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On Fri, 27 Jan 2012, Mark Evans wrote:
-----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE----- Hash: SHA1 On 27/01/12 07:50, Eion MacDonald wrote:,then play along if I have time and eventually say its a BBC Micro I use explaining that it boots from a floppy disc, They do not understand and while they uses VOIP it still wastes their productive time (while I laugh)VoIP to PSTN (even in the called number is actually VoIP) still tends to cost money. I suspect that even providers offering "unlimited" calling plans would flag up almost constant outgoing calls.
The PSTN is effectively the "default route", so someone on one VoIP network calling a number on another VoIP network very probably goes via the PSTN. From what I can see it's not in everyones best intersts to actually peer with each other all the time... and as for enum...
Most PSTN (& some VoIP) companies will hapilly let you run up bills of thousands (and even tens of thousands) then sue you to get their money. I know of more than one company that have had bills of more than £10K becuase their Internet connected PBX got hacked and was subsequently used to place fraudulent calls through. (via both the PSTN and VoIP)
Personally I think it's utterly irresponsible of the telco's to allow this sort of thing to happen, but most seem to be running hideously antiquated billing systems and are simply not intersted in implementing limits for their customers, prefering to spend money suing them than fixing their billing code to cut them off...
No doubt Gordon could explain more. As well the way in which call charges between PTOs can be very different from what those same companies charge customers.
There are a large number of thieving scumbags who're deliberately targeting VoIP systems in an effort to crack them, then to (ab)use them to place calls - AND to then sell-on "cheap routes" to various places. If you want to know the tools they're using, just google for sipvicious - that's just one.
There are also some weird ways to place calls whereby you effectively get money to place the call - so you accept a call (and get a termination fee), then move that call into another country via VoIP then place the call out again. I think some of the indirect diallers use this trick, and some VoIP companies too. I can't work out how else you can get free calls - e.g. have a look at this grid for a list of providers that will get you free calls to the UK (and other places) via VoIP: http://backsla.sh/betamax
As for the cold callers/Indian scammers - they'll be using the cheapest routes they can get and the only need a 'hit rate' of 1% to make money, so unless you have time to string them along, it's probably best to just tell them you're running Linux and hang up. The last thing you want is them calling you back after you've blown a whistle down the line at them - they have your number and sometimes your address too.
I use good routes in my network (at least I think I do - who knows what the wholesalers I buy from use, but I do use reputable UK based companies, although I have been tempted in the past to use others...). There are a few weird ones though - right now my wholesale rate to Canada is less than my wholesale rate to the UK for example...
Gordon
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