has any one started using VONAGE

[cwcad]

as long as technology is being discuss, i was wondering if any of the members out there have used or started using a new telehone service called Vonage?

this is a voice over IP based service using pur Linksys wreless network and broadband phone service. we just started using this service about three days ago.

there is a monopoly of sorts with phone sevice here in my area of texas. we were able to keep our number and reduce our phone bill by fifty dollars. since we already had the wireless network the only additional costs were the phones that are used in the new network that we set up. but at a savings of fifty dollars a months that cost will soon be recouped.

 

[OI812]

Please post how you like it. I'm with ATT on an umlimited plan for 60.00/month. That is unlimitied local and long distance calling. I can even call long distance outside the U.S., but I was wondering how this service compares and if the quality can beat a land line.

 

[cwcad]

sounds like you have a good deal going so it may not be a good for you. like i said in an earlier post, there is somewhat of a monopoly here in my area and the savings is good for us.

as far as the quality is concerned, so far( 3 days) it has been good. i make a lot of calls to alaska and the sound quality has been good. it is not better. both are comparible.

when i go back to alaska, for the construction season, i will get a better idea and that will be in afew months. will report my findings at that time.

 

[Poorboy]

yeah it would be good to know..i was looking at it last week when i bought another wireless router and circut city was offering the voice router for free after rebate...i pay about $60 per line with verizon, but sometime i wonder if cable goes down what would i have for phone service:dunno

 

[e-klasse]

... circut city was offering the voice router for free after rebate...i pay about $60 per line with verizon, but sometime i wonder if cable goes down what would i have for phone service:dunno

I saw the same deal, and thought the same thing. Was going to research it and never had time. Wonder if Vonage offers any kind of backup? Everyone says the voice quality is excellent.

 

[NavindraLR]

yup we use vonage... i think my dad pays 24.99 for unlimited minutes or something like that... the only thing that bugs me, is how are you gonna make calls when the power is out since the phone uses the cable line.

 

[Poorboy]

yup we use vonage... i think my dad pays 24.99 for unlimited minutes or something like that... the only thing that bugs me, is how are you gonna make calls when the power is out since the phone uses the cable line.

good point..we do lose power quite often in the winter when we have ice storms...and we gave up our cells phones a couple years ago...those darn overages killed us...:angry:

 

[kimwallace]

yeah it would be good to know..i was looking at it last week when i bought another wireless router and circut city was offering the voice router for free after rebate...i pay about $60 per line with verizon, but sometime i wonder if cable goes down what would i have for phone service:dunno

That is the biggest downside to that service ... If the cable goes down; no service ... If the electricity goes down; no service.

 

[DFTowel]

I can't see the advantage over regular phone lines. If you loose power no phones, if you have a home alarm system it can't use the cable phone. Can you hook up more than one phone to it?

As far as long distance is concerned, that is so cheap these days that it really doesn't matter to get unlimited calls. I pay less than 5¢ a minute broken down into thenths and my long distance amounts to very little even thjough I make a lot of calls.

 

[OI812]

Good points!!!!!!!!Thanks

 

[ejoech]

Vonage is also VERY cheap for international calls! I reccomend Vonage to my clients(computer business), but I also reccomend they keep a cheap line with their current provider for emergency purposes if the power goes out. Vonage sound quality should be on par with a cell phone with good service, if not a little better. Most likely won't notice the difference. You may notice chops once in a while, however, depending on how much data you're using on the computer.

 

[Bob]

I got it and love it. Went from paying $40 per month on phone bills to $16 a month. The sound was echoy at first but I turned the quality down from the top quality setting to normal and it works fine. When the internet goes down or the electricity your phones are gone though. But I have a cell phone I use more anyway. All of the settings and controls can be adjusted and changed right from the website which is awesome. I say give it a shot. If you do go buy it right from Vonage and not a place like Best Buy. You get a better deal through Vonage. If you don't like it you could always go back to your old company for less money. Talk America calls me all the time trying to get me back for less than what I started, which is still higher than Vonage.

 

[Craigster]

I love it. The sound quality is far better than my old landline. What I like best the "Control Room". It's a website that lets you customize or reroute your calls. I travel a lot for work. With just a few clicks, anyone who trys calling me automatically gets transferred to my cell phone. The caller can't tell and I dont miss any important calls. You can also have your voicemails delivered to your e-mail inbox aas WAV files, so you can get your messages without having to call in. There is also a feature that automtiaclly routes calls to a telephone number of your choosing should your internet connection get dropped or unreachable.

Try it, you'll wonder why you waited so long.

 

[Bob]

Oh yeah, and I forgot, if you are on the go or travel all you need is a cable modem to use the phone! And you keep the same number! So lts say you go to a Hotel or have a get-a-way cottage and they have cable internet....all you do is plug in your router and boom, you got your phone! You will have the same number and people could still reach you just like you were at home! Plus the whole "no long distance to the states and canada" is awesome!