Voip to the handset or 100% Viop trunking and handset? i'd 99.9% guarantee that they're still using a primary rate service for their trunks.

Telstra are way more evil than that.

• Blocking other providers from building in their exchanges.
• Lying to ISPs by saying "hay, exchange is full" when there's an empty room
• Continuing to install RIMs on telephone lines in new housing developments
• Make $4 billion on profit and continue to sack local workers
• Charge for uploads on their ADSL & cable plans
• Prevent using ISPs by setting extreme ADSL line quality standards, but when you apply for Bigpond, those standards magically lowered.
• Increasing phone line rental when costs haven't changed and maintenance quality slide even lower

Optus are the lesser of the overall evils. All telcos are dicks though.
At least you can understand a Telstra bill

I repeat. VOIP is not good enough for business purposes. I have tried 2 different Voip services, and I got sick of my clients complaining about call quality, I have no problems when using the services of the 'Evil empire', and with the number of calls I make in a month, the savings to me by operating on Voip would be small.

VoIP trunking, as long as it's being delivered by a QoS capable tail to a commercial grade service a VoIP delivered trunk will be basically identical to an ISDN digital services (most ISDN carries compress the back haul savagely anyways) If you're talking internet grade services and domestic grade VoIP providers of course it won't sound as good.

VoIP if used as a trunking service IS good enough, and can easily replace a PRI 30. as long as you get an appropriate service.

whtas voderfone like for iPhone. Excluding pricing .

I changed from Optus to Vodaphone and am very happy with their service and everything else.

Possible, but not an iron clad guarantee. I've worked for various companies using SIP Trunks *only* to SIP Providers. Sure, you have to break out to the PSTN *somewhere* unless you're using Skype, but I've used VoIP around the world, in very very high traffic environments, with thousands and thousands of simultaneous calls. The rumour that it's "not prime time ready" is a crock. With proper TE (Traffic Engineering) it's a moot point. Combine it with a good Codec (H.323 is *not* a good codec), good hardware and reliable handsets, you have a very very *very* stable SIP platform.

The big Telcos in the USA such as Verizon and the like, are all offering SIP trunks to customers in place of traditional T1 or MUX'd services.

SIP is moving forward. It's been prime-time ready for a long time now, and many people are using it. You'd be amazed how often your calls may actually go via VoIP and you don't even realise it.

Oh, and Do Telstra even allow Caps on the iPhones? I was under the impression it was their iPhone plans only (please do correct me if i'm wrong).

Vodafone are terrible in my experience. As far as mobiles go, i have been with Vodafone, 3, Optus and Telstra. Currently who am i with? Telstra. $49 cap and 150mb data. This is on a 2G iPhone mind you.

If you live in the city and never leave under that rock? You will be fine with vodafone, but once you step foot outside that you're on your own. As good as a man with 60L of fuel but no car to fill.

3, pfff. Stop it.

Optus, the amount of times they stuffed up my service, and talking to them over in india or wherever they are is a pain in the ass.

Virgin might be worth checking out, as i hear they run along the same lines as Optus. but as the debacle has gone in the recent posts, i do agree that Telstra, the only concern you have is the cost. I haven't had any issues with telstra service-wise here on my iPhone.

But yeah, Virgin maybe otherwise.

I changed from optus to virgin and I am definately getting more call dropouts than before in peak hours