SIP softphones vs Skype

[Amedee Van Gasse (Ubuntu)]

On Tue, May 12, 2009 13:25, Karl Auer wrote:
>> SIP can be used
>> by a wide variety of softphones (eg. ekigia, twinkle, linphone, etc),
>> there are wide variety of providers, and usually I find the audio
>> better.
>
> That is my experience also.
>
>
> But it's the additional stuff that Skype has that puts it ahead -
> firstly the possibility of simply and cheaply talking to any normal
> telephone, secondly the extensive directory service, thirdly the user
> status display.

My phone operator is 3Starsnet.com, a Belgian SIP operator.
I'm using a Siemens Gigaset phone.
I'm pretty sure that I can use the same SIP configuration of the Gigaset
for Ekiga or other softphones. Have not yet tried it, but I can't see why
it wouldn't work. That way I can simply talk to any normal phone. Hell, I
can even configure SIP on my Nokia 6680 with Fring, and make phone calls
over GPRS!

But why bother? I can't carry my computer around, but with two DECT
handsets (downstairs and upstairs) I can make a phonecall from everywhere
inside my house, and even at the other end of my 60m long garden.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/amedee_be/sets/72157616325210889/

-- 
Amedee