VOIP anyone?

valanhb

TCS Member
Thread starter
Veteran
Joined
Mar 2, 2002
Messages
32,530
Purraise
100
Location
Lakewood (Denver suburb), Colorado
I'm just wondering if anyone here uses Voice Over IP and how you like it?

I'm just plain fed up with my phone company right now. We signed up for a new plan that is supposed to save us all kinds of money. Well, the bill immediately jumped up $15, and has continued to jump up $10-15 per month every month since then. We were paying $90/month (including DSL service), and now it's $135. But we're supposed to be saving money with this plan. Right.
So I want to research my options...
 

katiemae1277

TCS Member
Veteran
Joined
Nov 28, 2005
Messages
20,445
Purraise
17
Location
NE OH
I have cable phone, don't know if a) you have cable or b) your cable company offers it, but I pay 39.95/month and I have caller ID, call waiting, call forwarding, call you name it I got it, and VM, and unlimited long distance. I was paying almost that price with the regular phone company with no VM and no long distance! Haven't had a problem with it yet and I've had it for about 3 months
 

cougar

TCS Member
Top Cat
Joined
Oct 25, 2003
Messages
1,409
Purraise
1
Location
Utah, USA
We have it through some local people. Works awesome and it's only ~$220 a year. I'll find the name of the company later.
 

mom of 10 cats

TCS Member
Top Cat
Joined
Feb 6, 2003
Messages
5,643
Purraise
4
Location
Longmont, CO
Heidi, do you have Qwest? We've had the same sort of problem with them. I'd be interested in learning what other options are out there too!
 

lunasmom

TCS Member
Top Cat
Joined
Sep 7, 2005
Messages
8,801
Purraise
12
Location
Jersey Shore
We use Vonage and LOVE IT! We have the unlimited calling to anyone anywhere for $25 month. The sound is very clear. Plus I'm not sure about the other companies, but last I had Vonage was the only VoIP E911 ready.


The only downside is since its dependent on electricity, if you're electric goes out and something happens then your outta luck.
 

icklemiss21

TCS Member
Top Cat
Joined
Aug 14, 2005
Messages
16,465
Purraise
20
Location
in the land of poutine and ice
I use vonage and love it and I have a UK phone number for $8 a month so my friends and family back home can call me for cheaper
I have skype as well but I wouldn't use it as an alternative to my home phone and the sound quality is a lot worse than vonage

Vonage also includes voicemail, caller ID etc
 

tuxedokitties

TCS Member
Top Cat
Joined
Jul 3, 2003
Messages
4,005
Purraise
31
Can you keep your regular telephone number, as with a cell phone when you change carriers, or do you have to change numbers?
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #11

valanhb

TCS Member
Thread starter
Veteran
Joined
Mar 2, 2002
Messages
32,530
Purraise
100
Location
Lakewood (Denver suburb), Colorado
Originally Posted by tuxedokitties

Can you keep your regular telephone number, as with a cell phone when you change carriers, or do you have to change numbers?
I was wondering that, too. I know you can when you change land-line carriers (not that we have any many other choices here...), but I don't know if you can with VOIP.
 

russian blue

TCS Member
Top Cat
Joined
Aug 30, 2002
Messages
5,017
Purraise
4
Location
Where emerald eyes are smiling
I haven't looked into this service, but did read last year concerns over their 911 service. I'm not sure if they have fixed it by now, but confirm what type of 911 service you are receiving when you sign up.

I think someone last year had to dial 911, but the person's area code was different from their home location. The 911 call was routed to a totally different area and couldn't locate the caller to send emergency services.
 

katl8e

TCS Member
Veteran
Joined
Jan 21, 2002
Messages
12,622
Purraise
3
Location
Movin' on up!
You can port your landline number, to any carrier. The downside to VOIP is that, if your power goes out or your computer crashes, you have no way to call the electric company or tech support.

For the first time, in over 5 years, I have landline service. It is through my cable company. I have phone, Internet and digital cable TV (125 channels), for 122.00 per month (includes taxes). I do not have voice mail or any calling features and I pay 5-cents per minute for long distance.
 

momofmany

TCS Member
Veteran
Joined
Jul 15, 2003
Messages
16,249
Purraise
70
Location
There's no place like home
I work for a phone company and we're about to start offering VoIP. One of the pitfalls with it is that many companies don't have E911 service with it. It's good technology, but if you pursue, make sure you understand your E911 service. As someone said, if your power fails, you may lose your service, and that may be the time you need emergency service. May not be an issue if you have a cell phone as a backup.
 

icklemiss21

TCS Member
Top Cat
Joined
Aug 14, 2005
Messages
16,465
Purraise
20
Location
in the land of poutine and ice
With Vonage your computer can go out as long as your net connection doesn't as you plus it in to the router before the computer.

You can port your number but it takes a few weeks

With the E911 service we had to fill in a form stating our address and phone number etc... but we both have cell phones and my BF has a 'standard' business line at home too... the VOIP is my line.

The other thing i realised in choising my VOIP company, worried about the power going out etc was that our phone had to be plugged in to power anyway so it didn't make a difference.

Also check and see if you can use a regular phone or whether you need to use headphones or a special phone as they can get expensive
 
Top