*Anyone Using a VoIP Phone Service?*

[Peterlock]

Hi Folks, :wave

Is anyone using a VoIP phone service?

I've been poking around and they look interesting, for instance Vonage offers unlimited calling within the US & Canada for $24.99 a month most of the other services are around thirty bucks and there's no shortage of competitors - AOL just started a VoIP phone service as well.

It looks like you get a lot of bang for your buck as all the extra phone perks are included, call waiting, forwarding, voice mail, directory assistance etc. etc.

I'm not crazy about leaving the computer on 24/7 and having to change the phone number but our phone bill is enormous - any thoughts?

Thanks!

Peter ha

[Elleth Faewen]

I seriously considered it, but living in Florida the risk of losing power is high during the summer. I didn't want to lose the phone at the same time as sometimes that's the only way to communicate with my in-laws. Other than that, it looked very good.

[Perry]

From what I've read about VoIP (and heard from members here who have it) you will be very happy with it.

[Kent]

My network admin coworker just went with Vonage after CompUSA had their free router deal. You don't need to keep your computer on 24x7 and can use all your regular phones. The router has a jack on it that you plug the main line of your house into. Your phones then work normally as they always did before except using the new carrier. Or so I am told -- still investigating for myself.

[Peterlock]

Hey thanks everyone, I share the same concern as Elleth we lose power here as well but then I figure there's always the cell in an emergency.

Kent, thanks for the news about the computer not having to be on 24/7 for some reason I was under the impression it had to be. Anyway the savings can't be beat we pay close to 30 bucks in taxes and line charges alone.

I'll post after I've had it for a while and let you guys know how it's working out,

Thanks for the feedback!

Peter ha

[Elleth Faewen]

Peter,
We cannot count on cell towers staying up durring hurricane force winds. For some reason, the phone service always seems to work, though. I imagine you don't get those kinds of winds in CT.

[sadie147]

I have had Primus voip since it was Beta (last summer), and i love it. A coworker of mine has vonage and is very happy with it as well. They even have a voip portal that you can log into and listen to your voicemails on your pc which i love when i'm not at home.

It also has a backup line feature that you can have your phone fwded to another number, such as your cell, in the event you're power/isp goes down temperarily.

[Kent]

The other really, really cool thing about VOIP is that the numbers travels with you if you travel a lot (especially to other countries). Suddenly your highspeed connected hotel room has the same number as your office or home since you took your VOIP adapter with you on your trip. Whereever broadband is there your home number can be. Sunrocket, if it is available in your area, is perhaps the cheapest right now at $199 prepaid for the year. It's not in Des Moines at present (no LNP), so I might be going with Packet8 or Vonage.

One things to be nervous about 911 ability, right now Packet8 is the only one carrier that if you dial 911 you actually get the 911 for your area and not some office # for the local police station/sheriff/hospital. ($1.5 extra per month)

[sadie147]

really cool thing about VOIP is that the numbers travels with you if you travel a lot (especially to other countries). Suddenly your highspeed connected hotel room has the same number as your office or home since you took your VOIP adapter with you on your trip.

Yes this is a very cool feature! Unformtunately i haven't been able to take advantage of it yet but I'm hoping we'll be getting highspeed internet service soon up at our cabin up north and i can take my work # and laptop with me and work up there for most of the summer!

[Kent]

Well I have been looking for quite awhile, but getting my latest phone bill was the slap I needed. They (Qwest) raised the rate $4 almost out of nowhere. My stripped down bare bones phone number suddenly went over the amount Vonage would be and with much higher feature set. Vonage had no contracts (big plus), no early termination fee, and offered portability of my local number number -- something no other VOIP company offered. (Rural Iowa I guess is not a VOIP hotbed.)

[sadie147]

Well I have been looking for quite awhile, but getting my latest phone bill was the slap I needed. They (Qwest) raised the rate $4 almost out of nowhere. My stripped down bare bones phone number suddenly went over the amount Vonage would be and with much higher feature set. Vonage had no contracts (big plus), no early termination fee, and offered portability of my local number number -- something no other VOIP company offered. (Rural Iowa I guess is not a VOIP hotbed.)

One thing I will warn you about kent is keeping your own phone number. If you are ok with changing your number i'd recommend going that route. I was without a phone for a week durning the transition between my current provider and Primus! I was NOT impressed. I've heard of one other person having this same issue but with vonage. Or see if they do have some sort of SLA for changing over your existing number if you are keeping it.

As for justifying hte cost... well my monthly phone bill went from over 85.00 cdn to 35.00 a month. I actually have 7 features now, and with Bell Canada only had 3! Plus the unlimited long distance in north america is a HUGE bonus!

I was soooo happy to stick it to my phone company LOL. For the longest time we had a monopoly here (Bell Canada) and never had choices which is how it gets so out of control. I hope more people make the switch!

[Peterlock]

Hi Sadie, :wave

Your right if you keep your existing phone number you can lose your DSL and phone service, having to start up all over again. I'm going with Vonage and like most of the VOIP companies they urge you to switch numbers - plus it's a lot faster to get you going.

I got a kick out reading the pleasure you got from sticking it to your phone company! I can't wait to do the same, I have SBC they're awful and they're expensive, taxes and line charges alone are $27.00 a month thats the cost of unlimited calling on Vonage alone.

Vonage has alot of nice perks they include call waiting, caller ID, call forwarding, voice mail and a bunch of other features at no additional cost. If it serves your purpose you can even get an 800# for $4.99 a mon th with 100 minutes included, let me tell you that's cheap!

I can't wait to switch and boy am I going to savor the payback! :yes

Peter ha

[Kent]

One thing I will warn you about kent is keeping your own phone number. If you are ok with changing your number i'd recommend going that route. I was without a phone for a week durning the transition between my current provider and Primus! I was NOT impressed. I've heard of one other person having this same issue but with vonage. Or see if they do have some sort of SLA for changing over your existing number if you are keeping it.

Thanks for the advice. I know everyone's LNP transfer is unique, but I plan on holding out on sending my papers in to see how my local friend's transfer goes. I had heard of similar stories on the vonage-forums.com as well, but one can always hold out hope. With as much as my phone # has changed recently - 3 moves in less than 3 years , the impact might not be that great.

[Kent]

Just got done with my first free LD phone call. I had to like the feeling of sticking it to the man. Voice quality was fine, and installation was about as easy as you could make it. 30 seconds I was making phone calls.

[BreakfastSurreal]

hey I saw this thread a little late, but I'd like to add that I've been a happy Vonage customer for 6 months. We have decided to keep a prepaid cell around for emergencies in case of power or internet outage. It's such a great deal though!