What is the cheapest VOIP service for UK calls? Skype?

no!!!  

The various betamax brands are good value; most give free calls to most destinations (incl. UK) all day, all week, as long as you top up credit every so often. ( €10 every 3 months for the one I use, but credit carries over.)

A table here shows the prices for each brand for each destination.  As always, everything depends on who you are calling!

With them, or any SIP based provider, you can use any softphone you like, or a hardware adapter for your normal phones than connects to your router without need for a computer to remain on, or even a dedicated IP-phone.

Thanks for the table, it is really useful. Do you know if any of those providers allow you to use a software program instead of calling my mobile (5-10c/min is quite an overhead)?

Most of them have a software phone to download from the website, or you can use any softphone you like and just set it for server "sip.voipcheap.com" (or whichever)..

I use BT Broadband Talk. My telephone is plugged into my router and I get free evening and week end calls. (Not 08XX numbers though). I get free minutes on my mobile, so I use that during the day. My last quarter BT calls was just £1. There is just one snag though, when you are making out going calls, the call sometimes gets cut off when the broadband goes down, can be a bit of a nuisence but, hey it is 'free'. (If that happens you can still dial on the ordinary land line.)

I'm also on BT Broadband Talk and find that whilst it is not too expensive, it does have limitations.

I've sent Sherbert a PM.

Skype and Tesco are two of the dearer VoIP providers, I use VoIPStunt mainly now on my ATA simply as I was issued with a decent number, though I do use other Betamax services when calling mobiles if I have to call a mobile.

sherbert wrote on Sep 20^th, 2007 at 7:11am:

I use BT Broadband Talk. My telephone is plugged into my router and I get free evening and week end calls. (Not 08XX numbers though). I get free minutes on my mobile, so I use that during the day. My last quarter BT calls was just £1. There is just one snag though, when you are making out going calls, the call sometimes gets cut off when the broadband goes down, can be a bit of a nuisence but, hey it is 'free'. (If that happens you can still dial on the ordinary land line.)

Does that mean you have bt total broadband with a phone. how did you get free mins on your mobile

Kevin5637 wrote on Sep 23^rd, 2007 at 12:43pm:

sherbert wrote on Sep 20th, 2007 at 7:11am: I use BT Broadband Talk. My telephone is plugged into my router and I get free evening and week end calls. (Not 08XX numbers though). I get free minutes on my mobile, so I use that during the day. My last quarter BT calls was just £1. There is just one snag though, when you are making out going calls, the call sometimes gets cut off when the broadband goes down, can be a bit of a nuisence but, hey it is 'free'. (If that happens you can still dial on the ordinary land line.) Does that mean you have bt total broadband with a phone. how did you get free mins on your mobile

I have Option one BT Total Broadband which includes Broadband  Talk. This allows you to telephone evenings and week ends for nothing. (Not 08XXX or 09XXX numbers)Up to an hour at a time.) My mobile is a different animal altogether. I am on o2. I pay £120 up front a year and that allows me 75 free mobile minutes a month. This is not probably the cheapest option but all in all both these packages suit me. My BT bill, which includes Broadband, line rental, calls numbers and VAT works out to less than £7 a week. With the mobile costing me about £3 a week, I am a happy bunny. I expect loads of people will tell me I can get all this cheaper, but hey, just over £1 a day I am not complainng too much and that is a first for me!!!!! 8-)