1. What is VoIP?

VOIP (Voice Over IP) is a technology that enables routing of voice conversations over the Internet. Voice is converted by computer into data units flowing over the Internet. Another computer receives the data and turns them into voice.

2. Why should I use VOIP?

VOIP can carry voice to everywhere there is an Internet connection capable of broadcasting data. This make operators like MESSAGENET able to provide virtual phone lines deliverable to everywhere there is an Internet connection, saving money in comparison with a traditional line.

Besides making you save money, you have the great advantage of mobility: your phone line, including the number, can be transported from a place to another by simply connecting to Internet through a specifical adaptor, that may be either a "little box" or a software running on your computer.

3. What are the requirements needed to use VOIP?

In order to use VOIP technology you must have a data communication line capable of tranfserring the quantity of data containing the voice, and a proper low band. A common ADSL line is usually a good choice. The band requirement is of a minimum of 128 Kbit/sec bidirectional, and the latency one is of 150 ms of RTT.

You must also have an adaptor or a computer with an audio device and a headset in order to make and receive calls.

4. What if I do not have an ADSL line?

You can however get the benefits of MESSAGENET phone voicemail! The phone voicemail delivers your messages into your email recipient. To use this service you only need an email address and a computer with an audio device.

5. What does MESSAGENET offer?

Messagenet make available to its customers two products: FREENUMBER and SMARTNUMBER. FREENUMBER assigns you a FREE phone number with an area code 02, 06 or 011, which you can use to receive calls over the Internet at no additional cost. SMARTNUMBER assigns you, at only 60.00 €  (VAT included) per year, a phone number associated to whichever italian area code.

You can also, regardless of having a SMARTNUMBER or a FREENUMBER, buy at any time a SMARTNUMBER recharge to call phone numbers anywhere in the world.

6. How much does FREENUMBER cost?

Absolutely nothing. FREENUMBER is completely free for the subscriber.

7. How much does SMARTNUMBER cost to receive?

SMARTNUMBER has a 60.00 €  (VAT included) pre-paid annual fee plus a activation fee.

8. How much does a SMARTNUMBER recharge cost? What is the price of calls towards the phone network and between users?

A SMARTNUMBER recharge costs 6.00 €  (VAT included). You can learn about the rates towards the different destinations.

PLEASE REMEMBER that you can use the SMARTNUMBER recharge also to send faxes through the FAXout service, learn more about rates. CALLS BETWEEN MESSAGENET USERS, made towards the "VIRTUAL" number, ARE ALWAYS FREE

9. What is the cost of calling a FREENUMBER or a SMARTNUMBER?

Calling a FREENUMBER or a SMARTNUMBER costs the normal price of a call to that area code. For instance, if your FREENUMBER has a 011 area code and you're being called from Torino, the caller will be paying an ordinary urban call.

10. Who can call a FREENUMBER or a SMARTNUMBER?

FREENUMBER or SMARTNUMBER are normal italian phone numbers, and can be called from any phone number of Italian phone network.

11. How can my IP phone or my software make and receive calls?

The IP phone, or the software connected to the MESSAGENET PBX, uses a protocol denominated SIP (Session Initiation Protocol) which allows it to point out the Internet address through which it is being connected to the MESSAGENET PBX, so that this can forward the calls to its number. In order to do this and to identify the user associated to a specific phone, all the SIP terminals must have an identification (URI) and a password, which MESSAGENET gives to its subscribers.

12. How much is the VOIP communication safe?

A VOIP communication may be considered safe, even if it is NOT being cripted nor enciphered in any way. Intercepting a VOIP communication is possible only by accessing the machines of the VOIP and/or the Internet network. The authentication through which the caller is identified is protected by a hashing protocol, which is very difficult to cheat.

13. Can I use FREENUMBER or SMARTNUMBER and deactivate my traditional phone line?

We highly recommend you not to do this. You can not use the VOIP service to make emergency calls to first aid or police (112, 113, 115, 118 and similar numbers)

Moreover, with most of the ADSL available offers the user who cancels a phone number loses also the associated ADSL line. For this reason, if you cancel your phone line, you cancel at the same time the associated ADSL line and you can not use your VOIP.

14. Can I buy and/or use a number with an area code different from the one of the place where I'm living? Would this change the cost of calling me?

A user can subscribe to and use a FREENUMBER or SMARTNUMBER regardless to where he is located. The one who calls him pays the call toward the area code of the number regardless of where you connect to the Internet, even if abroad.

15. Which software can I use with MESSAGENET VOIP services?

We suggest you the use of X-Lite by XTEN (www.xten.net), or SJPhone (www.sjlabs.com) or any other software at your choice that can use SIP protocol. Please remember that we do not provide email support on software configuration, we suggest you CONFIGURATION GUIDE for X-Lite and SJPhone.

16. Which telephones or adapters can I use with MESSAGENET VOIP services?

On our site you can buy the SIP GrandStream Budgetone telephone, which is preconfigurated with your URI, or an adapter preconfigurated to connect to VOIP an ordinary analogical telephone.

17. On my VOIP phone I can read the CLI (caller identification)? And what will appear as my CLI on the phone of the person I'm calling?

In the event you are using a phone or a software allowing the visualisation of CLI and if the CLI is made available on the network, the caller's CLI will appear. If you are calling somebody out of the MESSAGENET network, the CLI won't be available ("Private Number").

18. What is the "VIRTUAL" number I receive with FREENUMBER or SMARTNUMBER?

It is a number which identifies you on the MESSAGENET network and which can be used by other MESSAGENET users to call you for free.

19. VOIP service is not working. What can I do?

Verify that you comply with minimum requirements, that your telephone or software, are correctly configurated and that your Internet connection is regularly working. If you are using a firewall setup it with the following instruction and try again.
- UDP & TCP to 212.97.59.64/27 and 193.227.104.0/24 on ports 5060 and 5061 with relative answers;
- UDP to 212.97.59.64/27 and 193.227.104.0/24 on port from 10000 to 65000 with relative answers.
If doen's work, please read FAQ n.20.

20. The VOIP service works, but I'm hearing scratches in the voice, or the voice "fades out". What's happening? What can I do?

Your line does not have enough capacity, or there is not enough capacity between your provider and MESSAGENET. When you are on the phone, try stopping all the programs which send or receive any kind of data, both on your computer and on other ones sharing the same line.

22. Porte Proxy

Messagenet VoIP services work either with 5060 and 5061 ports.

23. Other malfunctioning or questions

Please write to support-voip@messagenet.it and indicate your question or the malfunctioning you want to point out, with all the data we need to identify you if you are a user (userid and phone number).