Sorry about the really off topic post but I'm curious. Does anyone here have Vonage, how do you like it? $24.99 a month unlimited local and long distant call's really get's my attention. I'm not a big phone user but I pay damn near that much just on my long distant service alone. The two main thing's holding me back from trying it are, occational cable problem's, and the phone or phone base location would be limited to cable outlet location's. Anyone have any positive or negeative input (experience) they care to give? Thanks
a person I know has it and thinks it's great. There is now a gizmo that can make it portable. my.02
I actually saw the little portable unit your talking about, it look's like one of those USB memory stick's, pretty neat. Not quite sure about it's use though.
I don't use Vonage, I use a packet8 (have used them for a over two years):
http://www.packet8.net/
$19.99/month unlimited local and long distance in the US and Canada
Voice Mail, Call Waiting, Caller ID, Call Waiting Caller ID, Call forwarding, enhanced 911, etc...
I have been known to spend hours and hours on the phone in a day, with no big problems. If the cable goes out I do lose my phone service, but the Voice Mail still works, and if the cable gacks a little bit it will either drop the call or the other person won't be able to hear me for a awhile.
As for the base station issue, and having to have it near the cable modem...I just bought a multi-handset cordless phone so the main phone is in my den near the cable modem, with handsets in the kitchen, bedroom and patio room. There is also a way to allow you use existing phone jacks for other phones with VOIP...but the mutli-handset was easier for me since part of the reason I went to VOIP was that the wires for my phone jacks have corrosion issues.
All-in-All I like VOIP.
-- Modified on 1/2/2007 3:56:55 PM
Wow, $19.99 sound's even better, I'll have to check them out. Many thanks for the info and link WebTerrorist, I think I'm one step closer to making the jump.
I had Vonage about a year until I cancelled since I decided their service wasn't reliable enough. I think the biggest problems are:
1. 911 service works differently than the wireline service and you get connected to a different dispatch center than the regular one,
2. If you loose power no phone service either,
3. Voice quality isn't par with regular service
4. If there is problem with your broadband access, you lose phone service also
On the other hand advantages:
1. Your phone works anywhere in the world as long as you have broadband internet access. You can be somewhere in Asia/Europe, etc and still make/receive free calls as if you were at home.
2. Many popular call features such as caller id, 3-way calling etc are included in the price.
If you are looking for a VoIP switch, you might want to consider Comcast or Time Warner. I've been told by some experts that they have resolved the problems with 911-call and the phone service still works even when you lose power/internet access using backup battery power and a different communication layer other than IP.
I was wondering about that as well. Just in case you didn't check their site (Vonage), yes. There's an additional cost of $9.99 a month and a $9.99 initial fee to start the service for residential customer's. That get's you 250 minute's a month of outgoing faxes and unlimited incoming. I didn't look into business acount's or check the other provider's. Just make sure that the baud rate (transfer rate) of your fax machine is set at 9600. Here's a link to their fax info.
http://vonage.com/help.php?article=243&category=137
I have used it for several years and love i - no problems whatsoever for a long time now. Disconnect your local phone co at the box outside, plug your Vonage into an outlet and all outlets in the houes will be live. There was a problem with monitored security but they have an answer for that. Log on to Vonage and get all the answers.
ne your not limited my the cable outlet location. Hes's a little know secret. When you hook up hte device to you home. Go outside where the phone company's line comes into the house. one side of this box is theirs. the side where the wiring comming into the home is the customer side. There should be a plug just like the one you use in the house to plug into the wall. UNPLUG IT. This disconnects the old phone company from your inside wiring. go inside and plug the vonage phone 1 plug into the closest wall outlet and BAM all the phones in the house are on VONAGE. Its called backfeeding. Ist safe as long as you disconnect the phone companys incomming line.
I had Vonage and HATED it -- very poor quality, tinny, difficult to set up. When I moved I switched to Comcast and like it so much better.
before I moved to the UK.
No problems, and the quality of sound and service was fine!!!
Since 2000. LOVE IT !!!
I talk so much long distance and no matter how long or what time of the day it will still only cost me $24.99 ...... now how cool is that.
Also I make many international calls. Talk forever and my bill is never more then total of $40.
No one can beat their international rates!
Since in my area ( Las Vegas ) cable is never down Vonage works for me.
So many great features like I can access voice messages through the web site.
Call forward, call waiting ......and so much more to long to list here.
All I can say I am very happy with the service and since the year 2000 they have only been improving!
Hope this helps.Good luck
xoxo CindySpice
Here are some side-by-side comparisons.
Wow, thanks for all the input everyone. I didn't figure my post would get much, if any, response since it was off topic.
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