I'm looking for new home phone service, since Verizon is jamming me up for over $50 a month for local calling only. I can't even call another area code, which bites when you live in a city that has at least 3 area codes (713, 281, 409). Vonage is running a special of about $25 a month for unlimited calling within the US and Canada. Anyone using this, or know of a better deal for home phone service?
txranger
Several people on the board use it, I have not heard of any major problems. One little bug was waiting for me to get my phone number back.
I have SBC here on Bolivar and I pay $48.95 +taxes a month for unlimited long distance and all local calls. That includes the phone charges to the house.
We have used Vonage for nearly a year, and the 911 issue is as simple as following the instructions for registering the modem. Because you can physically move the modem, it's important to 911 to know the street address it's being used at. The prices they advertise are the real price, not some bs price you see + surcharges on other providers sites. Bobby, the price you are paying is double what I pay here on Vonage.
Mont, so you have to have a home computer to sign up, but what if you cancel your home ISP altogether? Do you have to maintain a broadband connection in order to maintain phone service? In other words - no internet connection, no home phone?
We had problems.
Vontage said they never received our information we faxed to them that is necesary to get your old number back and your previous providers bill stopped. They just lost it and left us hanging with SBC for a long time.We finally cancelled with Vontage. Each time I emailed them they kept saying I would get my old number back soon and be releaed from SBC phone bills. I had a really hard time ever getting to speak with a human being until I told them one day that "I want to sign up for another line with Vontage, but can't get my email to work right"--then they called me! We finally cancelled it, couln't handle two phone bills or risk it any longer. We actually ended up paying the 24.99 and tax plus an average of $70 each month with SBC. Crazy, since we switched to Vontage to get rid of $50 a month or more! When Time Warner starts providing their phone service on the west end, we will go with them. I can call Time Warner anytime and speak to a human being! I haven't seen anything from Warner advertising the availability on the west end yet.
Just a word of warning, keep your fax report or fax and mail it both, and stay on them about getting you released from your pevious provider. And, if they will not speak with you tell them you are wanting to speak to someone about paying for another vontage phone line!! Then a real person will speak to you. We did experience some down town with no phone and an echo that they said they couldn't correct.
Lorraine
Vontage said they never received our information we faxed to them that is necesary to get your old number back and your previous providers bill stopped. They just lost it and left us hanging with SBC for a long time.We finally cancelled with Vontage. Each time I emailed them they kept saying I would get my old number back soon and be releaed from SBC phone bills. I had a really hard time ever getting to speak with a human being until I told them one day that "I want to sign up for another line with Vontage, but can't get my email to work right"--then they called me! We finally cancelled it, couln't handle two phone bills or risk it any longer. We actually ended up paying the 24.99 and tax plus an average of $70 each month with SBC. Crazy, since we switched to Vontage to get rid of $50 a month or more! When Time Warner starts providing their phone service on the west end, we will go with them. I can call Time Warner anytime and speak to a human being! I haven't seen anything from Warner advertising the availability on the west end yet.
Just a word of warning, keep your fax report or fax and mail it both, and stay on them about getting you released from your pevious provider. And, if they will not speak with you tell them you are wanting to speak to someone about paying for another vontage phone line!! Then a real person will speak to you. We did experience some down town with no phone and an echo that they said they couldn't correct.
Lorraine
vonage
First post, but have to give a thumbs up to Vonage.
When I ported my old phone #, it took Vonage 3 months to get the paperwork done. They waived their monthly fee until it was changed over, so i was no worse off than before for 3 months.
911 is as simple as registering your modem to your home address. An extra step, but it took 2 minutes tops.
The ability to check messages online (and when you're away from home) is a big plus for me. Yes, you can get a high tech answering machine that would do the same thing, but it really is idiotproof.
Oh, and my bill is right at $27/month, unlimited calling local/long distance.
Call quality is great, but if you lose your broadband, you do lose your phone. So if you're having any kind of frequent internet outages, that would be the only thing that would hold me back.
Google around, you can find all kinds of free activation + 1-2 months free when signing up.
First post, but have to give a thumbs up to Vonage.
When I ported my old phone #, it took Vonage 3 months to get the paperwork done. They waived their monthly fee until it was changed over, so i was no worse off than before for 3 months.
911 is as simple as registering your modem to your home address. An extra step, but it took 2 minutes tops.
The ability to check messages online (and when you're away from home) is a big plus for me. Yes, you can get a high tech answering machine that would do the same thing, but it really is idiotproof.
Oh, and my bill is right at $27/month, unlimited calling local/long distance.
Call quality is great, but if you lose your broadband, you do lose your phone. So if you're having any kind of frequent internet outages, that would be the only thing that would hold me back.
Google around, you can find all kinds of free activation + 1-2 months free when signing up.
Anyone using Vonyage with DirectTV
Does anyone that is using Vonyage also have DirecTV? That is my only hangup at the moment. It has to work with DirecTV. They mention on their website that there might be issues (with Satellite) but there is no detail that I could find anywhere.
I paid $95 last month phone bill. $25 in long distance to call the inlaws 12 miles a way (I even have a metro line but somehow they are in another zone).
David
Does anyone that is using Vonyage also have DirecTV? That is my only hangup at the moment. It has to work with DirecTV. They mention on their website that there might be issues (with Satellite) but there is no detail that I could find anywhere.
I paid $95 last month phone bill. $25 in long distance to call the inlaws 12 miles a way (I even have a metro line but somehow they are in another zone).
David
Ranger,
I use Lingo at home with Roadrunner broadband. I have had a good experience with VoIP. The 911 service for Lingo is similar to that of Vonage. When you register with Lingo, you fill-out an emergency information form. This is used when you dial 911 to route you to the correct office and have all of your information avaialbe to the EMS attendant.
I am on the $19.95 per month plan to call U.S., Canada, and 17 countries in W. Europe (we have friends in London). All of these countries are "local" calls for me.
www.lingo.com
My monthly billing, including all taxes, fess, etc is about $22 per month. A LOT cheaper than the $60 to $90 per month I was paying to SBC.
Cheers,
..crank
I use Lingo at home with Roadrunner broadband. I have had a good experience with VoIP. The 911 service for Lingo is similar to that of Vonage. When you register with Lingo, you fill-out an emergency information form. This is used when you dial 911 to route you to the correct office and have all of your information avaialbe to the EMS attendant.
I am on the $19.95 per month plan to call U.S., Canada, and 17 countries in W. Europe (we have friends in London). All of these countries are "local" calls for me.
www.lingo.com
My monthly billing, including all taxes, fess, etc is about $22 per month. A LOT cheaper than the $60 to $90 per month I was paying to SBC.
Cheers,
..crank
Used them for about 2 months! Too many **** outages, AND you dont get to keep the same number when you go back!
Same question. Do you have to have broadband internet service for this phone service?txranger said:
Yes. Must have broadband for VoIP to work ... cable or DSL. I am not sure about the up/down speeds of satellite broadband.
No power to your cable modem, no phone. You can always get an UPS (Uninterruptable Power Supply) for your cable modem and VoIP converter. Therefore, in a power outtage, you still have phone service.
..crank
No power to your cable modem, no phone. You can always get an UPS (Uninterruptable Power Supply) for your cable modem and VoIP converter. Therefore, in a power outtage, you still have phone service.
..crank
satellite will not be used in most cases. In fact, even a high speed connection that has a USB as the main connector can not be used.
Update on Vonage Phone Service
Anyone give me an update on their experiences with Vonage phone service?
Anyone give me an update on their experiences with Vonage phone service?
I recommend Packet8 . It is only $19.99/month and includes unlimited long distance and all the extras that traditional phone companies charge extra for. They even have a video phone which you can use as a regular telephone and, if I recall, you do not have to have a pc for the video phone. I have used Packet8 for over a year and I am very happy with it. It is a broadband telephone, or, as Time Warner calls them, a digital telephone.
I have had vonage for over a year now. Porting the old number did take a couple months. The service was free until this occurred and you have a temporary number to use in the mean time. I am on the 500 minute a month plan and with tax its about $17.
I do get a dropped call maybe once a month. It's always hard to tell if its vonage or a problem on the other end. but, for the price I can deal with it!
Must have a high speed connection. But, those of you on dial-up, broadband and any VoIP service might come out to about the same price if you factor the phone bill savings.
PM if you decide to go with vonage. I can "refer" you and get a free month service for both of us. I think thats how it works. I would check the website before I do it.
I do get a dropped call maybe once a month. It's always hard to tell if its vonage or a problem on the other end. but, for the price I can deal with it!
Must have a high speed connection. But, those of you on dial-up, broadband and any VoIP service might come out to about the same price if you factor the phone bill savings.
PM if you decide to go with vonage. I can "refer" you and get a free month service for both of us. I think thats how it works. I would check the website before I do it.
Yes, had a bit of trouble in the beginning. After going back and forth between Direct and Vonage it was resolved (Direct Tech finally got the settings correct). I assume that you are referring to the Tivo services and updates? Well, after about three months, my receivers could not longer connect. I contacted Direct and this time the tech was an idiot. Did not know anything. Gave up. Let it go. For some strange reason it started updating the middle of Jan again. Now while it was not updating I did not have any problems with recording or PPV. Not sure the purpose of the "weekly" call the receivers make. In short it will work. If you want more details let me know.dsadosky said:
As for the service its self, I love it - I can now justify having high speed (Road Runner) because the cost balances out ($27 for Vonage, $50 for RR = $77) vs. the $80+ for SBC w/ ATT long distance. One note though, be sure to cancel the long distance service if it is separate from SBC.
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