Q.
What type of calls can I make when I am using PC-to-Phone?
PC-to-Phone allows you to make PC to phone calls
to any number--national, international, and mobile. top
Q. I want to buy an adapter
and use my regular telephone to make calls through your VoIP network, how can I do this ?
You can either purchase an adapter from us or
you can buy an adapter locally. We will ship an adapter to most countries. top
Q. I want to use the PC to Phone service with an adapter. But can I use the Softphone while
I wait for the adapter to be delivered ?
You can download the free Softphone and make calls
immediately upon account activation. Once you receive the adapter, simply install it and continue making calls
with your PC to Phone account at the same low rates. top
Q.
Are there any numbers that I can not call?
Calls cannot be made to the following U.S. numbers:
911, emergency services
411, directory assistance, operator assistance
900, caller-pays services top
Q.
How can I make a call if I am already connected to the Internet?
After you have signed up, downloaded and run the
PC-to-Phone Softphone client, you will be asked to log in. Once you have logged in, you can make calls by keying
in the full telephone number, starting with the country code, followed by the area code and the number. As soon
as you click on the Call button, the softphone will dial the number and process the
call over the Internet. top
Q. Will I be disconnected from the Internet once I make the call?
To make calls from your PC using PC-to-Phone you
'must' be connected to the Internet. You will not be disconnected from the Internet when making a call. top
Q. Can I receive incoming calls when I am using PC-to-Phone ?
Yes, you have the option to request a local inbound
phone number. See the sign up form for details. top
Q. What operating system
do I need in my PC?
The PC-to-Phone client can be downloaded on Windows
95, 98, 2000, ME and NT. We recommend using Windows 2000 or XP for best audio performance. top
Q.
Do I need any special software or hardware to use PC-to-Phone ?
Apart from the PC-to-Phone client software (which
you download upon account activation), your PC will need a sound card and either a headset or microphone/speaker
set. We recommend the you use either a headset or a USB port compatible handset. This should eliminate any possibility
of echo to the party you are talking to resulting from their voice traveling back into the PC speaker on your end. top
No. There is no need to change your telephone
carrier or your ISP in order to join PC-to-Phone . All you have to do is to set up a pre-paid account with PC-to-Phone. top
Q. What is the sound quality of these calls?
Sound quality may vary due to your connection
to the Internet, i.e. dial up versus broad band, and the congestion level of your Internet access resulting from
bandwidth available from your Internet provider at the time of your call. top
Q. Are my calls secured?
Calls are as secure as the calls that you make
from your telephone. top
Sign Up Questions
Q. How do I set up or open an account?
To set-up your account with PC-to-Phone all you
have to do is click on this sign
up link and you will be guided through
the set up steps. There are no activation fees or monthly fees or taxes. If you purchase an adapter, separate prices
apply and shipping charges are additional depending on your country location. top
Q. What payment methods are available?
Credit cards and PayPal and Western Union Quick
Pay are the only method of payment accepted. top
Q. I am not located in the U.S. Can I use my credit card to apply for a PC to Phone account
?
Yes, we accept international versions of all major
credit cards. This service is available worldwide. top
Q. Do I need a PIN and a password?
When you sign up, you will be asked for your preferred
username and password. If this username is available, we will create your account with this username and password. top
Q.
How do I cancel my account?
From the Account page, you can elect to cancel
your account. The page guides you through the cancellation process. top
Q. The call is connected, but the person at the other end cannot hear me.
Check that you have a sound card, and either a
microphone or headset/microphone combination.
Adjust the microphone volume on the dialpad.
(there are arrows next to the microphone icon to increase or decrease the volume) top
Q. My internet access is a 56kbps dialup line. Will this work?
Running PC-to-Phone under Windows XP will usually
achieve acceptable results when the internet is accessed over a dialup (telephone) line. Actual performance may
depend on the PC configuration, level of internet congestion, and the quality of service provided by your ISP.
Earlier versions of Windows may require the latest Service Packs for that operating system. top
Q. The call is connected, but the audio keeps breaking up.
The source of the problem may be:
Congestion on the internet. If access to normal web sites is slow, this is the most likely cause. This must be
resolved by your Internet Service Provider.
Or, it could be the sound card on your PC. Use the tools available in the Windows Control Panel to test your sound
card. top
Q. When I start the PC-to-Phone client, it does not progress beyond the login screen, or
tells me that the "server did not respond or could not be found". What does this mean?
Either your internet connection no longer works
(you can check this easily with your web browser) or you are trying to use PC-to-Phone from behind a firewall or
router that uses Network Address Translation (NAT).
You must configure your router to enable the SIP messages to pass between the PC-to-Phone client and the VoIP server.
Some routers refer to this as Port
Forwarding, while others call these
Virtual Server or Special Applications settings.
The steps you need to take are:
Find out your own PC's private IP address.
Do this using either the ipconfig
(for Windows 2000 or XP) or winipcfg (for Windows 95 or 98) commands from the DOS prompt.
Configure your router to forward UDP packets on Port 5060 to your PC's IP address (Port 5060 is used by the Session
Initiation Protocol [SIP] to set up your calls).
If you can successfully make calls, but cannot hear any audio, you may also need to forward UDP packets on Ports
8000 and 8001. top
You can download the
free Softphone now. Make cheap calls immediately upon account activation.
You have the option to request a local inbound phone number. See the sign up form for details.
