M
Mack A. Damia
Guest
Isn't Skype 2.3 cents a minute no matter where you call?
--
Isn't Skype 2.3 cents a minute no matter where you call?
--
N
Ned Turnbull
Guest
On Wed, 27 Aug 2014 10:58:02 -0700, Mack A. Damia wrote:
> Isn't Skype 2.3 cents a minute no matter where you call?
So, the 30 minutes would only have cost the perps less than a buck.
The funny thing was the 4th grade taunts about him f'ing my women.
How many times did you call, say, T-Mobile, or Verizon, or AT&T, etc.,
where they shouted they were f'ing all your women?
I'll bet the answer is near zero, right, if not zero.
What USA support does, when you're not nice to them, is simply hang up.
That's it.
They hang up on you, and move on to the next person.
Or, they patch you through to the elevator music, and you have to
start all over again. Right?
But these Indian guys? They swear like pirates. I just wonder why.
It may be a cultural thing.
Someone suggested it's a caste thing.
On the recording, you can clearly hear the caller's anguish that his taunts
were not having the desired effect.
For some reason, I was supposed to be all upset that he was f'ing my
women I guess. Was I supposed to believe him? That's the part I don't get.
It's so sophomoric.
It may be the individual, but, it has *never* happened to me in the USA, and
it seems to happen here with these guys. I think it "might" be cultural.
Dunno though.
> Isn't Skype 2.3 cents a minute no matter where you call?
So, the 30 minutes would only have cost the perps less than a buck.
The funny thing was the 4th grade taunts about him f'ing my women.
How many times did you call, say, T-Mobile, or Verizon, or AT&T, etc.,
where they shouted they were f'ing all your women?
I'll bet the answer is near zero, right, if not zero.
What USA support does, when you're not nice to them, is simply hang up.
That's it.
They hang up on you, and move on to the next person.
Or, they patch you through to the elevator music, and you have to
start all over again. Right?
But these Indian guys? They swear like pirates. I just wonder why.
It may be a cultural thing.
Someone suggested it's a caste thing.
On the recording, you can clearly hear the caller's anguish that his taunts
were not having the desired effect.
For some reason, I was supposed to be all upset that he was f'ing my
women I guess. Was I supposed to believe him? That's the part I don't get.
It's so sophomoric.
It may be the individual, but, it has *never* happened to me in the USA, and
it seems to happen here with these guys. I think it "might" be cultural.
Dunno though.
J
Jasen Betts
Guest
On 2014-08-27, Steve Hayes <hayesstw@telkomsa.net> wrote:
it's not nothing, but it's cheaper than the business rates for local calls.
--
umop apisdn
--- news://freenews.netfront.net/ - complaints: news@netfront.net ---
it's not nothing, but it's cheaper than the business rates for local calls.
--
umop apisdn
--- news://freenews.netfront.net/ - complaints: news@netfront.net ---
N
Ned Turnbull
Guest
On Thu, 28 Aug 2014 22:06:30 +1000, Peter Moylan wrote:
Here in the USA, we have free USA phone calls for life (which works
overseas also, but only *to* the USA), for a one-time cost of about
$125 at Costco online for the Ooma Telo hardware.
Then, you pay *only* a monthly "tax" to the government of around $4
a month (this tax changes based on your local zip code).
Calling overseas costs about 2 cents a minute, but I repeat, all calls
*to* the USA are free, for life.
So, if the Indian scammers have an Oooma box, they can call the USA
for the price of the $4 monthly tax (if they pay by credit card and
"say" they're in the USA).
I know that saying you're from the USA works because I "tell" Oooma
that I'm in Kansas (or wherever I had found the cheapest monthly 911
fees), even though I'm *not* in Kansas; so, they don't care where
you *say* you're from for these fees.
All you need to do is "appear" to be in the USA, and then the Ooma
allows free phone calls *to* the USA. I haven't tried it from Europe,
but it certainly works *in* the USA.
Here in the USA, we have free USA phone calls for life (which works
overseas also, but only *to* the USA), for a one-time cost of about
$125 at Costco online for the Ooma Telo hardware.
Then, you pay *only* a monthly "tax" to the government of around $4
a month (this tax changes based on your local zip code).
Calling overseas costs about 2 cents a minute, but I repeat, all calls
*to* the USA are free, for life.
So, if the Indian scammers have an Oooma box, they can call the USA
for the price of the $4 monthly tax (if they pay by credit card and
"say" they're in the USA).
I know that saying you're from the USA works because I "tell" Oooma
that I'm in Kansas (or wherever I had found the cheapest monthly 911
fees), even though I'm *not* in Kansas; so, they don't care where
you *say* you're from for these fees.
All you need to do is "appear" to be in the USA, and then the Ooma
allows free phone calls *to* the USA. I haven't tried it from Europe,
but it certainly works *in* the USA.
N
Ned Turnbull
Guest
On Thu, 28 Aug 2014 13:56:42 +0100, the Omrud wrote:
Same here, in the USA, with an Oooma Telo hooked to your router.
Calls to the USA are free, for life.
The only cost is the ~$4/month to the government for taxes & fees.
Calling to places outside the USA are about 2 cents a minute (USD).
Same here, in the USA, with an Oooma Telo hooked to your router.
Calls to the USA are free, for life.
The only cost is the ~$4/month to the government for taxes & fees.
Calling to places outside the USA are about 2 cents a minute (USD).
P
Peter Moylan
Guest
On 28/08/14 02:02, Steve Hayes wrote:
I've been using VoIP for my own landline phone for a number of years
now. It's not zero cost, but it's very low cost, and it's very easy to
set up. I still have to pay the phone company the monthly fee for the
line, but I don't pay them anything for the calls. The call cost, which
I pay to the VoIP company, comes to a little under $10/month, which is
extremely cheap compared with what most Australians pay.
There's also a setup cost, but even after paying that you're still well
ahead.
(Technical detail: VoIP routes your phone calls through your internet
connection, and the reason it's cheap is that you already have an
internet connection. (If you didn't, we wouldn't be seeing you in this
newsgroup.))
If you want to do this yourself you don't have to be a technical expert.
You do, however, have to do a fair bit of background research, because
most of the phone companies have jumped on the VoIP bandwagon now and
what they're offering is not a good deal. You need to find the very few
companies that do offer a good deal. In this country the way to do the
background research is via a web site called Whirlpool, which is where
phone and internet users share their experiences. It is highly likely, I
imagine, that something similar exists in South Africa. Even if it
doesn't, all you have to do is find someone in your own country who is
already using VoIP, and get advice from them on the available deals.
Don't do it if your internet connection drops out all the time, though.
That can be a problem in areas where the copper cable connections are
deteriorating.
--
Peter Moylan http://www.pmoylan.org
I've been using VoIP for my own landline phone for a number of years
now. It's not zero cost, but it's very low cost, and it's very easy to
set up. I still have to pay the phone company the monthly fee for the
line, but I don't pay them anything for the calls. The call cost, which
I pay to the VoIP company, comes to a little under $10/month, which is
extremely cheap compared with what most Australians pay.
There's also a setup cost, but even after paying that you're still well
ahead.
(Technical detail: VoIP routes your phone calls through your internet
connection, and the reason it's cheap is that you already have an
internet connection. (If you didn't, we wouldn't be seeing you in this
newsgroup.))
If you want to do this yourself you don't have to be a technical expert.
You do, however, have to do a fair bit of background research, because
most of the phone companies have jumped on the VoIP bandwagon now and
what they're offering is not a good deal. You need to find the very few
companies that do offer a good deal. In this country the way to do the
background research is via a web site called Whirlpool, which is where
phone and internet users share their experiences. It is highly likely, I
imagine, that something similar exists in South Africa. Even if it
doesn't, all you have to do is find someone in your own country who is
already using VoIP, and get advice from them on the available deals.
Don't do it if your internet connection drops out all the time, though.
That can be a problem in areas where the copper cable connections are
deteriorating.
--
Peter Moylan http://www.pmoylan.org
T
the Omrud
Guest
On 28/08/2014 13:06, Peter Moylan wrote:
Our French broadband bundle (16 per month) includes VoIP phone calls.
The phone socket is in the supplied router - you just plug in your own
handset or DECT phone - and all calls are included. I've never wondered
about calls to high-cost numbers, but we are not billed for calls to
landlines or mobiles anywhere in Europe (I think it's the world, but we
haven't tried that either).
--
David
Our French broadband bundle (16 per month) includes VoIP phone calls.
The phone socket is in the supplied router - you just plug in your own
handset or DECT phone - and all calls are included. I've never wondered
about calls to high-cost numbers, but we are not billed for calls to
landlines or mobiles anywhere in Europe (I think it's the world, but we
haven't tried that either).
--
David
K
Ken Blake
Guest
On Thu, 28 Aug 2014 22:06:30 +1000, Peter Moylan <peter@pmoylan.org>
wrote:
I used to use Google Voice for VoIP; it was completely free, but it's
no longer available. So I switched to Phone Power, which began by
costing $40 for the OBi100 device I bought from Amazon.com, and now
costs $5 a month. Unlimited calls to the USA and Canada are free.
wrote:
I used to use Google Voice for VoIP; it was completely free, but it's
no longer available. So I switched to Phone Power, which began by
costing $40 for the OBi100 device I bought from Amazon.com, and now
costs $5 a month. Unlimited calls to the USA and Canada are free.
C
Charles Bishop
Guest
In article <ltn9ju$jov$12@news.mixmin.net>,
Ned Turnbull <NedTurnbull@example.com> wrote:
What do you pay to have internet access such as DSL? You do have to pay
a local Telco something to have wires from your house to "somewhere",
yes?
--
charles
Ned Turnbull <NedTurnbull@example.com> wrote:
What do you pay to have internet access such as DSL? You do have to pay
a local Telco something to have wires from your house to "somewhere",
yes?
--
charles
N
Ned Turnbull
Guest
On Thu, 28 Aug 2014 08:08:33 -0700, Charles Bishop wrote:
I think DSL is somewhere around $50 per month, but it's not
available to me as I'm way too far from the switch, they tell me.
So "I" get "my" internet from the sky.
The Ooma hooks to the router.
And a standard telephone hooks to the Ooma.
Total cost is:
Internet = $50/month (roughly for 10Mbps symmetric, although it varies)
Ooma = $125 (one-time charge at Costco for the equipment)
Tax = $4/month (state and local)
Here is a better model (this one has WiFi) than I have:
http://www.costco.com/Ooma-Telo-VoIP-Free-Home-Phone-Service-with-Linx-Wireless-DECT-Remote-Phone-Jack.product.100123925.html
I think DSL is somewhere around $50 per month, but it's not
available to me as I'm way too far from the switch, they tell me.
So "I" get "my" internet from the sky.
The Ooma hooks to the router.
And a standard telephone hooks to the Ooma.
Total cost is:
Internet = $50/month (roughly for 10Mbps symmetric, although it varies)
Ooma = $125 (one-time charge at Costco for the equipment)
Tax = $4/month (state and local)
Here is a better model (this one has WiFi) than I have:
http://www.costco.com/Ooma-Telo-VoIP-Free-Home-Phone-Service-with-Linx-Wireless-DECT-Remote-Phone-Jack.product.100123925.html
D
Derek Turner
Guest
On Wed, 27 Aug 2014 10:33:17 +0200, Steve Hayes wrote:
> It may have cost him quite a bit, if he was calling from India.
No. They use VoIP exclusively
> It may have cost him quite a bit, if he was calling from India.
No. They use VoIP exclusively
T
Tony Cooper
Guest
On Thu, 28 Aug 2014 08:08:33 -0700, Charles Bishop
<ctbishop@earthlink.net> wrote:
I pay Brighthouse for cable access, and that's a wire to my house.
However, I could pay DirectTV for dish reception and not have a wire.
Costs vary depending on the extent of the service. I pay $160 a
month, but that's for internet, cable TV with premium channels, and
land-line telephone service.
I would like to eliminate the land-line, but my wife doesn't want to.
We tried VoIP a few years ago with the land-line number ported over,
but during the second week we had it there was a computer problem. My
wife has a once-bitten attitude.
Her sisters and other family are not the type to switch over to our
cell phone numbers. If they called the land-line number, and it was
no longer in service, they'd assume we died.
--
Tony Cooper - Orlando FL
<ctbishop@earthlink.net> wrote:
I pay Brighthouse for cable access, and that's a wire to my house.
However, I could pay DirectTV for dish reception and not have a wire.
Costs vary depending on the extent of the service. I pay $160 a
month, but that's for internet, cable TV with premium channels, and
land-line telephone service.
I would like to eliminate the land-line, but my wife doesn't want to.
We tried VoIP a few years ago with the land-line number ported over,
but during the second week we had it there was a computer problem. My
wife has a once-bitten attitude.
Her sisters and other family are not the type to switch over to our
cell phone numbers. If they called the land-line number, and it was
no longer in service, they'd assume we died.
--
Tony Cooper - Orlando FL
S
Steve Hayes
Guest
On Thu, 28 Aug 2014 22:06:30 +1000, Peter Moylan <peter@pmoylan.org> wrote:
Yes, I understand that,
I use it myself (and it is free via Skype) to talk to my daughter in Greece.
But when I use it that way, I talk through my computer, using its microphone
and speakers. When she calls, the phone doesn't ring, the computer beeps.
But when these guys call the phone rings, so it goes through the public
switched telephone network (PSTN), which is metered, and for which one pays.
--
Steve Hayes from Tshwane, South Africa
Web: http://www.khanya.org.za/stevesig.htm
Blog: http://khanya.wordpress.com
E-mail - see web page, or parse: shayes at dunelm full stop org full stop uk
Yes, I understand that,
I use it myself (and it is free via Skype) to talk to my daughter in Greece.
But when I use it that way, I talk through my computer, using its microphone
and speakers. When she calls, the phone doesn't ring, the computer beeps.
But when these guys call the phone rings, so it goes through the public
switched telephone network (PSTN), which is metered, and for which one pays.
--
Steve Hayes from Tshwane, South Africa
Web: http://www.khanya.org.za/stevesig.htm
Blog: http://khanya.wordpress.com
E-mail - see web page, or parse: shayes at dunelm full stop org full stop uk
C
Charles Bishop
Guest
In article <lto19f$t70$5@news.mixmin.net>,
Ned Turnbull <NedTurnbull@example.com> wrote:
If I understand you correctly, your monthly charge (neglecting the cost
of the $125) is $55.
That is about what I pay now for internet, long distance in the us and
"local" calls to my area (whatever that is now; it's been shrinking as
more area codes are added). I no longer make any calls to outside the US
so I don't know what AT&T would charge for that.
Admittedly, this comes with the provision that I need to call up AT&T
every six months or so and ask why they have changed my plan when it was
supposed to run for a year.
I think I'm too resistant to change now to fuss with new-fangled
gadgetry. More's the pity.
--
charles
Ned Turnbull <NedTurnbull@example.com> wrote:
If I understand you correctly, your monthly charge (neglecting the cost
of the $125) is $55.
That is about what I pay now for internet, long distance in the us and
"local" calls to my area (whatever that is now; it's been shrinking as
more area codes are added). I no longer make any calls to outside the US
so I don't know what AT&T would charge for that.
Admittedly, this comes with the provision that I need to call up AT&T
every six months or so and ask why they have changed my plan when it was
supposed to run for a year.
I think I'm too resistant to change now to fuss with new-fangled
gadgetry. More's the pity.
--
charles
N
Ned Turnbull
Guest
On Fri, 29 Aug 2014 07:58:52 -0700, Charles Bishop wrote:
Yes. That's about right.
About $50 a month for Internet, and about $4 or $5 for Oooma taxes.
The Oooma itself is about $125 at Costco, and is a one-time charge.
Of course there's also the hardware telephone.
But, after that, all calls to the USA are free, for life.
If you make believe you are in the USA, then all calls from, say, Australia,
to the USA are also free. Likewise for all calls from India to the USA.
So, the scammers *could* be getting their calls to the USA for nearly free
(all they need is an Internet connection & pay the $4 or $5 a month USA
taxes).
Yes. That's about right.
About $50 a month for Internet, and about $4 or $5 for Oooma taxes.
The Oooma itself is about $125 at Costco, and is a one-time charge.
Of course there's also the hardware telephone.
But, after that, all calls to the USA are free, for life.
If you make believe you are in the USA, then all calls from, say, Australia,
to the USA are also free. Likewise for all calls from India to the USA.
So, the scammers *could* be getting their calls to the USA for nearly free
(all they need is an Internet connection & pay the $4 or $5 a month USA
taxes).
P
Peter Moylan
Guest
On 29/08/14 03:06, Steve Hayes wrote:
Skype is certainly the cheap way, but as you say you have to sit at your
computer to make the call. The way I do it, I have a stock-standard
phone, but instead of plugging it into the wall I plug it into the VoIP
adapter. In my case the VoIP adapter is a component inside my
all-in-one modem/router, but I could have chosen to buy a separate VoIP
adapter and plug it into the router.
(Actually, I have several cordless phones, so it's the phone base
station that plugs into the VoIP adapter, but that's an unimportant detail.)
It's the PSTN network at your end, but it's VoIP at their end, and the
call charges only apply at their end. If they know how to set it up, and
they obviously do, international calls can be dirt cheap.
My incoming calls, with a few minor exceptions, come through the PSTN.
My outgoing calls go via VoIP to my VoIP provider, who then has the
decision as to how to route the call the rest of the way; that's their
problem and doesn't affect my charges.
The only way you can tell I'm using VoIP, without tracing the wires, is
a slightly different dial tone. In most other respects it looks as if
I'm connected to the PSTN.
--
Peter Moylan http://www.pmoylan.org
Skype is certainly the cheap way, but as you say you have to sit at your
computer to make the call. The way I do it, I have a stock-standard
phone, but instead of plugging it into the wall I plug it into the VoIP
adapter. In my case the VoIP adapter is a component inside my
all-in-one modem/router, but I could have chosen to buy a separate VoIP
adapter and plug it into the router.
(Actually, I have several cordless phones, so it's the phone base
station that plugs into the VoIP adapter, but that's an unimportant detail.)
It's the PSTN network at your end, but it's VoIP at their end, and the
call charges only apply at their end. If they know how to set it up, and
they obviously do, international calls can be dirt cheap.
My incoming calls, with a few minor exceptions, come through the PSTN.
My outgoing calls go via VoIP to my VoIP provider, who then has the
decision as to how to route the call the rest of the way; that's their
problem and doesn't affect my charges.
The only way you can tell I'm using VoIP, without tracing the wires, is
a slightly different dial tone. In most other respects it looks as if
I'm connected to the PSTN.
--
Peter Moylan http://www.pmoylan.org
T
Tony Cooper
Guest
On Sat, 30 Aug 2014 21:59:47 +1000, Peter Moylan <peter@pmoylan.org>
wrote:
No, you don't. My daughter-in-law routinely talks to her parents in
Russia on her cell phone using Skype. Video calls, at that.
If she had one, she could make Skype calls on an iPad and the video
image would be larger.
--
Tony Cooper - Orlando FL
wrote:
No, you don't. My daughter-in-law routinely talks to her parents in
Russia on her cell phone using Skype. Video calls, at that.
If she had one, she could make Skype calls on an iPad and the video
image would be larger.
--
Tony Cooper - Orlando FL
G
Genesys
Guest
On Sunday, September 7, 2014 8:01:07 AM UTC-4, Daniel wrote:
Yeah, US phone services charge you for 911. Usually shows up separately on the bill as "E911 fee" or similar, and varies depending on location. You pay it monthly, whether or not you actually have an emergency. It's not expensive (usually a few dollars, if that), but nonetheless it's not free.
You can apparently be exempted from it on certain phone lines that are dedicated for a single purpose (e.g. lines for modems, alarm systems, etc.). My friend still has POTS for an alarm and that bill shows "E911 Service Fee - $0" every month.
Yeah, US phone services charge you for 911. Usually shows up separately on the bill as "E911 fee" or similar, and varies depending on location. You pay it monthly, whether or not you actually have an emergency. It's not expensive (usually a few dollars, if that), but nonetheless it's not free.
You can apparently be exempted from it on certain phone lines that are dedicated for a single purpose (e.g. lines for modems, alarm systems, etc.). My friend still has POTS for an alarm and that bill shows "E911 Service Fee - $0" every month.
D
Daniel
Guest
On 28/08/14 22:39, Ned Turnbull wrote:
<Snip>
" (or wherever I had found the cheapest monthly 911 fees)"
Sorry, are you saying your emergency services call costs vary depending
on where you are??
(Here in Australia, our 000 (Fire, Police, Ambulance) calls are all free!!)
Daniel
<Snip>
" (or wherever I had found the cheapest monthly 911 fees)"
Sorry, are you saying your emergency services call costs vary depending
on where you are??
(Here in Australia, our 000 (Fire, Police, Ambulance) calls are all free!!)
Daniel
Guest
On Saturday, April 5, 1997 4:00:00 AM UTC-4, Scroop Moth wrote:
I have the very same amplifier that had a similar issue. after a voltage surge, the right channel made on very short ('instant') burst of tone and then quit. Found one of the internal fuses blown, replaced, and the same tone was generated so I shut it off immediately. I pulled off the grille, turned the amp back on, and found the (instant/momentary) tone was the woofer extending out fully and staying put. Turned off.
I ended up joining Audiokarma and one member pointed me to http://www.hifi-manuals.com/ where you can download manuals (owner, service, repair) for free. If got the manuals for the -535 with the intention of doing the repair myself but couldn't find the time. So, I took it to a local repair shop (fingers crossed that they knew what they're doing) and got it back a couple days and $50 later and it's perfect.
There are four 2SC2362 transistors for each channel labeled Q601, 603, 605, and 615. Q601 was the failed one in my case.
I have the very same amplifier that had a similar issue. after a voltage surge, the right channel made on very short ('instant') burst of tone and then quit. Found one of the internal fuses blown, replaced, and the same tone was generated so I shut it off immediately. I pulled off the grille, turned the amp back on, and found the (instant/momentary) tone was the woofer extending out fully and staying put. Turned off.
I ended up joining Audiokarma and one member pointed me to http://www.hifi-manuals.com/ where you can download manuals (owner, service, repair) for free. If got the manuals for the -535 with the intention of doing the repair myself but couldn't find the time. So, I took it to a local repair shop (fingers crossed that they knew what they're doing) and got it back a couple days and $50 later and it's perfect.
There are four 2SC2362 transistors for each channel labeled Q601, 603, 605, and 615. Q601 was the failed one in my case.