Is it a stand alone box that connects through my router, or does it have to connect to a pc??
Thinking of getting Vonage.
- Thread starter Oldmoparguy1
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NO, NO, NO , NO NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO! Am I clear? Do not go with Vonage. They are terrible. I tried them and it was impossible to get any kind of technical support or any support in general. You are better off either bumping your minutes on your cell phone or getting a bundled package with your ISP or Cable Provider. Please, I beg you, do not use VONAGE.
Originally Posted By: Badlees
NO, NO, NO , NO NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO! Am I clear? Do not go with Vonage. They are terrible. I tried them and it was impossible to get any kind of technical support or any support in general. You are better off either bumping your minutes on your cell phone or getting a bundled package with your ISP or Cable Provider. Please, I beg you, do not use VONAGE.
Yes it is a standalone device. I have a complete opposite experience. I always get support really fast and I had a very good experience with them.
OP, if you decide to get Vonage, their regular unlimited monthly rate is $24.99 plus tax.
Once you get your 2nd bill, call them and say you want to terminate your service. Of course the CSR will ask you why? your answer is that i like the service but the rate is expensive and I can not afford it.
Depending on your luck they might lower your monthly rate to $14.99 or $19.99 unlimited for 1 year or 2 years and they even might give you 1 or 2 months free!
NO, NO, NO , NO NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO! Am I clear? Do not go with Vonage. They are terrible. I tried them and it was impossible to get any kind of technical support or any support in general. You are better off either bumping your minutes on your cell phone or getting a bundled package with your ISP or Cable Provider. Please, I beg you, do not use VONAGE.
Yes it is a standalone device. I have a complete opposite experience. I always get support really fast and I had a very good experience with them.
OP, if you decide to get Vonage, their regular unlimited monthly rate is $24.99 plus tax.
Once you get your 2nd bill, call them and say you want to terminate your service. Of course the CSR will ask you why? your answer is that i like the service but the rate is expensive and I can not afford it.
Depending on your luck they might lower your monthly rate to $14.99 or $19.99 unlimited for 1 year or 2 years and they even might give you 1 or 2 months free!
Slightly off-topic, but for what it's worth, my family has been without a land line for over a year now. We use Skype. It allows us to speak to other Skype users for free globally, and they also have services called SkypeOut, where for somewhere around $40/ year you can call anywhere in North America, and SkypeIn, where for somewhere around $30/ year you can receive calls (they give you a phone number in any area code you want in the U.S. -- NOT CANADA!). Folks even make Skype phone and headsets.
So for ~$70USD/ year you've got a phone number and unlimited calling, and a program that facilitates audio and video conferencing, chat and file transfer.
Sadly, because they do not offer Canadian phone numbers for SkypeIn, we do not use that. As well, there's no 911 service. My wife and I, then, each have cell phones that we use minimally.
Back on topic, I have heard good things about the VOIP solutions available in Canada; both from third parties and from the ISP's that bundle VOIP service with other cable services.
A tech at Cogeco, my cable ISP, told me that they prioritize port 1720, which they use for their bundled VOIP. I use 1720 for the Skype installs I administer and have yet to have trouble with that or any other VOIP service across Windows, Macs and Linux-based installs.
So for ~$70USD/ year you've got a phone number and unlimited calling, and a program that facilitates audio and video conferencing, chat and file transfer.
Sadly, because they do not offer Canadian phone numbers for SkypeIn, we do not use that. As well, there's no 911 service. My wife and I, then, each have cell phones that we use minimally.
Back on topic, I have heard good things about the VOIP solutions available in Canada; both from third parties and from the ISP's that bundle VOIP service with other cable services.
A tech at Cogeco, my cable ISP, told me that they prioritize port 1720, which they use for their bundled VOIP. I use 1720 for the Skype installs I administer and have yet to have trouble with that or any other VOIP service across Windows, Macs and Linux-based installs.
We just upgraded to Comcast's triple play: HD cable, digital phone and 16mb provisioned HSI (we can hit our cap faster now). Here in the Philly area, Comcast offers decent service (Docsis 3 arrives here in a couple months) and is locked in a death struggle with Verizon. So the experience has been a pleasant one.
We looked at Vonage, but once you get past the price, the rest of the package wasn't as good as what Comcast or Verizon offers.
Comcast is particularly nice to its phone customers for some reason (and that reason is 911 access). The only drawback is they're still spooked about equipment integrity where phone service is concerned, so you have to rent the modem (for now). At least the Comcast modem has a large integrated battery backup and supports pulse (important for some alarm dialers and for owners of vintage WE phones).
Bundling is the way to go if the provider is good.
We just got Fios in the neighborhood. So if I want to put up with the giant box install, we still have an alternative.
Bear in mind, for voice quality, none of them are as good as POTS.
We looked at Vonage, but once you get past the price, the rest of the package wasn't as good as what Comcast or Verizon offers.
Comcast is particularly nice to its phone customers for some reason (and that reason is 911 access). The only drawback is they're still spooked about equipment integrity where phone service is concerned, so you have to rent the modem (for now). At least the Comcast modem has a large integrated battery backup and supports pulse (important for some alarm dialers and for owners of vintage WE phones).
Bundling is the way to go if the provider is good.
We just got Fios in the neighborhood. So if I want to put up with the giant box install, we still have an alternative.
Bear in mind, for voice quality, none of them are as good as POTS.
magicJack on the cheap end .... or ooma. ooma is a bit of a gamble, because it is $200 up front, but unless you choose the premium service, no cost after that. You have to have some faith they will be around for a few years. But so far, the reviews have been very good.
magicJack has actually been working pretty well for us. I purchased an HP thin client that runs it exclusively, so our computer isn't on 24/7.
magicJack has actually been working pretty well for us. I purchased an HP thin client that runs it exclusively, so our computer isn't on 24/7.
We've had Vonage going on three years now and haven't had any major problems. The only minor problem was during installation of the second modem for the business and fax line. It was just a minor error that was corrected quickly.
I am a very happy Vonage user. Time flies, it must be 6-7 years and no trouble at all. I coughed up the $300+ for a full years service. That gives us unlimited phone service to the USA, Canada, and half of Europe. I never remember a Vonage problem. You are dependent on your internet connection. The first couple of years, BrightHouse stuck us with a couple of flaky modems. No trouble at all since we got this Motorola surfboard. We have it, a Belkin router, and Cisco ATA. Cable goes in the modem, and you plug the phone into the ATA. I don't have a clue how their tech service is because I have never called them.
Our local phone company was like something out of the third world. When we were on dial up, a lot of the time we couldn't even connect. I know all about their tech service. They were idiots that couldn't correct the problem and always tried to blame my equipment for my problems. I would never go back. We have much better phone and internet, and it is less.
Our local phone company was like something out of the third world. When we were on dial up, a lot of the time we couldn't even connect. I know all about their tech service. They were idiots that couldn't correct the problem and always tried to blame my equipment for my problems. I would never go back. We have much better phone and internet, and it is less.
Our Vonage box is a standalone device that connects directly to the router. We haven't had any problems with it during the past 1 year or so. We had Viatalk before which, even though was much cheaper ($200.00 for 2 years) did not have as good of a call quality as Vonage.
Originally Posted By: Oldmoparguy1
Is it a stand alone box that connects through my router, or does it have to connect to a pc??
It's a box connected between router and phone.
I've had Vonage for awhile. It's been trouble-free from initial connection. Voice quality is equal to regular phone service.
Is it a stand alone box that connects through my router, or does it have to connect to a pc??
It's a box connected between router and phone.
I've had Vonage for awhile. It's been trouble-free from initial connection. Voice quality is equal to regular phone service.
We had it for a short while and never had problem with it... We switched to another provider when we moved because of bundling, but I would go back to Vonage.
Thanks everyone. Good info. My #2 son has Vonage. I'll be seeing him this weekend so will probably make a decision this weekend.
Thanks aLL,
Wayne
Thanks aLL,
Wayne
I've been with Vonage for almost 2 years and love it. I prepay for a year at a time (like getting 2 months free) and it works better than Qwest did.
Stand alone box that I have hooked up to the house wiring so all the jacks work.
Take care, Bill
Stand alone box that I have hooked up to the house wiring so all the jacks work.
Take care, Bill
Originally Posted By: Badlees
http://www.wehatevonage.com/pain.php
Wow! That's scary. Sounds like some of the problems I had with Cable Vision before I canceled it and switched to Dish network.
I may have to re-think this. Wonder about Skype????
http://www.wehatevonage.com/pain.php
Wow! That's scary. Sounds like some of the problems I had with Cable Vision before I canceled it and switched to Dish network.
I may have to re-think this. Wonder about Skype????
Remember that more people complain about something than comment about it.
Why? Because we like to be negative and why comment about something that works? It should work since I pay for it.
Most issues with Vonage are customer problems. A few of them have bandwith problems (you can lower Vonage use of the bandwith) and wiring problems.
Some people would win a $10 million lotto pot and complain that it was not a $200 million one like someone else won.
Vonage gives you a trail period. Why not try it? Then if you hate it no skin off your back. If you like it then there you go.
That is what I did for my Dad. He loves being able to dial a company on their local number and get some help right away compared to waiting on the 1-800 number forever.
Take care, bill
Why? Because we like to be negative and why comment about something that works? It should work since I pay for it.
Most issues with Vonage are customer problems. A few of them have bandwith problems (you can lower Vonage use of the bandwith) and wiring problems.
Some people would win a $10 million lotto pot and complain that it was not a $200 million one like someone else won.
Vonage gives you a trail period. Why not try it? Then if you hate it no skin off your back. If you like it then there you go.
That is what I did for my Dad. He loves being able to dial a company on their local number and get some help right away compared to waiting on the 1-800 number forever.
Take care, bill
Originally Posted By: Oldmoparguy1
I may have to re-think this. Wonder about Skype????
I had posted earlier in this thread about my Skype usage, and gave the caveat that 911 will not work. I forgot to mention, though, that your outgoing caller ID can be buggered up, too. My parents report that when I call them using Skype, my number shows up as 000-000-0000, which is not my real number!
My experience is also exclusively with the Mac and Linux versions of Skype, which are more than a major version behind (Linux is still at 2.0, and Mac has a 2.8 beta, while the Windows version is now in 4.0), and while the Mac version is near flawless, the Linux version is hampered by less-then-awesome performance while trying to work with the mess of audio server systems and web cam drivers out there. I am *told* that the Windows version is really, really clear and reliable.
I may have to re-think this. Wonder about Skype????
I had posted earlier in this thread about my Skype usage, and gave the caveat that 911 will not work. I forgot to mention, though, that your outgoing caller ID can be buggered up, too. My parents report that when I call them using Skype, my number shows up as 000-000-0000, which is not my real number!
My experience is also exclusively with the Mac and Linux versions of Skype, which are more than a major version behind (Linux is still at 2.0, and Mac has a 2.8 beta, while the Windows version is now in 4.0), and while the Mac version is near flawless, the Linux version is hampered by less-then-awesome performance while trying to work with the mess of audio server systems and web cam drivers out there. I am *told* that the Windows version is really, really clear and reliable.
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