On Apr 2, 2009, at 9:54 AM, nir grinberg wrote:
1. compare prices for Israel, don't forget most of your calls will
usually be to mobile numbers (in Israel).
So far the best deal is Orange's 139 NIS for a 2.5mbit connection (ISP
part only) and
600 minutes of calls to all phones in Israel. That comes out to about
30 ag a minute.
If you consider the ISP part worth something, it's a lot cheaper. The
downsides are you have
to be here and you have to buy an 800 NIS box over 36 payments
(included in the monthly
price).
However if you have a friend or relative who wants an 2.5m connection,
you may be able to
do a deal, put the the box at their home and a small asterisk box.
2. check different providers' services and their rates. the big plus
with Skype, they offer outgoing call packages that includes Israel
landline (mobile is NOT included)
per minute SkypeOut rates can be found
here:http://www.skype.com/prices/callrates/?currency=USD#listing-I
Skype has new terms and condiitions which may make them less
attractive. In order to use
the cheap package, you have limits which include only one person per
account. Otherwise, if
you have Skype set up on a home computer and use it to call your
family and friends, that's fine, but your wife and kids each need
their own accounts.
3. if you need people from Israel calling you, you might consider
having an Israeli local number in the bundle as well. This mean that
people from Israel will be able to call you, by dialing a local
number. Skype do not provide israeli numbers, and you have to go with
local Israeli provider. Most companies in Israel will provide you
service only via their own VoIP gateway. To the best of my knowledge,
you have to physically be here to collect it (they don't ship the
gateway outside of Israel)
There are lots of companies that do, or will allow you to provide your
own. Some will sell
you SIP only, others will connect to whatever Asterisk protocol you
want. You can also
ask for a "laptop option" and then configure your own PAP2 or similar
device instead.
Cost is a problem, 077 numbers are the cheapest, 052 next (but are the
most expensive to
call) and BEZEQ numbers are hard to get and the most expensive.
If you really miss home, you can get a package deal of HOT Internet,
cable TV and a voice
line (077) for around 200 NIS. Combine that with the Orange deal, and
place a small computer
running Asterisk and MythTV on the end of it, and you can get and make
lots of phone calls,
(2000 min to BEZEQ, 600 to cell phones) and watch/record your favorite
programs, while
accumulating serious geek points for about 340 NIS a month +
electricity.
Geoff.
--
geoffrey mendelson
geoffreymendel...@gmail.com
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