Welcome to my old blog, which I no longer maintain.

For details of my current professional services and activities see www.martingeddes.com.

February 8, 2005

Product microreview: BT Communicator

What it is: BT's PC VoIP client that comes bundled with the UK version of Yahoo! Messgenger. Calls get billed to your home phone. Supposedly takes incoming calls, buy I rarely get those on my landline unless it's telemarketing crap.

What it looks like:

What I like about it:

  • Good sound quality.
  • No need to worry about pre-paid balances. Just keep talking.
  • Ability to call numbers normally only reachable from inside UK wherever I am.
  • Integrates with Yahoo address book.
  • Can place tolled calls away from home without burdening host (parents, friends)
  • Gives out home caller ID, with optional block (cool!)
  • Clear itemised billing, easy to expense

What I dislike about it:

  • Expensive call charges
  • Can't cope with loss of Internet connection; have to re-start app
  • Hopeless with NAT, UPnP firewalls
  • Stupid log-in screen that asks if you have dial-up or broadband (just ping and guess, guys!)
  • No integration with Yahoo! login
  • Non-BT customers of Yahoo! UK pissed off by being forced to upgrade to version with BT communicator
  • Zero incremental features beyond PSTN
  • Can't get BT 1571 voicemail remotely (as if I was at home) without paying extra; but can't easily subscribe to the feature when away from home (needs BT account # which I can't remember 'cos it's in a drawer AT HOME)
  • Can't even see if there's voicemail waiting
  • Doesn't integrate with PC well -- no options on audio input, doesn't intelligently deal with things like speaker muted or microphone not plugged in, can't access Windows address book

Overall opinion

It's a useful program for extending the reach of your home phone, and good enough despite some rough edges. I use it for business calls away from home because I've experienced mixed results with SkypeOut. Hardly the wave of the future, but better than nothing.

Posted by Martin Geddes at 8:48 PM
Trackback Pings

TrackBack URL for this entry:
http://www.telepocalypse.net/cgi-sys/cgiwrap/mgeddes/MT/mt-tb.cgi/399

Listed below are links to weblogs that reference Product microreview: BT Communicator:

» SkypeOut Quality & Billing Problems from Unbound Spiral
If you've had problems with SkypeOut in the last 30 days add a comment or send a trackback. Same if you couldn't buy Skype minutes. I suspect it is time to report loudly that SkypeOut doesn't work all the time,... [Read more]

Tracked on February 10, 2005 11:11 PM

» SkypeOut Quality & Billing Problems from Skype Journal
If you've had problems with SkypeOut in the last 30 days add a comment or send a trackback. Same if you couldn't buy Skype minutes. I suspect it is time to report loudly that SkypeOut doesn't work all the time, while making account payments can still p... [Read more]

Tracked on February 17, 2005 6:55 AM

» SkypeIn "Lock-in" Strategy from Skype Journal
Strategically Skype is almost silently slipping SkypeIn into the market, obtaining numbers slowly but surely country by country. Strategically, going into "stealth mode" with SkypeIn is a good move. Telecoms appear not to be worried, and afterall Skype... [Read more]

Tracked on April 16, 2005 1:22 AM