Subject: [68ATTENDEES] Phone use in general

From: Ed Jankiewicz <[email-masked]>
Date: Thu, 15 Mar 2007 10:44:06 -0400

I don't have a GSM phone.  What would be available (and cost 
effective)?  Rent vs. buy?  Get in US vs. in country?  Airport vs. city 
center store?  Pre-paid vs. pay-as-you-go?  New phone vs. SIM?

eg. just got an offer in the mail from RailEurope for a GSM phone, 
US$39, with "global premium service" rates are .99 to 2.49 per minute.  
They also sell SIMs if you have a phone that can swap.

http://www.raileurope.ekit.com/ekit/MobilePurchase/Phones (for future 
reference, obviously too late to mailorder)

Verizon Wireless in the US offers a rental GSM phone for 3.99/day plus 
airtime, which sounds like a lousy deal, but good for a quick trip in an 
emergency.

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From: "Richard Barnes" <[email-masked]>
Date: Thu, 15 Mar 2007 11:22:16 -0400

There are also several VoIP options.  I had success with Skype in
Montreal, but as an IETF participant, I did feel kind of guilty.
There are also free SIP services out there.

--RB

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From: Rohan Mahy <[email-masked]>
Date: Thu, 15 Mar 2007 22:11:10 +0100

> Montreal, but as an IETF participant, I did feel kind of guilty.

This sounds like the kind of guilty pleasure admitted only in  
Alcoholics Anonymous meetings.

ex: "My name is Rohan Mahy (former chair of the SIP WG) and I am a  
Skype-aholic....."  ;-)

thx,
-rohan

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From: "Richard Barnes" <[email-masked]>
Date: Thu, 15 Mar 2007 18:10:43 -0400

Alright, I'm back on the wagon. I've been trying out service from
<http://www.gizmoproject.com/>
today, and it seems like a workable option.

--Richard

On 3/15/07, Adam Roach <[email-masked]> wrote:
> Rohan Mahy wrote:
> Gack!
> There are a staggering number of free SIP soft clients out there, and
> quite a few pay-as-you-go SIP-to-PSTN service providers.
>
> Forgive the apparent advertising below; I intend it as helpful pointers
> for people who want to use this kind of service. I have no formal
> relationship with either of the companies mentioned (although, in the
> interest of full disclosure, I have personal contacts with the
> soft-client developers).
>
> Here's an example of a free client that works under OS X, Windows, and
> Linux:
>
>   http://www.counterpath.com/index.php?menu=download
>
> And here's a VoIP service provider with a pay-as-you-go plan (i.e., you
> can start with as little as US$10, and don't pay any monthly fees):
>
>
> http://www.iconnecthere.com/nonmembers/eng/pc_to_phone/plans/per_minute_savings.htm
>
> There are other solutions for both the soft-client and the service; any
> search engine should be able to point you in the right direction.
>
> /a
>

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From: Adam Roach <[email-masked]>
Date: Thu, 15 Mar 2007 17:01:34 -0500

Gack!

/a

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From: "T.J. Kniveton" <[email-masked]>
Date: Thu, 15 Mar 2007 16:40:21 -0700

> quite a few pay-as-you-go SIP-to-PSTN service providers. 
There's also some nice Wi-Fi SIP client devices out there that are 
functioning GSM cell phones as well. If you want to see one come find 
me. You can pay a SIP-to-PSTN service provider, or if you have a hard 
line at home, set up your own SIP-to-PSTN gateway and make calls for 
free from Prague to wherever you live.

That said, I do have to confess that I'm also a functioning skype 
addict.. though I typically use it more for IM than voice calls (see above).

TJ

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From: Robert Loomans <[email-masked]>
Date: Fri, 16 Mar 2007 16:32:16 +1000

>  http://www.counterpath.com/index.php?menu=download

Unfortunately works very poorly on Intel-based Macs (frequent crashes)
and works but is painful on Linux.

On Windows, it is the best free SIP client I've used.... Even if I hate
the UI.

Rob

-- 
Robert Loomans                                 Email:  [email-masked]
Programmer/Analyst, APNIC                      Phone:    +61 7 3858 3100
http://www.apnic.net                             Fax:    +61 7 3858 3199
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From: Scott Lawrence <[email-masked]>
Date: Fri, 16 Mar 2007 13:47:30 +0000

> and works but is painful on Linux.

I've had good results on FC5 & FC6 with sjphone.
  http://www.sjlabs.com/sjp.html

-- 
Scott Lawrence  tel:+1-781-938-5306;ext=162 or sip:[email-masked]
  sipXpbx project coordinator - SIPfoundry    http://www.sipfoundry.org/sipX
  Chief Technology Officer    - Pingtel Corp. http://www.pingtel.com/

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From: Jeff Hodges <[email-masked]>
Date: Fri, 16 Mar 2007 07:08:32 -0700

> today, and it seems like a workable option.

I've been using Gizmo for a while now and really like it (I'm "netwerkeddude"). 
I used it recently from Hong kong to call back to the US and it was like way 
cheap (like us$0.14 for a 10 min call to US). And you can get a 1-775-* number 
for free. Plus it's standards based, and runs on most OSs plus Nokia's wi-fi 
devices, and the client will register with any other SIP proxy as well as 
Gizmo's simultaneously. see also..

http://identitymeme.org/archives/2006/10/05/a-plug-for-gizmo/

In terms of GSM mobile nets, I've used Oskar in CZ-land before (it worked 
well), altho they are now Voda. I intend to buy a SIM from them (last time it 
was 20euro) this time around for my unlocked GSM phone I got used in .fi a 
while back. You may be able to buy a used unlocked phone in .cz, but I don't 
really know. They are easy to get in .fi cuz the MNOs can't by law join phones 
& service plans there. so there's a ripe market for used units.

HTH,

=JeffH

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From: Sven Ubik <[email-masked]>
Date: Fri, 16 Mar 2007 17:24:04 +0100 (CET)

Hi all,

utilization of the network line for the 68th IETF meeting is being 
monitored for informational purposes by passive network monitoring 
providing:

- utilization in wide range of time granularities including
   1-second peak detection

- distribution of traffic into protocols and applications including
   selected applications that use dynamic ports

User interface:

    https://perfmon.cesnet.cz/abw-ietf

More information:

    http://community.ietf.org/wiki/index.php/Network_Monitoring

Regards,

Sven Ubik

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From: "Natale, Bob" <[email-masked]>
Date: Sun, 18 Mar 2007 20:57:07 -0400

Hi,

While out sightseeing early Sunday morning, my wife and I were handed a
flyer announcing a chamber music event at St. Martin-in-the-Wall church
(http://www.martinvezdi.cz/) that was to be held later that evening
(1700) and again on this coming Tuesday at the same time.  We attended
Sunday evening and had a delightful time.  Anyone who enjoys classical
music done well in an intimate and very interesting setting* and has
some free time early Tuesday evening (before the IETF social event, of
course!) might want to attend.  The chamber quartet is called "Musica
Prague", I believe; they perform a diverse selection of music (from
Vivaldi's Four Seasons (Spring) to Schubert's Ave Maria, along with
some Bach, Mozart, and Handel); the programme is lively and lasts just
about 90 minutes, including an encore performance.  Tickets cost 400
CZK/person.  Time very well spent, in our opinion.**

* - Actually, the interior of the church is very austere (but note that
it was originally built in 1178...the web site above has a nice
historical account, in several languages), but you can sense much
original beauty and the acoustics seemed remarkably good (to our
relatively unsophisticated ears at least).

** - And we had the added advantage of making the acquaintance of a
lovely couple from England while in line to buy tickets and we ended up
sharing a very nice evening, and some future plans, with them. YMMV, of
course, but worth noting amidst all the (prudent) talk about security
concerns.

Cheers,
BobN

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From: Marshall Eubanks <[email-masked]>
Date: Sun, 18 Mar 2007 21:50:50 -0400

Here is a list of classical music in Prague this week

http://www.pragueexperience.com/opera_concerts/opera_concerts.asp? 
EventYear=2007&EventMonth=03

(Note, that web site may or may not be a good way to buy ticket, I'm  
just sending it as a list.

If you are into Opera, there are several performances this week,  
described at

http://www.prague-opera.com/

For example, Rigoletto is playing Thursday night at the Prague State  
Opera.

Note that the Estates-Theater, where a new opera named Nagano is  
playing Thursday,
is where Don Giovanni had its world premier, and also where
Le Nozze di Figaro had its Prague premier, both with W.A. Mozart  
conducting.

Regards
Marshall