Community Newsletter: Q&A: The advantage and disadvantages of using VoIP
- 10/26/07 9:46 AM
The advantage of VoIP
by janetvans2001 - 10/20/07 2:39 PM In reply to: The advantage and disadvantages of using VoIP by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
Recently a friend of my husband took a job in Afghanistan and he uses SKYPE as his VoIP service. I just downloaded SKYPE two days ago and today my husband was able to talk to his friend on SKYPE. There is no charge for SKYPE to SKYPE calls., and for $29.95/yr, I can place unlimited calls to anyone with a land line or cell phone in the US and Canada. For being an out of country call, the conversation my husband had with his friend went without a hitch. My husband misses his friend dearly and this was an inexpensive way for them to keep in touch by "phone." I had no problem setting up the service and everything works beautifully.
Skype is a great and cheap supplement to regular phone line
by MaxineKL - 10/20/07 7:18 PM In reply to: The advantage and disadvantages of using VoIP by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
Hi,
I wouldn't "switch" to VoIP for my home phone for the reasons already mentioned, but I love Skype! First of all, it's free to call other Skype users from your computer to theirs, anywhere in the world--and you can set up additional temporary accounts when traveling. All this is free.
If you want to "Skype out" to call a regular phone abroad (I'm in Canada) from your computer, the rates abroad are comparable to the long-distance card services I already use, but a recently-introduced connection fee has kept me from doing this much.
On the other hand, if you live in Canada or the US, you can get a year's unlimited skype-out calling from your computer to all home and cell phones in Canada or the US for $30 US. That's less than $3 a month (I signed on when it was $15 a year, so I was lucky). So if you do any amount of long-distance calling inside the US and Canada, it's a real deal.
The only downside to this that I've found is that occasionally the reception isn't the best--echo and the occasional dropped call--but they seem to be working hard to improve this, and I think it's been better in recent months. I think computer to computer calling is marginally better quality, but I'm not 100% sure.
In any case, it costs only about 2 minutes of your time to download and start up, and can be a great money saver.
But I say, keep your home phone for local calling and the reliability it offers in case of a power outage.
Best of luck,
Maxine in BC
VOIP
by msmedic911 - 10/20/07 9:31 PM In reply to: The advantage and disadvantages of using VoIP by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
I have VOIP with Packet8 for about 2 years now and have been unhappy most of the time.
The price definitely cannot be beat-about $29 or so with tax and includes call waiting, caller ID, voicemail, & internet notification of voicemail.
What is not good is the quality of the calls and sometimes the service. I hear a lot of echo at times, calls get dropped, the person on the other end hears me but I dont hear them, I can't get a line at all. Maybe it's my internet connection, but I have a cable modem-so it should be better than dialup.
I have wanted to switch but don't want to go back to land line phones, but just havent' gotten up the wil to do it. Maybe those others such as Vonage are just as bad.
Vonage addict!
by euspos - 10/20/07 10:11 PM In reply to: The advantage and disadvantages of using VoIP by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
OK, I'll gladly admit that I hated our (POTS) Verizon service that I had disconnected in early 2005. Paying over $35/months for just plain old LOCAL service sucked big time.
After some hesitation we switched to Vonage in March of 2005. I would never go back! It JUST WORKS GREAT (getting voice mail sent as an e-mail to you is probably one of the favorite features apart from THE PRICE), and we are only paying about $17/month (taxes included) for 500 outgoing minutes. If you need unlimited, it is only $10 more per month, but we have rarely been close to hitting the ceiling.
Vonage introduced new international rates in the spring, or maybe it was fall 2006, time flies. I now pay $.01 (ONE CENT) a minute for calls to Sweden. That rate can not even be beaten by Skype and even though Skype has gotten better, Vonage's quality is on par or better than old land line service.
Apart from the great (=low) price, Vonage just plain works! The ONLY times service has been down, it has been due to outages in Comcast's network which rarely happens, but in that case, calls automatically reroutes to my cell phone (very neat feature).
Comcast calls me and mails me stuff all the time telling me how DIFFERENT and how much BETTER their "digital voice" service is. I have literally told them to f-ck off and not call me again until they can beat the price and service quality of Vonage. Getting a "digital voice" offer from Comcast for $24.95, $29.95, or even $39.95 is robbery, and their rates default to the standard $49.95 after the trial period. Anyway I look at it, for starters it is AT LEAST $10 more than Vonage and their international rates suck.
And Comcast's "spiel" that their service is so much better/different than Vonage, and that it is NOT VoIP and that it rides on a "separate network", is just marketing hokus pokus. It is VoIP and they might take their calls longer (on their own data network) before sending them out onto the public telephone network, but if Vonage works, WHO CARES? Just do NOT belive he marketing hype from Comcast!
I will gladly give Comcast credit for maintaining and operating a good quality high-speed network on which the Vonage service rides. With a crappy network (or when Comcast decide they will start filtering what applications/services they "allow"), Vonage will suffer as well.
But when that day come, Comcast will get a call and I'll go somewhere else. As much as I admire Comcast's service quality, as much I hate their business practices (low, low teaser rates to newbies, nothing to old and stable customers).
Vonage's "dashboard" and web interface are nicely designed, and the fact that you can easily go on-line (from anywhere of course) and see who you called or who called you, even years back, on a certain day is a pretty handy feature. While at the web interface, you can also easily change (EASILY) your physical address in regards to 911 calls, can set timer for when calls are forwarded (or not), multi-ring, call filtering, etc.
In order to make it easy, Vonage's voice mail are sent to my wife's e-mail. Her mail client has a rule that automatically forwards a copy of the same voice mail to one of my e-mail addresses. In doing so, there's never a risk that we miss an important voice mail and a side benefit is that ALL voice mails are archived on wife's PC (we save ALL sent e-mails and archive them in multiple physical locations - you can call it anal but after a hard disk crash years ago...).
Bottom line: Vonage VoIP service just works great, it is a STEAL compared to POTS or similar offerings from Comcast, Verizon, etc, and for people on the EastCoast, I know that Lingo works great as well (plus being somewhat cheaper in including totally free calls to most European nations).
With overseas calls, the monthly bill end up somewhere between $20 and $23/month. It is worth EVERY PENNY!
Vonage addict!
by Remag1234 - 10/21/07 8:39 AM In reply to: Vonage addict! by eusposTo euspos: You stole my thunder by saying everything I would have written. Well done. You are the first to tell it like it is. I have responded to many who leave out facts and give mis-information due to not being well informed or just plain stupid. I too have been using Vonage for the past 2.6 year and have had not problems. Tech support is as good as any other tech support and sometimes you have to call several times until you get a more knowledgeable tech. Verizon sucks, when I called to cancel my service they offered me VOIP for more money. What they don't tell anyone is that almost all of the calls through Verizon and other Bells are VOIP, but they love to charge higher prices and stick you with high taxes on top of it.
VIOP
by djapan - 10/20/07 10:25 PM In reply to: The advantage and disadvantages of using VoIP by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
Hello -
We currently live in Japan and have used Vonage voice over internet phone for 2 years now. We absolutely love it for it's convenience. Being over here in the military limits us to who we get our phone service from (the base) and phone plans are very limited - basic and a little better than basic!! If you live off base, you have even less cost effective options. So, when we lived off base, we got Vonage and have kept it since moving on base. Having this has been wonderful because 1) we have a stateside phone number and 2) unlimited calls and calling stateside. We also get to keep the same phone number (at least with Vonage) no matter where we go so keeping in touch with everyone - family and friends - will be that much easier as we move around with the military. Having parents who are getting older and 2 children in college and they are all able to call whenever they need at a very reasonable cost and we can call them of course very easily.
One thing I would say is a disadvantage is that when you are working online, you can get static sometimes when you are speaking on the phone. Another down side is you will have not a phone if the power goes out .... or at least that would be a good question to ask before getting it. Often times cell phones don't work then either when land lines do. I think local phone companies are going to get wise though and begin offering reasonable basic landline phone service very soon.
Hope this helps a little bit. I honestly don't know how it might work once we get back to the states but I believe we will try and keep it.
My VoIP experiences
by mstephens12 - 10/21/07 7:59 AM In reply to: The advantage and disadvantages of using VoIP by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
I've been a Vonage user for the past 2.5 years. During that time period I've really had a lot more problems than expected; getting disconnected when a call was coming in, severe echoing, no dial tone, the list goes on and on. I've tried everything to correct the issue and nothing worked, the only reason I kept it for as long as I did is because it was affordable. I finally decided to cancel; and just to let everyone know that if you cancel mid-month, you won't get credit for the partial month. And if your billing falls on a weekend make sure that you cancel the business day before the weekend or you will be charged for a full month!
Vonage did have some good features like the network availability which allows you to forward your calls to another number if the network goes down. As far as their customer and tech support it's not the best that I've experienced; obviously the could not correct the issues I was having. I've talked to other people that have had Vonage and they don't have any trouble with it at all.
I am testing the waters with Skype right now, and so far so good. The only problem with Skype is that it doesn't offer 911 and they say it's not a replacement for a landline. Comparing Skype service to other VoIP, it only costs me $60 per year for unlimited calling and incoming calls where Vonage was costing me $450 per year.
If I had to choose from either a landline or VoIP, I would definitely go with VoIP. It's just more affordable for tight budgets.
My advice if you are considering switching from a landline to VoIP, compare all the services out there and the features, don't sign a contract that doesn't allow you to test the service first; most companies either give you a free trial or 30 day money back guarantee.
My VoIP experiences
by Remag1234 - 10/21/07 8:18 AM In reply to: My VoIP experiences by mstephens12Sorry about your bad experience with Vonage. I too have been using Vonage for 2.6 years and have had no problems. Customer service is good but you sometimes have to call several times until you get the "right" tech. This is very common when it comes to Customer Service with any company as they usually work from a script which is the same as FAQ. Vonage has plans that range from $15 per month [$180 year], $25 per month [$300 year] so I don't know where you get your number of $450. The above pricing is for the service, if you run up International calls, those change the amount of your bill.
had it for years
by richtan - 10/21/07 9:48 AM In reply to: The advantage and disadvantages of using VoIP by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
no problem with voip. at home i've had cablevision for about 4 years now, works fine. also have packet8 on more lines because its cheaper than cablevision (and i can't stand the dolans; might go to fios altogether); in the office have cablevision lines for voice and fax. all works fine. no problems. simple, just plug it in and it works, and all features are controllable from the computer. really the way to go.
Skype is voip right?
by ssmiffy56 - 10/21/07 11:59 AM In reply to: The advantage and disadvantages of using VoIP by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
Based in UK we have Skype service as our computer broadband telephony link, its fantastic whilst we are using internet for both visual video and voice coms also conference calls up to 9 people at time. You can also plug in a VOIP phone and use it around home whilst computer is linked to internet.
Incidentally all calls are free except for landlines connection, and these are severely discounted.
So to sum up, Skype gets my vote 100%
Regards and good luck
Andrew Smith
http://oneway4marketing.com
A few more thoughts on VOIP
by phillipharris - 10/21/07 12:38 PM In reply to: The advantage and disadvantages of using VoIP by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
I thought the answers provided were pretty thorough, but I do have a couple of thoughts to add. One, I have found that the best way to hook up VOIP is to use a cordless base station that allows for extensions. I have a base station with three extensions scattered around the house. In order to have phone service if the power fails, I have hooked up all the network boxes (the modem, router, VOIP box and the cordless phone to a small UPS this gives me phone service with the power out and the electrical draw is so small, the VOIP phone base station would run for hours. One of the best features of using cordless phones is that you don't have to find a phone outlet; all you need is a plug. You do have to be careful to get a 5.8 GHz phone if you have a wireless router. The 2.4 GHz phones will compete with the router and neither will work well.
Two, I find that about once every month or two the router seems to get a little confused and I have to reset the system. It requires that everything be unplugged for at least two minutes and then brought back up in the following order with about a minute interval between each component: modem, router, VOIP Modem, cordless base station, and the PC. I don't find it a big deal but it must be understood that when you have a home network, you are the network admin. It isn't a huge deal but you do have to know more than you did when you just picked up Ma Bell's phone and started dialing.
I have had VOIP for about three years and wouldn't trade it for anything, but I do have to take a more active roll in keeping it up and running.
Phillip Harris
A few more thoughts on VOIP
by Remag1234 - 10/21/07 3:07 PM In reply to: A few more thoughts on VOIP by phillipharrisTo Phil Harris,
I had a similar problem for months & months. All the Vonage techs said there was no problem with lines, etc.etc.. and it most likely was my cordless phone. I purchased 2 cordless, 1 Panasonic and 1Vtech. 1 was 5.8 and the other DEC. Both had the same problem, I had to do the unplug everything thing. I returned the phones and called Tech support. I explained what I had done and asked for a NEW telephone device. That fixed the problem, I haven't reset anything in 3 months. The device was FREE and I am now a happy camper. BTW, the defective device always checked out good by the techs and yet it was the problem all the time.
It took me a while, but...
by 44yearoldgamer - 10/21/07 7:37 PM In reply to: The advantage and disadvantages of using VoIP by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
I've been hesitant to switch to Vonage for some time now. It was a scary move, considering the land line always worked fine, despite the cost advantage.
A few months ago I finally did, and I'm pretty happy with it.
The advantages outweigh the disadvantages.
Advantages:
1. Lower cost.
2. I get free voicemail that e-mails me at work. Pretty neat.
3. If the line goes down, I can have the calls picked up automatically on my cell or my work phone.
4. No long distance issues.
5. No loss in clarity.
6. I now have complete control over my telephone usage. I have three kids and the system tells me who calls, who they call, when and for how long.
7. Free caller ID.
8. I can take the modem with me and use it in a hotel.
9. No more dependence on AT&T.
Disadvantages:
1. I've always been used to the land line, and it was tough convincing my wife to let us make the switch.
2. I need to service my wall sockets if something goes wrong with them.
Other than that, it was pretty painless.
Do some research before deciding on VoIP provider.
by Don Dorland - 10/22/07 8:32 AM In reply to: It took me a while, but... by 44yearoldgamerI've had VoIP for a few years...all with the same company (obviously I'm satisfied with their service and problem resolution). The first thing I did in the decision making process was to research a few web sites such as:
www.broadbandreports.com
www.voip-info.org
There are other sites, but those two come to mind, so Google away.
I finally chose to go with QuantumVoice (www.quantumvoice.com) for a variety of reasons, BUT the primary reason was they were one of the first, if not the first, VoIP provider to offer toll-free residential service. Besides all of the standard features, you get a toll-free number AND a direct-dial number, unlimited inbound calls via toll-free number (continental USA only), unlimited inbound calls from around the world via direct dial #, unlimited outbound calls - continental USA & Canada only, and taxes and 911 fee are already included in the monthly fee of $39.99 a month. I find it amusing that all of you Vonage, Time Warner, Comcast, etc. folks are paying around $40.00 a month for your high end non toll-free number service, versus the advatages of my QuantumVoice toll-free service for the virtually the same money. Like I said, do some research, but choose what fits you and your life style.
Another reason for choosing a carrier offering this toll-free service is the fact that I can take my ATA and digital phone with me when I travel on business or pleasure. Give me an electrical receptacle (wall plug), a broadband or DSL connection, and a router that I can plug everything into and I'm good to go making outgoing calls AND receiving incoming calls. Since I have family and friends in Maryland, Georgia, Florida, and Texas, not to mention any business calls that I might receive in my Retirement Planning business, I save hundreds of dollars every month versus my former land line bill with the added plus of saving my family and friends a few bucks when they call me. I don't miss any phone calls because the phone calls are following me.
Oh, I almost forgot to mention that when I'm not available to answer my digital phone, and I don't have calls transferred to my cell phone, my phone registers the phone number via Caller ID and displys that I have a message waiting, and my provider sends that same voice message to my computer so that I can open the message in my email, and play the message on my speakers...hands free, take notes, suck down my favorite beverage, multi-task to your hearts content while listening to your message(s).
Some of the previous posts indicate dissatisfaction with FAX capabilities, lost packets, and 911 service. Long story short...I've not experienced a problem to date with any of those features.
Not to repeat myself, but PLEASE do some research outside of this forum. Don't get all enamored by the big buck advertising of Vonage, Time Warner, Comcast, et al. One of these companies may be your best fit, but maybe not. That's my opinion,..... but I could be wrong.
Do some research
by Remag1234 - 10/22/07 11:05 AM In reply to: Do some research before deciding on VoIP provider. by Don DorlandDon Dorland, I think you should do some research again. Vonage offers 4 plans. 2 Business $50 per month Unlimited calls and $39 per month 1500 minutes- both have a dedicated fax line and FREE calls to selected European countries. The Home plans are $24.95 Unlimited calls and Free to selected European countries. The $14.95 is 500 minutes per month and FREE to selected to European countries. Long distance is included in ALL plans. I call China for 1 penny per minute. Your facts are pretty much on IF you eliminate Vonage from the equation. The cable company rates for VOIP are BIG RIP OFFS. I am not affilated with Vonage other than being a happy and loyal subscriber.
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