[oclug] POTS -> SIP providers in Canada?

[Brad Barnett]

On Mon, 25 Apr 2005 13:13:43 -0400
Kevin Everets <flynn at clarkhall.ca> wrote:

> On Mon, Apr 25, 2005 at 11:59:23AM -0400, Brad Barnett wrote:
> 
> > I've sent simply queries to at least a dozen voip providers, asking:
> > 
> > "Do you have any Canadian inbound 800 numbers?  What is the cost?"
> 
> I've been thinking about getting a canadian inbound 800 number.  I've
> found www.link2voip.com which provides "US50/Canada Toll-Free" DIDs,
> but haven't tried them yet.  Were they on the list that you attempted
> to contact?

No, I don't think they were around about eight months ago, when I did my
first query of providers.

However, I signed up for them on Saturday night, they seem to be in
Alberta.  The web page states that outbound calls (that is, asterisk
registration) will work after you pay funds into your account.  Since I
used a CC, they state that it is instantly applied (and it seems to be the
case, looking at my balance).

IAX registrations are still not working. :/  My emails of Saturday and
this morning, have not been responded to either. :/

In all fairness, it still isn't that late in Alberta.. and this did happen
over a weekend.  Still, I'm starting to lose hope in them.

> 
> > On a side note, it is also quite annoying that you are unable, at this
> > point in time, to order an unlocked SIP+firewall+router box, such as
> > the Linksys WRT54GP2.  Virtually every big name seems to have a
> > contract with a VOIP provider.. or only provide their hardware through
> > voip providers.  I was forced to order 12 VOIP firewall/routers from
> > the US, from a company that providers you with a one month, $1.99 US
> > voip account.
> > 
> > In other words, I paid a $1.99 tax to get those routers.
> > 
> > Quite annoying.
> 
> That's definitely annoying.  Where did you end up getting them from?
> Did you get all WRT54GP2s?
> 

Actually, sorry to mislead, I have the Linksys RT31P2-NA.  I got them
from....

http://www.verilan.com/store/customer/product.php?productid=16185&cat=0&page=

they were slow in supplying (about 2 weeks to shipment), but they did come
through.  I suspect that their local distributor does not carry this
product as standard stock.

They work beautifully though.  I certainly think they are the best choice
for someone considering SIP implementation for home offices or the like. 
They work great with Asterisk, in this respect.