I just stumbled across a posting from a Voipfone customer on the Voxalot forum indicating that Voipfone now has peering with Sipbroker. I've just tried it out and it works!

When I enquired about it a few months ago I was told effectively no we don't, but maybe we'll think about it. I notice several customers have asked about it on these forums.

So I would have thought it would be something that Voipfone would at least mention, even if there isn't a big announcement with free champagne. But I've searched the web site, I've searched the User Manual, and I've searched the forum. Nothing! (or am I looking in the wrong places?)

Sorry to grumble about something that pleases me. I've actually been looking to move to another SIP service, since I do want to be able to call users on other networks from a phone with a numeric keypad. So I'm delighted.

Please please please, could someone at least update the list of peering codes (http://www.voipfone.co.uk/Peering.php) on the Voipfone web site?

It obviously hasn't been done for a long time. For example, Gossiptel went down the drain over a year ago and they're still listed.

For those interested, the peering code for Sipbroker is *1
So dial *1, followed by the Sipbroker code (http://www.sipbroker.com/sipbroker/action/providerWhitePages) for the destination network, followed by the user's number on that network.

Thanks!!

Yes, we slip a lot past marketing whilst they're looking the other way

Slipping things past Marketing is a popular sport at all the technology companies I've ever worked for. But slipping things past the customers, especially when they're things they want, seems totally pointless!

So is that a no then???

No to updating the peering list?

It will be updated, it's on the to do list.

I agree, peering with SIPBroker is excellent news - thank you voipfone.
I was looking to call-forward to Voxalot via SipBroker way back here:

http://www.voipfoneuserforum.com/about2722.html

...and now it seems possible. Since then I've switched to using pbxes.org though. It works, but not always. I think the problem is Voipfone expects to see registration requests every 60 secs but PBXes and Voxalot are set to 3600secs. This is why it would be much easier to just set an all-calls divert to a peering address.

Robert - do you know the way to do this for either pbxes or voxalot? i.e. what would be the written format to "Divert all calls to" a peering address.

Thanks,

Ben

I also found that some peering now works, but I haven't needed the *1, I just use sipbroker code direct. For example, *010 nnnnnn gives you a Voxalot number. *747 gives you Gizmo Project / SIPphone, so a US toll-free number like *747 1 800 555 8355 (tell-me) becomes a (poor quality) free call.

Does the story at http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/low/technology/7107973.stm mean that Voipfone will soon support enum? (although given nominet's involvement I assume it'll be a while yet!).

(edit) just noticed the sipbroker pages now show codes for US 800 numbers direct, but for these the *1 seems to be needed (so two 1's). For example, *1 1 800 555 8355 gives you Tell-me, free.

@Rob:
Thanks for that update. Yes some peering codes do seem to work without the Sipbroker *1 prefix, although I suspect that's where Voipfone already has direct peering agreements (eg Gizmo/Sipphone is in Voipfone's list of existing peering codes). But some don't. For example, I tried calling my number on Callcentric and I have to insert the *1 before the Sipbroker code for Callcentric (*462). Just dialling the *462 code then the number doesn't work.

I notice that some of Voipfone's peering codes are exactly the same as Sipbroker's codes for the same network, but some aren't. Not sure if this has any significance at all!
No doubt when Voipfone updates its list of peering codes all will become clearer...

@occamsrazor
You might already have solved this - sorry for not replying sooner.

I don't use Voxalot or pbxes.org but I assume you get a SIP URI for your account with them consisting of several numerical digits @their-domain? And you want to divert all your incoming calls on your Voipfone number to your line at pbxes.org/Voxalot?

In that case, just log into your account admin function at the Voipfone web site, click the button labelled "Set Call Divert" and in the "Divert all calls to" box, enter:
*1*7661xxxxxx (for diverting to pbxes.org)
where xxxxxx is your number at pbxes.org. Then click the Submit button.
That's it. Now all your calls should be unconditionally forwarded to your pbxes.org line.

I haven't tried it for pbxes.org but it certainly works if I divert all my incoming calls on my Voipfone line to my Callcentric number.

If you have an IP phone that allows you to set call forwarding (eg the Snoms) then you should be able to set the same thing through that, rather than logging into the Voipfone web site.

I tried to setup a divert from my voipfone account to my voxalot account using the new sipbroker peering (there is a problem with voxalot registering to voipfone due to the different registration periods).

None of these work (where nnnnnn is my voxalot ID and 010 is the peering code for voxalot) :

*010nnnnnn
*1010nnnnnn
*1*010nnnnnn

I get a voice message saying the number is not valid.

I have also tried '031' the code for eu.voxalot.

Is this intentionally blocked, or is there a different problem?

Thanks for any suggestions.

Maybe it is intermittent, I just checked it again and it works fine for me - dialling either *010 nnnnnn from my voipfone line, or setting the voipfone unconditional redirect to *010 nnnnnn and calling my voipfone number (either from another voipfone line, or from a mobile to the 056), gives me my voxalot line.

I do have my voxalot preferred cluster set to US though.

Was able to successfully divert all my incoming voipfone calls to Belgium provider 3Stars (I needed to do this temporarily) by using:
*1*7944 then 3Stars username.
Great to have peering working, thanks Voipfone!
Ben

H About to put our VoIP number on the website, but wanted to test it.

I was going to advertise:

*350 30117xxx

Now I thought I shoudl test it:

When I dial my own voipfone number 30117xxx it works fine.
If I dial *350 30117xxx it doesn't work.
I tried *350*30117xxx
and
*1*350*30117xxx

Surely if SIp broker is working you should be able to dial long codes with the voipfone access code and have the call still go through!?!?!?

Charlie