Busta - The Web Based VoIP Widget

The VoIP Widget has arrived. Now starring in a browser near you:-

Quote:

Busta requires no software application download, merely the addition of a small active X component to the browser to work. This makes Busta probably the first and smallest Internet-based mobile phone which includes a range of functions including "Follow You" capabilities ensuring that contacts and messages and your Busta Phone are instantly accessible a browser. Busta can make and receive phone calls just from your web browser, all you need is an email address and even your messages and contacts will just "Follow You." To make or receive Internet calls and messages including video mail is free, calls and SMS text messages to regular phones are charged at very low rates By adding a Busta “gadget” into your Google or Microsoft Live home Page or Netvibes eco system you can easily and always stay in touch.

The Busta "gadget" is 140kb in size (no mean feat that I'm sure) and, of course, it's SIP based.

http://www.busta.com/

If you want to have a play, sign up and then go here and add the widget to your Google or Yahoo! homepage:-

http://www.busta.com/busta.html

Seems to be IE only unfortunately.

Reply from dean on Sep 08, 2006 - 12:02 AM

Installed and now "plugged in" to my Google Personalised Homepage.



Just tested it. Slight echo, but not bad at all. Little audio issues like that can usually be ironed out quite easily.

It did traverse my NAT device without issue and that's the important thing. It'll be interesting to see how it performs behind a firewall.

Seems that you get 10p credit to play with when you sign up.

Haven't yet tried a SIP to SIP call yet.

Dean

Reply from gray on Sep 08, 2006 - 11:11 AM

Looks interesting Dean - thanks. I will download it later and give it a try. Shame its not Firefox friendly but I guess they will get around to that sometime.

J

Reply from dean on Sep 08, 2006 - 02:35 PM

Just tried a SIP call which worked fine.

I've also been in contact with the guys that created Busta who seem happy to have a chat with us about it.

An interview/discussion or whatever is decided on will follow.....

Reply from dean on Sep 24, 2006 - 12:22 PM

Interview finally written up and posted:-

Nick Ogden Interview

Reply from dbee on Oct 07, 2006 - 07:22 AM

Thanks for the heads up on this one dean

This might be exactly what I'm looking for. It seems however that the firefox extension is running a little bit behind schedule. The chairman in your interview said it'll be out 'next week'. Here's one developer who's hoping they can get a move-on with this. I've emailed them and I'll post back here when they reply.

Their activeX plug-in is like 140KB ... wow. That's comparitively small, and really handy if you don't want the hassle of having to install an application like Lite-X. Full browser integration makes this almost a 100% web service like google calendar or spreadsheet. How long before on of these clients comes standard in a FF and IE browser. Come to think of it, I'm surprised google isn't all over this like a wet towel.

It's great that it's sip based and everything, but I'd prefer it if the tool was OSS and I could choose any sip gateway providern instead of being locked into whitephone.

That'd make an exciting open-source project for some up and coming VOIP developers or universities. Maybe some of the FF community would have a go at it in the future

Gizmo offer free calls to pretty much anywhere at the moment. But you have to use their client. Still, they've got the best offers on the table...

Another exciting development was the voxlib service brought out by a skype partner company. Only for windows of course though...

The busta site is seriously lacking in documentation. I guess they were in a hurry to get the widget out first. Their business sign up is a bit obscure ...

"
... all are accessible and used via a Busta account – simple, fast and easy speed to market, oh these all form part of the Engage platform so you can “white label” them as well! if you want!.
"

Does anyone know what they're talking about exactly ? ... The engage platform seems to be their VOIP platform, but most of the info looks like marketing-speak.

I do have some questions with regards to the busta service, I figured maybe someone on here might be able to answer them. So busta basically just humps in the VOIP over http via my browser ?

What happens though, when I'm offline ? Will the busta gateway provider offer me voicemail and message storing facilities ? Can I point my DID at the busta gateway and have it route the calls through to a mobile or landphone ? Does it record calls ? Does it offer the many other services that a SIP soft phone does ? Is it just good for calling out ? and not so good for receiving calls ?

Anyway, I'll be keeping my eye on busta methinks ...

Thanks

Reply from dean on Oct 07, 2006 - 10:03 AM

Quote:

So busta basically just humps in the VOIP over http via my browser ?

No, it's a full SIP client in an ActiveX package. It works the same way as any other SIP application.

Quote:

What happens though, when I'm offline ? Will the busta gateway provider offer me voicemail and message storing facilities ?

Almost certainly, as a value-add and optional extra.

For your additional questions I think the best answer would be to install it and have a play with it.

It will not go open-source though - I hear what you're saying but Busta is a business and run as such. Making it OSS is the last thing they should do.

Dean

Reply from martien on Oct 19, 2006 - 11:04 AM

I dunno, again another sip based voip client.

I've already ten accounts at various VOIP providers. They all promise cheap calls, however ... to beat Skype, VOIP providers have to make it easier to connect to voip users on other networks!

The masses will stick to Skype as long as VOIP providers make it vitually impossible to connect to users at other VOIP providers.

Reply from dean on Oct 19, 2006 - 11:59 AM

I think you've entered the wrong thread Martien, but welcome to VoIP User!

Busta is an embedded ActiveX application. It's not really a standard SIP phone.

You're right about peering though, although I disagree with you on Skype. I think ultimately open-standards will win the war, but that's definitely a subject for another thread.

Dean

Reply from ralphrmartin on Oct 19, 2006 - 01:23 PM

Quote:

This makes Busta probably the first and smallest Internet-based mobile phone which includes a range of functions including "Follow You" capabilities ensuring that contacts and messages and your Busta Phone are instantly accessible a browser.

Not if you don;t use Windows it doesn't. Duff idea.

Reply from martien on Oct 19, 2006 - 04:13 PM

dean :

I think you've entered the wrong thread Martien, but welcome to VoIP User! Dean

Thanks, and apologies, I responded to Busta's promising features vis-a-vis competing communication modes.

Busta surely looks great, the concept is fine, I'm pro VOIP, but who am I to vote against 7.5M people online on Skype?

To get hold of the voice market any provider, including Busta, has to win the "secretary test" ... mine went back to landline after her sipgate connection refused to be accessible via talktalk, even her webbrowser won't get access to sipgate!

I'm sorry, but VOIP has a long way to go.

Reply from martien on Oct 21, 2006 - 01:18 PM

How open is Busta? Can I dial in on my busta phone from another VSP?

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