoIP, which uses the same infrastructure as
>>>>>> everything else that moves our data around.
>>>>>
>>>>> So true, why would any one want a phone that only works when plugged
>>>>> in to a wall socket...
>>>>>
>>>> Because you can have a mobile phone aswell, but the landline is
>>>> better, because mobile phones are crap.
>>>
>>> Yes, you're right, they've been a total and utter consumer failure, so
>>> few people worldwide bother with one.
>> What you've done there is distorted what I said into something else,
>> and
>> then responding to that.
>> I can have an opinion about mobile phones which is different from
>> yours. I base my opinion on my own experience of the quality of mobile
>> phone calls.
>
> I've distorted nothing, you stated, quote "mobile phones are crap",
> it's there above in black and white !.
>
> What you should have said is mobile phones, in your house, are crap, YMMV

You've equated 'crap' with not a commercial success. You'll be telling
me Windows isn't crap next.

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#38960 — Re: Interconnection with POTS

FromThe Natural Philosopher <tnp@invalid.invalid>
Date2026-02-17 08:42 +0000
SubjectRe: Interconnection with POTS
Message-ID<10n19m4$1je3i$6@dont-email.me>
In reply to#38953
On 16/02/2026 17:49, Richmond wrote:
> Mark Carver <mark@invalid.com> writes:
> 
>> On 16/02/2026 16:57, Richmond wrote:
>>> Mark Carver <mark@invalid.com> writes:
>>>
>>>> On 13/02/2026 21:17, Richmond wrote:
>>>>> David Wade <g4ugm@dave.invalid> writes:
>>>>>
>>>>>>> specialise dinfrastructure to be maintained.  Increasing numbers of
>>>>>>> people (me included) have ditched land lines, since mobile phones
>>>>>>> do the job better.  Those who want to retain a service equivalent
>>>>>>> to POTS can use VoIP, which uses the same infrastructure as
>>>>>>> everything else that moves our data around.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> So true, why would any one want a phone that only works when plugged
>>>>>> in to a wall socket...
>>>>>>
>>>>> Because you can have a mobile phone aswell, but the landline is
>>>>> better, because mobile phones are crap.
>>>>
>>>> Yes, you're right, they've been a total and utter consumer failure, so
>>>> few people worldwide bother with one.
>>> What you've done there is distorted what I said into something else,
>>> and
>>> then responding to that.
>>> I can have an opinion about mobile phones which is different from
>>> yours. I base my opinion on my own experience of the quality of mobile
>>> phone calls.
>>
>> I've distorted nothing, you stated, quote "mobile phones are crap",
>> it's there above in black and white !.
>>
>> What you should have said is mobile phones, in your house, are crap, YMMV
> 
> You've equated 'crap' with not a commercial success. You'll be telling
> me Windows isn't crap next.

Well there isn't much choice over windows, is there?
It succeeds despite being crap.

Of course mobile phones are crap too - what consumer product is not, 
these days? - but they are not so crappy that people with a choice don't 
use them.,



-- 
It’s easier to fool people than to convince them that they have been fooled.
Mark Twain


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#38961 — Re: Interconnection with POTS

FromDavid Wade <g4ugm@dave.invalid>
Date2026-02-17 08:58 +0000
SubjectRe: Interconnection with POTS
Message-ID<10n1ajs$1jva6$1@dont-email.me>
In reply to#38960
On 17/02/2026 08:42, The Natural Philosopher wrote:
> On 16/02/2026 17:49, Richmond wrote:
>> Mark Carver <mark@invalid.com> writes:
>>
>>> On 16/02/2026 16:57, Richmond wrote:
>>>> Mark Carver <mark@invalid.com> writes:
>>>>
>>>>> On 13/02/2026 21:17, Richmond wrote:
>>>>>> David Wade <g4ugm@dave.invalid> writes:
>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> specialise dinfrastructure to be maintained.  Increasing numbers of
>>>>>>>> people (me included) have ditched land lines, since mobile phones
>>>>>>>> do the job better.  Those who want to retain a service equivalent
>>>>>>>> to POTS can use VoIP, which uses the same infrastructure as
>>>>>>>> everything else that moves our data around.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> So true, why would any one want a phone that only works when plugged
>>>>>>> in to a wall socket...
>>>>>>>
>>>>>> Because you can have a mobile phone aswell, but the landline is
>>>>>> better, because mobile phones are crap.
>>>>>
>>>>> Yes, you're right, they've been a total and utter consumer failure, so
>>>>> few people worldwide bother with one.
>>>> What you've done there is distorted what I said into something else,
>>>> and
>>>> then responding to that.
>>>> I can have an opinion about mobile phones which is different from
>>>> yours. I base my opinion on my own experience of the quality of mobile
>>>> phone calls.
>>>
>>> I've distorted nothing, you stated, quote "mobile phones are crap",
>>> it's there above in black and white !.
>>>
>>> What you should have said is mobile phones, in your house, are crap, 
>>> YMMV
>>
>> You've equated 'crap' with not a commercial success. You'll be telling
>> me Windows isn't crap next.
> 
> Well there isn't much choice over windows, is there?
> It succeeds despite being crap.
> 

But if you are deploying it in a corporate or enterprise environment its 
not "crap", it pretty much just works. Yes you can do all the same 
things with Linux desktops but to do so you need to build your own tool 
kits. Look at the issues the EU is facing as it tries to drop Microsoft.


> Of course mobile phones are crap too - what consumer product is not, 
> these days? - but they are not so crappy that people with a choice don't 
> use them.,
> 
> 
> 
I don't find them "crappy", perhaps overpriced, but "crappy", really?

Dave

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#38963 — Re: Interconnection with POTS

FromRichmond <dnomhcir@gmx.com>
Date2026-02-17 10:07 +0000
SubjectRe: Interconnection with POTS
Message-ID<82342zy96w.fsf@example.com>
In reply to#38961
David Wade <g4ugm@dave.invalid> writes:

> On 17/02/2026 08:42, The Natural Philosopher wrote:
>> On 16/02/2026 17:49, Richmond wrote:
>>> Mark Carver <mark@invalid.com> writes:
>>>
>>>> On 16/02/2026 16:57, Richmond wrote:
>>>>> Mark Carver <mark@invalid.com> writes:
>>>>>
>>>>>> On 13/02/2026 21:17, Richmond wrote:
>>>>>>> David Wade <g4ugm@dave.invalid> writes:
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>> specialise dinfrastructure to be maintained.  Increasing
>>>>>>>>> numbers of people (me included) have ditched land lines, since
>>>>>>>>> mobile phones do the job better.  Those who want to retain a
>>>>>>>>> service equivalent to POTS can use VoIP, which uses the same
>>>>>>>>> infrastructure as everything else that moves our data around.
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> So true, why would any one want a phone that only works when
>>>>>>>> plugged in to a wall socket...
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> Because you can have a mobile phone aswell, but the landline is
>>>>>>> better, because mobile phones are crap.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Yes, you're right, they've been a total and utter consumer
>>>>>> failure, so few people worldwide bother with one.  >>>>> What
>>>>>> you've done there is distorted what I said into something else,
>>>>>> >>>>> and >>>>> then responding to that.  >>>>> I can have an
>>>>>> opinion about mobile phones which is different from >>>>>
>>>>>> yours. I base my opinion on my own experience of the quality of
>>>>>> mobile >>>>> phone calls.
>>>>
>>>> I've distorted nothing, you stated, quote "mobile phones are crap",
>>>> it's there above in black and white !.
>>>>
>>>> What you should have said is mobile phones, in your house, are
>>>> crap, YMMV
>>>
>>> You've equated 'crap' with not a commercial success. You'll be
>>> telling me Windows isn't crap next.  >> Well there isn't much choice
>>> over windows, is there?  >> It succeeds despite being crap.
>> 
>
> But if you are deploying it in a corporate or enterprise environment
> its not "crap", it pretty much just works. Yes you can do all the same
> things with Linux desktops but to do so you need to build your own
> tool kits. Look at the issues the EU is facing as it tries to drop
> Microsoft.
>
>
>> Of course mobile phones are crap too - what consumer product is not,
>> these days? - but they are not so crappy that people with a choice
>> don't use them.,
>> 
> I don't find them "crappy", perhaps overpriced, but "crappy", really?
>

They are crap yes, they cut out and drop calls and stutter, they miss
incoming calls, EE doesn't even work at all. The only reason for their
success is that they are mobile. And the only reason people ditch their
landlines is because they've had to pay for a mobile call package to
avoid 25ppm, and they don't want to pay for another call package to use
the landline.

Your mileage may vary, especially if you live next to a mobile phone
mast.

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#38964 — Re: Interconnection with POTS

FromRichmond <dnomhcir@gmx.com>
Date2026-02-17 10:11 +0000
SubjectRe: Interconnection with POTS
Message-ID<82y0krwufy.fsf@example.com>
In reply to#38963
And if they are not crap, why have they become dependent on wifi
calling?

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