VoipBuster

VoipBuster is one of several Internet telephony services (also called VoIP-service) of Betamax GmbH & Co. KG in Germany. Formerly VoipBuster was a service of Swiss based Finarea SA. VoipBuster uses a client software with proprietary protocol, but can also be accessed via SIP-protocol. VoipBuster features low call rates. Subscribers can mutually call for free, and call for free to fixed lines in selected countries worldwide (0 pennies per minute and no start tariff) for a limited number of days after payments to VoipBuster. Betamax GmbH & Co. KG also offers other low cost VoIP services of similar kind, such as FreeCall, Nonoh, VoipWise and VoipStunt.

Unsupported Functionality

• Voice call encryption.
• Conference calls.
• Answering machine test call.

Functionality

VoipBuster provides voice-over-Internet services similar to (for example) Skype, but offers a unique phone-to-phone call bridging service.

VoIP-Out

The user selects the name of a listed user, or enters a username or phone number, and the connection is made. User-to-user calls are free, but there is a charge for user-to-phone calls in most countries, with the exception of some countries mostly located in Europe, North America and East Asia.

The initial free calls are only for the first 60 minutes. After you used the 60 minutes you have to deposit 10 Euro to continue using the system. The deposit is only valid for 4 months. So the service actually costs 2.5 Euro per month.

The web site is not really clear on this as they try to make it look for free

VoIP-In

Users are provided a Voip-In phone number, which others can call at no cost to the VoipBuster user. VoIP-in numbers are not available in all countries. At one time Dutch users were able to obtain a Dutch phone number, which can be called from fixed and mobile lines. The caller pays the costs for calling to a fixed line in the Netherlands, for the recipient (the user) the conversation is free. VoIP-In provides for nomadic use of a Dutch phone number (a user can log in abroad and be reached there on the Dutch phone number); this is controversial and officially prohibited by the Dutch telecom regulator OPTA. Unfortunately now a free phone number is no longer offered.

Web-based ring

A user enters his own phone number and the recipient's number through VoipBuster software or the VoipBuster website. The user's phone rings, then the recipient's phone. No additional equipment is needed to use VoipBuster on a landline. For both calls (to the user and recipient) call costs are charged, plus a start tariff.

SMS

A user can send SMS to any phone numbers in the world – users submit the message via the software or the subscriber page on the website.

SMSdiscount is another service run by VoipBuster. The price drop to 1c/min.

Other

Other VoipBuster options include forwarding all incoming calls to another number and anonymous calling.

Betamax GmbH & Co KG is responsible for Internet telephony services 12Voip(no SIP), Freecall, Internetcalls, JustVoip(no SIP), LeVoip, LowRateVoip, NetAppel.fr(no SIP), Nonoh, PoivY, SIPDiscount, SparVoip.de, VoipBuster, VoipBusterPro, VoipCheap, VoipDiscount, VoipRaider(no free destinations for SIP calls), VoipStunt, WebCallDirect. These services are very similar, but each has its own rate plans. Some of these services do not support SIP (see above), which may limit their usefulness.

Costs

VoipBuster works with prepaid accounts, with no monthly subscription costs. An account is created using the VoipBuster software. Adding funds to an account ("topping up") is done by credit card or bank transfer; the funds will be immediately available as prepaid call credit and are valid indefinitely.

After payment the user is allocated a number of "Freedays", depending on the amount and the used payment method (€10 by credit card adds 120 Freedays). During "Freedays", no costs are charged for calling to designated destinations (the "free" countries mentioned above) listed on the VoipBuster website. These free calls terminate after one hour; afterwards a new call must be made. One can converse up to 300 minutes per week for free, measured over the last seven days. If this limit is reached, or no more "Freedays" are left, the ordinary costs for the destinations are charged.

Accounts with no credit, and no Freedays, are marked as "trial account". With a trial account, a user can only call other users, and place test calls of a few minutes to landlines in selected "free" countries.

Strategy

It appears that the company continually increases its prices in hidden ways. It changes terms constantly without notice. Originally you could make a free 1 minute test call or, by paying 1 euro, a call of unlimited duration for ever. Then a limit of 300 minutes per week was introduced, and then for ever became 120 days, and then 90 days, and 1 euro became 10 euros - which you were allowed to spend after 90 days when free countries were no longer free. Also, the number of destinations is frequently reduced, but several time a year they launch new web sites with more countries to tempt you to switch. These are advertised in the voip software as they become live. Popular nations like the USA are removed after some time.

They've launched in 2007 a fee to pay them (like Ryanair) and also a fee if you want a VOIP-in number (which used to be free). The latest feature seems that the 10 euros you pay to get "free countries" can no longer be used as credit, you lose the money after 90 days; any non-free destinations need a separate 10 euros credit. This seems not yet to have been implemented on all the older brand names, but it is used at least on the 12voip.com brand service.

One feature of the software is that the timer that times calls ticks too fast, so that every 'minute' charged is in fact several seconds short.

You should therefore watch carefully for any changes to their terms, as it can easily become more expensive than alternative providers.

Restrictions

• VoipBuster is available in about 30, mostly developed, countries.
• Support: VoipBuster customer service is only available via the website. An online user discussion forum is also available at https://www.voipbuster.com/forum/index.php. Many users have complained about technical problems.
• Free destinations change frequently, with no guarantee that calls in the future will be still free. Tariff changes are announced only on the website (the softphone shows costs during the call, and VoipBuster provides a spoken cost report prior to connection). When numbers are not free, VoipBuster claims its prices are still lower than other providers.
• Peering is limited to a small number of other VoIP networks, like Gizmo Project and the network of DID provider Voxbone.
• No free voicemail service is offered.
• No overview is given of available geographical phone numbers before the user registers.
• The software is only available for Windows. It is possible to call using other software and the SIP server at VoipBuster. Some examples of free software with such capabilities are Twinkle and Ekiga.
• WebCallDirect.com automates customer's purchases. If the customer opts-in, when the balance is low, they will automatically use the stored credit card data to initiate a new purchase. If the customer did not in fact intend to purchase new credit, they will not easily undo the purchase and cancel the charge.

See also

• Comparison of VoIP software
• List of commercial voice over IP network providers

External links

• VoipBuster Official Site
• Price comparison voip on public switched telephone network
• VoipStunt Official Site
• VoipWise Official Site

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