VOIP geeks?

Anyone know any reliable residential VOIP providers based in Christchurch or with a respectable nationwide presence?

2talk.co.nz came to my attention this morning, but while their plans look good I'd have to be a network geek to understand their FAQ section and without that I have no idea what hardware I'd have to purchase (at minimum it looks like a new router or some sort of PABX).

The inability to call 0900 numbers is also a problem, since that's how I make most of my charitable donations.

Ideally of course all I want is a skype phone which accepts multiple accounts (bastards)

Gothic Vampire sequel

Saturday 21st November,
16 Gladson Ave, Christchurch
marsden.marsden@gmail.com,
027 46 5813 / 942 1585

By popular request of some who couldn't make it to the party and while the house is still dressed up, a Gothic Vampire drinkies.

House open from 7pm, silly movies likely to be showing.

Facebook event link:
http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=177765216935

x-posted the usual

Intriguing

Just received a power bill (the monthly, not the termination which I expect sometime in the next month). Over the last month my night-rate use has plummeted by about 500 units (a whopping 70%). This can be attributed to turning off the nightstore heater and the solar really starting to kick in.

What's most interesting though is what it does to the weighted average cost of my electricity - from holding steady at ~17c/unit over the last 12 months (better than the 19c/unit I expect to be getting from PowerShop*) it jumps to 21c/unit.

* my weighted average does not include EC levy and lines charges which are bundled into the PowerShop price so it's not quite apples with apples. I'll run those numbers out of curiousity at some point.

Expected call from Meredian Energy

Admittedly I didn't expect it to be at 7:10pm.

They opened with the assumption that I was making the switch to PowerShop because of the 20% discounted weekend electricity, a notion of which I quickly disabused them. Their counter offer was interesting though - a 20% prompt payment discount (through to April) instead of the usual 10% (effectively a 20% discount on -all- my electricity use + their daily + the levy).

It was enough to make me pause, but not enough to make me change my mind. Better data > extra $5-$15 a month.