Looking for input from you guys that are using VOIP phones?...Also, the V-Phone that plugs into the laptop.

Thanks guys.

 

I've been on Vonage for nearly 2 years. Trouble is rare, and is fixed just by rebooting the router. I think I rebooted it a couple months ago when I could hear callers but they couldn't hear me.

 

Dave,

Whats the reception like ??

Can you send a fax with it?

 

It sounds like a normal phone to me.

It will do faxes. I have a dedicated fax line that is sometimes balky, I guess due to the bandwidth limitations on fax lines. Sometimes I have to try the fax a couple times before it goes through.

 

I've had my Voynage since February now. I love it. Crystal clear, and I have an 800# in my own prefix code (410) 800-XXXX Kinda neat, people always ask what's up with it.

I also have a dedicated fax line that only costs $9.00 US a month (no taxes/fees)
They track every single incoming and outgoing call, with caller ID and all on-line. All I have to do is get on my account to see.

If you let me "refer" you I get a free month's worth of service.
I had my outlaws sign up, saved me $25.00 a few months back too.

 

Here is another choice for voip. Packet8

 

So what is the cost and service details of Vonage?

How do you hook up your telephone?

Does it go through phone lines or the computer or what?

 

www.vonage.com

 

I used to be a customer of Vonage - maybe it was before they got thier act together.

Been thinking of playing with SKYPE; but you don't use your touchtone telephones with it - only your computer mic and speakers. Google it.

 

Is "Reliable"?

I run a business off of my phone line and cannot afford downtime with either my computer or my phone.

Then again the $80.00 per month phone bill I have now...........

Rick

 

Begle, you use your existing telephones, and its connected sort of like this:

telephone/telephone wiring >> Vonage box >> Router >> Broadband internet

Vonage is not connected to any computer/pc; but, you can access your voicemail etc via a pc.

Reliable? Thats why I am an ex-customer. And boy oh boy, don't even get me going on working the issues with off-shore help-desk folks. I finally got someone good, and who spoke american english; but it was too late, I made up my mind to dump them.

Heck, I've got the linksys vonage box still sitting here if you want it. Basically keeping it around in case I need to use a power supply.

 

I know there have been some problems with people who have it using 911. The current system most people have shows your location automatically when you dial 911. With the VOIP people it's supposed to show whatever address you have on file. It doesn't always work that way our 911 operators have had problems with it. There's now way to track the location down if you don't know or can't provide that information. Just a point to consider.

 

I pay about 49.00 a month for unlimited everything (including the 9.00 fax line).
I think it is unlimited long distance to Canada and Puerto Rico too.
One sure thing, if your Broadband is down.........so is your phone. (one definite drawback). I have a 5MPBS cable connection, mine has been off twice for a total of about 20 minutes in almost 11 months. Of you have an iffy connection, VOIP is probably not a good idea.

 

I have it, and I recomend it to customers for home use if they have a decent connection. I don't think it is ready for business users that depend on the phone a lot. I have used it to fax also and it works well. The biggest issue is the quality of your internet connection.

 

I thought the 911 issue was solved a couple of years ago when I first signed up. That big lawsuit was being settled then.

It hasn't been worked out?

One neat thing about VOIP is that you can get any area code you want; and you don't need any new hardware if you don't want it. A buddy has VOIP numbers that looks like he's in LA; and another from Miami, and they both are set to ring in his home/office here in MD. His customers think they're dialing a local Los Angeles number or Miami number but he spends most of his time out here. Lots of flexibility. I used to take my vonage box with me on travel and plug it into the hotel broadband. I could make local calls from CA back home for free. Then again, both my cell phones did the same thing.......

I'm not ready to turn in my POTS yet, even though I'm on Verizons fiber net.