Voip?
- Thread starter witzend
- Start date
Mattsmom277
Active Member
I switched to VoIP just last month after my cousin wouldn't quit telling me all the reasons I should switch. She has had it for a couple of years now with a different company that I am using. She has had no problems.
I switched because I could package it with my cable. I switched Internet and the home phone to my cable provider and I am saving so much money.
VoIP really does work like any normal phone service. Your existing telephone sets will work fine. You don't need to buy special equipment. They provide you the box/modem.
The only difference is during power outages. Hard wired service will work in outages but VoIP won't. My modem actually comes with 4 hour battery backup to cover shorter outages. Mind you before VoIP, because my handsets were cordless they didn't work in outages because the base would be unplugged. No biggie if you have a cell. And now I have better service with that 4 hour battery.
I can't say how US services are but I would imagine they are all fairly standard nowadays.
I switched because I could package it with my cable. I switched Internet and the home phone to my cable provider and I am saving so much money.
VoIP really does work like any normal phone service. Your existing telephone sets will work fine. You don't need to buy special equipment. They provide you the box/modem.
The only difference is during power outages. Hard wired service will work in outages but VoIP won't. My modem actually comes with 4 hour battery backup to cover shorter outages. Mind you before VoIP, because my handsets were cordless they didn't work in outages because the base would be unplugged. No biggie if you have a cell. And now I have better service with that 4 hour battery.
I can't say how US services are but I would imagine they are all fairly standard nowadays.
tiredmommy
Well-Known Member
We have it bundled through our cable company. It's the same situation with power outages as mattsmom. We're happy with it. 
keista
New Member
I've used Voip through Vonage for about 6 years. Last year I switched to the cable company because they were offering an one year bundle promo. I switched back to Vonage the second it expired. Why?????????? Cable company wanted me to PAY for voicemail. REALLY????????????????????????????????? who the heck pays for voicemail these days?
Anyway things I love about Vonage.
Voicemails get emailed to me as a sound file. Now they also have transcription service, which isn't always accurate, but hey, it's FREE!
Call logs cover outgoing calls as well as all incoming calls. For regular ppl that's usually not really important, but since we all deal with ppl who are always trying to pull the wool over our eyes, we can prove via call log that they DID NOT CALL.
No special equipment needed.
International calling (to many countries) included free. To the places it's not free, it's dirt cheap!
Things I'm not thrilled with all Voip:
Calls are sometimes echo-y
Calls sometimes get dropped (Although, I have to say this happened to me last time I had an AT&T landline in this area as well.)
Things I hate about Voip:
Nothing.
Anyway things I love about Vonage.
Voicemails get emailed to me as a sound file. Now they also have transcription service, which isn't always accurate, but hey, it's FREE!
Call logs cover outgoing calls as well as all incoming calls. For regular ppl that's usually not really important, but since we all deal with ppl who are always trying to pull the wool over our eyes, we can prove via call log that they DID NOT CALL.
No special equipment needed.
International calling (to many countries) included free. To the places it's not free, it's dirt cheap!
Things I'm not thrilled with all Voip:
Calls are sometimes echo-y
Calls sometimes get dropped (Although, I have to say this happened to me last time I had an AT&T landline in this area as well.)
Things I hate about Voip:
Nothing.
witzend
Well-Known Member
Hmmm... I didn't realize that you could get it with cable. I have an aversion to Comcast, so if that's the deal, I probably won't. I know that there is Vonage, and then there was one that I looked up a few months ago and it was a lot less expensive than Vonage, but now I can't find the link.
I wouldn't mind paying for voicemail because I don't use it. If the phone isn't beeping at me when I get home, I'm not EVER going to check it. I use the answering machine in the phone.
I wouldn't mind paying for voicemail because I don't use it. If the phone isn't beeping at me when I get home, I'm not EVER going to check it. I use the answering machine in the phone.
keista
New Member
Was the other one Magic Jack? It's now a "plus" system where it gets plugged in behind your router, not through your computer so the 'puter doesn't have to be on all the time. I figure that's cheap enough to try out for a few months to see if you like it enough to get rid of the regular landline.
Star*
call 911........call 911
If you have VOIP - through your cable system - you STILL have phone jacks in your home and need to keep a rotary dial or push button phone - in your home for power outages. We keep one in the laundry room on a shelf - and since we kind of live out a bit - we get icy, or windy conditions that used to cause power outages. We did get a generator two years after we moved in - which was the best investment we ever made - and we do have cell phones - but if the electric was going to be out for a LONG period of time? I'm glad we have the backup phone/rotary/land line.
AnnieO
Shooting from the Hip
We have ours through AT&T U-Verse.
We have never had a single problem, nor do we have to pay for voicemail.
I can log in and look at call logs - incoming, outgoing, missed, and dialed (but not connected). ALL of 'em. Both Onyxx and Jett have gotten busted making calls when they were grounded.
Voicemail is on their server, the same place I get call logs I can listen to voicemails. Honestly, I've got about 10 out there... LOL! We rarely do. Or you can get 'em through the phone, too.
I can also play with my DVR from there, too...
We have never had a single problem, nor do we have to pay for voicemail.
I can log in and look at call logs - incoming, outgoing, missed, and dialed (but not connected). ALL of 'em. Both Onyxx and Jett have gotten busted making calls when they were grounded.
Voicemail is on their server, the same place I get call logs I can listen to voicemails. Honestly, I've got about 10 out there... LOL! We rarely do. Or you can get 'em through the phone, too.
I can also play with my DVR from there, too...
trinityroyal
Well-Known Member
The other downside with VoIP is locating you in the event of an emergency.
Traditional in-land phone lines can be traced to your location over the wire. If you've called 911 in an emergency and the call gets interrupted, the emergency personnel can still find you based on the connection to your phone. With VoIP, they must rely on user-provided data. If you move but don't provide your updated address to the 911 service, or if your phone number was once held by someone else and the data isn't up-to-date, then they can't find your current location.
You can get around this by having an old non-powered phone handset in your house, as Star said. You can call 911 even if you don't have standard phone service, and they can use the line to find you if necessary.
I don't use VoIP, so I can't speak for the quality of service.
Traditional in-land phone lines can be traced to your location over the wire. If you've called 911 in an emergency and the call gets interrupted, the emergency personnel can still find you based on the connection to your phone. With VoIP, they must rely on user-provided data. If you move but don't provide your updated address to the 911 service, or if your phone number was once held by someone else and the data isn't up-to-date, then they can't find your current location.
You can get around this by having an old non-powered phone handset in your house, as Star said. You can call 911 even if you don't have standard phone service, and they can use the line to find you if necessary.
I don't use VoIP, so I can't speak for the quality of service.
keista
New Member
I've called 911 more than once and never had a problem.
Once, my friend accidentally dialed 911 (the area code she was trying to get had similar numbers) and hung up. We only found this out about a half hour later when the cops showed up at my door to investigate the 911 hangup.
Once, my friend accidentally dialed 911 (the area code she was trying to get had similar numbers) and hung up. We only found this out about a half hour later when the cops showed up at my door to investigate the 911 hangup.
trinityroyal
Well-Known Member
I'm not saying that you will have a problem, or that this will definitely happen. The chances of the situation I've described above are very slim, and there are ways to get around it. It's just something to be aware of. I'm not saying not to choose VoIP, just that if you do then you need to be aware of the issue with address updates.
