http://www.vonage.com/

$40 a month for all phone calls in the US and Canada. You can pick up a second line in any area code for $5 extra. Uses broadband at 90k up for phone-quality.

This is a damned good deal, I'm gonna try it.

I dunno about over there, but right now, for $49.99 a month with SBC, you get unlimited long distance in the US, 2 features (like caller ID, call waiting, etc...), and your residential service. I think I may sign up for it since my standard phone bill is like $25 a month, I have no features, and if I make no long distance calls....

I dunno... do you make *that* many LD calls? We recently dropped our phone service to the bare minimum (like $20 a month) since we rely so much on cell phones now (Nextel).

My Nextel plan (and my wife's too) has like 10,000 minutes I can use any time - and there is no way I have ever even come close to using that up...

A few more months, and I intend to drop home "land line" phone service all-together...

Originally posted by DRM
I dunno... do you make *that* many LD calls? We recently dropped our phone service to the bare minimum (like $20 a month) since we rely so much on cell phones now (Nextel).

My Nextel plan (and my wife's too) has like 10,000 minutes I can use any time - and there is no way I have ever even come close to using that up...

A few more months, and I intend to drop home "land line" phone service all-together...

What do you pay for that Nextel plan? I think we used to pay ~$90 for a 2 phone plan with nowhere near that many minutes.

Originally posted by rusted


What do you pay for that Nextel plan? I think we used to pay ~$90 for a 2 phone plan with nowhere near that many minutes.

Work pays for mine :p

Comes out to be about $65 a month for each phone... Not cheap, but again, work pays for mine so it comes out pretty nice and that is a TON of minutes...

I used to get phones from work, but after I got laid off, Nextel went in 2 months! $$$

I used that shit once, but I got a rash...

:rolleyes: :flipoff2:

Originally posted by rusted
I used to get phones from work, but after I got laid off, Nextel went in 2 months! $$$

For a while there we were running up $80+ home phone bills... the Nextel phones changed that...

Vonage looks interesting though...

Originally posted by DRM
I dunno... do you make *that* many LD calls? We recently dropped our phone service to the coffee can and string method

must be a Tennessee thing!:eek: :D

oh yeah, Vonage sounds like a female contraceptive!!!

haha.. look! I searched!!

Anyways, rusted, did you ever sign up with Vonage??

We're hooking it up here soon I think.. Cable internet and Vonage together ends up being less than our normal phone bill! (we only need the 500 minute plan at 14.99/month)

anyone else with new info?

Like your 911 service? Does Vonage have it?

What about TiVo or an alarm in the house that makes daily outgoing calls? Cable box? Will they work?

Bryan

the local phone co here offers local and long distance unlimited for under $30 a month. Something else to check into.

Originally posted by ImNotRight
haha.. look! I searched!!

Anyways, rusted, did you ever sign up with Vonage??

We're hooking it up here soon I think.. Cable internet and Vonage together ends up being less than our normal phone bill! (we only need the 500 minute plan at 14.99/month)

anyone else with new info?

No I didn't. My friend in WA just got it though, and I'm waiting to see how it works for him.

We have a local plan where we pay $25 for unlimited long distance. WE use a LOT of LD. A LOT!

But apparently Vonage is now cheaper. I'm definitely going to get it if it works out for my bud.

I don't have a home phone.

I have a home cell phone though.

$40 a month. Unlimited long distance, it gives a whole new meaning to "cordless phone", and it has all the extras like call forwarding and whatnot for free.

Originally posted by Entropy
I don't have a home phone.

I have a home cell phone though.

$40 a month. Unlimited long distance, it gives a whole new meaning to "cordless phone", and it has all the extras like call forwarding and whatnot for free.

Ok, what cell phone is this that costs $40/mo for unlimited long distance and I assume unlimited air time?

So you talk as much as you want to anywhere in the continental United States, and you write them a check every month for $40?

Originally posted by rusted


Ok, what cell phone is this that costs $40/mo for unlimited long distance and I assume unlimited air time?

So you talk as much as you want to anywhere in the continental United States, and you write them a check every month for $40?

It's a sprint phone.

It isn't unlimited... but I use my regular cell phone for most of my calls anyway.

All of my cell phones have long distance included in the package because I have family in Florida and I visit there. So I have to have a phone that doesn't cost me anything to call there or to call from there.

I think the Sprint has 400 anytime and unlimited nights and weekends. Which is fine - cause I am not home during the day. My regular cell phone makes up for it.

Originally posted by Oxjockey
Like your 911 service? Does Vonage have it?

What about TiVo or an alarm in the house that makes daily outgoing calls? Cable box? Will they work?

Bryan

Check http://www.vonage.com and look up the FAQs (I'm too fawking lazy to do it now, and I've had this discussion a few times over the last several weeks.)

Vonage does have a 911 type of service. You do have to register your physical address with Vonage (big surprise) and I suspect that your 911 call does NOT go directly to emergency services, but to a Vonage call center that can connect you to the right line.

The Vonage interface box has a POTS RJ11 jack on it. Hook any old phone to it, pick up the receiver, and get a dial tone. You'd have to talk to them about data calls like Tivo or alarm circuits.

Caveat: I am not using Vonage. Everybody I've talked to who is using it has been happy with it.

ChiXJeff

Well we only need ~500 a month on the land line. We also have cell phones, just anoying to use in the house cuz they don't always have reception depending on the room.

14.99/month anytime/anywhere minutes, get rid of the phone, pick up cable internet. We're looking at ~55/month for CABLE broadband and cheap long distance (about the only calls we make from the house are long distance).

Otherwise, it would be sbc (which I can't stand), and sbc/yahoo dsl(the only dsl service available in my hood) , not even half the speed of cable and more cost. then to get any long distance.. we were lookin at at least 80/m for dsl and phone service.

And yes, Vonage does have 911 service that goes to your local 911 place. (can't quite decipher if it's included or extra cost though)

And I don't have anything else like an alarm service.. According to the website you can't use vonage and alarm services. And I never have nor ever will hook up the DirecTv to a phone line.

Originally posted by Entropy


It's a sprint phone.

It isn't unlimited... but I use my regular cell phone for most of my calls anyway.

All of my cell phones have long distance included in the package because I have family in Florida and I visit there. So I have to have a phone that doesn't cost me anything to call there or to call from there.

I think the Sprint has 400 anytime and unlimited nights and weekends. Which is fine - cause I am not home during the day. My regular cell phone makes up for it.

Alright then. I didn't think it could be done for under $40, but I'm definitely open to ideas.

The fact is, our land line with unlimited LD calling plan is far far cheaper than an equivalent cell phone. You're talking >$100 to get a cell account to do what we've got.

You're on two cell accounts to get it done. I'm assuming that's >$100.

We're paying ~$45-50 total, tax tag and title right now.

Originally posted by rusted


Alright then. I didn't think it could be done for under $40, but I'm definitely open to ideas.

The fact is, our land line with unlimited LD calling plan is far far cheaper than an equivalent cell phone. You're talking >$100 to get a cell account to do what we've got.

You're on two cell accounts to get it done. I'm assuming that's >$100.

We're paying ~$45-50 total, tax tag and title right now.

Ha, because of all the bullshit I have on there - my "other" cell phone is 75 bucks a month... but that is a Nextel. If I run out of minutes - I need to find something better to do with my time.

Originally posted by ImNotRight
Well we only need ~500 a month on the land line. We also have cell phones, just anoying to use in the house cuz they don't always have reception depending on the room.

14.99/month anytime/anywhere minutes, get rid of the phone, pick up cable internet. We're looking at ~55/month for CABLE broadband and cheap long distance (about the only calls we make from the house are long distance).

Otherwise, it would be sbc (which I can't stand), and sbc/yahoo dsl(the only dsl service available in my hood) , not even half the speed of cable and more cost. then to get any long distance.. we were lookin at at least 80/m for dsl and phone service.

And yes, Vonage does have 911 service that goes to your local 911 place. (can't quite decipher if it's included or extra cost though)

And I don't have anything else like an alarm service.. According to the website you can't use vonage and alarm services.

Yes, we have cable internet and not cable TV. :laughing:

Cell phones suck for reception, and it's our area that finally convinced us to get rid of them. Not really worth it, and I'm no social butterfly that needs a phone everywhere I go. Just another 'ghost' neccessity IMO.

So the plan would be to get rid of ALL connections except the cable internet. Our cable internet has been EXTREMELY reliable, so the backbone is there.

Originally posted by rusted


Yes, we have cable internet and not cable TV. :laughing:

Cell phones suck for reception, and it's our area that finally convinced us to get rid of them. Not really worth it, and I'm no social butterfly that needs a phone everywhere I go. Just another 'ghost' neccessity IMO.

So the plan would be to get rid of ALL connections except the cable internet. Our cable internet has been EXTREMELY reliable, so the backbone is there.

Blasphemy!

If I am away from my cell phone for extended periods of time, I go into convulsions.

Originally posted by Entropy


Blasphemy!

If I am away from my cell phone for extended periods of time, I go into convulsions.

:laughing: You and most other Americans. We're living in the stone age man. Rabbit ears at our house. Not quite Mo 'chic', but close.

Originally posted by rusted


:laughing: You and most other Americans. We're living in the stone age man. Rabbit ears at our house. Not quite Mo 'chic', but close.

We get no reception at my casa either. I hate cell phones. :mad:

Originally posted by mike


We get no reception at my casa either. I hate cell phones. :mad:

If I go outside and kind of tilt my head a bit while balancing on the end of a broom handle vertically using only my little toe - I get damn good reception.

It has to be an important call though, cause it only takes one slip up to give you a good "cleaning out" by broom if you know what I mean.

Originally posted by rusted


Yes, we have cable internet and not cable TV. :laughing:

Cell phones suck for reception, and it's our area that finally convinced us to get rid of them. Not really worth it, and I'm no social butterfly that needs a phone everywhere I go. Just another 'ghost' neccessity IMO.

So the plan would be to get rid of ALL connections except the cable internet. Our cable internet has been EXTREMELY reliable, so the backbone is there.

yea, my parents have had road runner since it became available here about 2 (3?) years ago, and it's only been down ONCE.

We're trying Earthlink since it's a little bit cheaper.

I think we're gunna try out the Vonage even though nobody seems to have it themselves here.

Will let you guys know how it goes.

I was just reading an article about a new company that is gonne be offering FREE calling...

It was a print mag, I will see if I can find info online.

Originally posted by DRM
I was just reading an article about a new company that is gonne be offering FREE calling...

It was a print mag, I will see if I can find info online.

Please do!

IMO, the alternative to land lines AND cell companies are wayyyyy behind the technology. The business community is A) Still shocked from the tech fallout and B) wrapped up in old-boy-network old-style business models.

My view is that most residential-provider phone companies shoudl be out of business right now, and everyone should be into data-capacity at this point. But who knows, America moves slow in technology sometimes.

There are a # of free calling ones. Most I've seen are P2P and thus ya both gotta be a part of it. But they're out there already. VoIP is nothing new to the business community, which is really all you're talking about. Even this shitty little company I work for uses it extensively..

http://news.google.com/news?hl=en&edition=us&q=Skype&btnG=Search+News

The company is Skype, brought to you by the same guys that created Kazaa. BIG article (cover story) in this month's Fortune magazine, good article too.


Vonage has the largest market right now - something just short of 100,000 subscribers.

But Skype plans to offer FREE calling, and just charge later for services like voice mail, etc.

http://www.skype.com/

Here is the Fortune article I just found online (have not read the online one yet, not sure if it is the same as the print one).

http://www.fortune.com/fortune/technology/articles/0,15114,582208,00.html


Per the Fortune article - Skype has AT&T scared... that says something to me...

Originally posted by DRM
http://news.google.com/news?hl=en&edition=us&q=Skype&btnG=Search+News

The company is Skype, brought to you by the same guys that created Kazaa. BIG article (cover story) in this month's Fortune magazine, good article too.


Vonage has the largest market right now - something just short of 100,000 subscribers.

But Skype plans to offer FREE calling, and just charge later for services like voice mail, etc.

http://www.skype.com/

Here is the Fortune article I just found online (have not read the online one yet, not sure if it is the same as the print one).

http://www.fortune.com/fortune/technology/articles/0,15114,582208,00.html


Per the Fortune article - Skype has AT&T scared... that says something to me...

Skype is peer to peer, meaning that everyone you wanna call also has to be skype members. Also check out www.net2phone.com and if you want more P2P then look at www.freeworlddialup.com then theres sipphone which is www.sipphone.com... whom you can only use to call other IP phones.

My brother has the Vonage plan and the extra $5 for a local line in some other state.

One thing it does when I talk to him is cuts the sound from his end when I talk like a cell phone would. It is not like a land line.

I think he pays $30 a month total for his plan and he likes it for the free long distance to the relatives in the other state.

Originally posted by Blufrog2


One thing it does when I talk to him is cuts the sound from his end when I talk like a cell phone would. It is not like a land line.


he's running out of bandwidth. We have this problem on our T1 VoIP whenever Telnor screws up in Mexico.

Originally posted by mike
There are a # of free calling ones. Most I've seen are P2P and thus ya both gotta be a part of it. But they're out there already. VoIP is nothing new to the business community, which is really all you're talking about. Even this shitty little company I work for uses it extensively..

That's exactly what I'm saying. They're stuck in the business model that is what, 7 years old?

Now Vonage, when you call Vonage, it functions like a P2P (I assume). When you call a conventional, it uses the conventional land lines on the remote end. So it has backwards compatability and also takes advantage of what's GOING to happen.

Originally posted by rusted


That's exactly what I'm saying. They're stuck in the business model that is what, 7 years old?

Now Vonage, when you call Vonage, it functions like a P2P (I assume). When you call a conventional, it uses the conventional land lines on the remote end. So it has backwards compatability and also takes advantage of what's GOING to happen.

Vonage is not P2P. They simply break the analog phone call into digital packets and transmit it, pretty much well.. like AT&T really does anymore. the big difference is that with VoIP you're only paying for bandwith, which is a departure from conventional long distance where they raped you by acting like somehow a long distance call was more difficult to make (hasn't been in a very long time). This is why you're seeing AT&T and everyone else offering unlimited $20 a month plans. They're basically doing the same thing, just using their existing infrastructure (where the conversions at the switch instead of at your point of entry) rather than routing packets through a VPN. We use VoIP a whole lot because we have a significant presence in Mexico, so it was much cheaper to have a t1 here and a E1 in mexico and use that for VoIP and VPN communication.

AT&T's VoIP is coming, piloting in Dallas and some other market now, I believe. They'll have contracts for their customers, something brought over from cell phones, I suppose...

Vonage is obviously their target, but I believe AT&T is in a better position for this than Vonage, able to bundle all sorts of packages together.

They also offer enhanced features, such as private time, etc.

Neat stuff...

Originally posted by mike


Vonage is not P2P. They simply break the analog phone call into digital packets and transmit it, pretty much well.. like AT&T really does anymore. the big difference is that with VoIP you're only paying for bandwith, which is a departure from conventional long distance where they raped you by acting like somehow a long distance call was more difficult to make (hasn't been in a very long time). This is why you're seeing AT&T and everyone else offering unlimited $20 a month plans. They're basically doing the same thing, just using their existing infrastructure (where the conversions at the switch instead of at your point of entry) rather than routing packets through a VPN. We use VoIP a whole lot because we have a significant presence in Mexico, so it was much cheaper to have a t1 here and a E1 in mexico and use that for VoIP and VPN communication.

So Vonage would still call on a land line on the other end? I mean if you call Vonage to Vonage. So basically, their land line would dial out, and back into THEIR LAND LINE, then go over the network to the other Vonage customer.

That's kinda dumb!

Originally posted by rusted


So Vonage would still call on a land line on the other end? I mean if you call Vonage to Vonage. So basically, their land line would dial out, and back into THEIR LAND LINE, then go over the network to the other Vonage customer.

That's kinda dumb!

EVERYTHING sooner or later goes over a fiber backbone ;) Vonage to Vonage would be IP to IP. But that differs from a pure P2P where you can't get out of their network.

Originally posted by mike


EVERYTHING sooner or later goes over a fiber backbone ;)

No no, I realize that.

What I mean is that if a Vonage customer calls a Vonage customer:

The voice data goes to a phone, is converted to digital, put on the internet, and routed a Vonage local call center. Then, does the local Vonage call center dial out, and BACK into that center then route it back over the internet to the applicable Vonage customer?

Or if you're going Vonage to Vonage does it just go: IN the phone, onto the internet, routed to the OTHER Vonage customer, and out the phone?

Originally posted by rusted


No no, I realize that.

What I mean is that if a Vonage customer calls a Vonage customer:

The voice data goes to a phone, is converted to digital, put on the internet, and routed a Vonage local call center. Then, does the local Vonage call center dial out, and BACK into that center then route it back over the internet to the applicable Vonage customer?

Or if you're going Vonage to Vonage does it just go: IN the phone, onto the internet, routed to the OTHER Vonage customer, and out the phone?

Most every VoIP I've looked into at that point would just be IP to IP. Cant imagine Vonage would be any different.

Well I just bit the bullet and ordered the Vonage kit, just FYI. & buisness days or so I'll let you guys know how it is. Just got the cell phone bill and it's tripple what it should be, we ditched the normal house phone.. And went waaaaaay over in peak minutes. Thats not gunna happen again.

BTW, if anyone else is gunna sign up, and want a free month (and me too of course!) let me know, I can refer you.. scratch my back i'll scratch yours :D

BTW, if anyone else is gunna sign up, and want a free month (and me too of course!) let me know, I can refer you.. scratch my back i'll scratch yours :D


To bad you didn't wait. I could have referred YOU, and saved us both some money, plus you could have still refered someone else.


I have the 500 minute a month plan, which costs $16.something

You really need to have a good internet connection, or your broadband provided has to do QOS., otherwise you will sometimes sound like a helicopter to the other side.

I wonder what they're using for servers. We're running asterisk servers at work and only have clipping problemd during conference calls over about 5 connects.

You really need to have a good internet connection, or your broadband provided has to do QOS., otherwise you will sometimes sound like a helicopter to the other side.

Do they have discount plans for international calling? Rob has brought this plan up to me several times. I have my concerns considering some of the locations we call.

To bad you didn't wait. I could have referred YOU, and saved us both some money, plus you could have still refered someone else.


I have the 500 minute a month plan, which costs $16.something

You really need to have a good internet connection, or your broadband provided has to do QOS., otherwise you will sometimes sound like a helicopter to the other side.


I have the same plan. Damn. Also gunna do the virtual phone # so her folks in CA can have a local call when they call.

Shoulda updated the thread man, pretty sure you never hooked it up per this thread :flipoff2:

Well I just bit the bullet and ordered the Vonage kit, just FYI. & buisness days or so I'll let you guys know how it is. Just got the cell phone bill and it's tripple what it should be, we ditched the normal house phone.. And went waaaaaay over in peak minutes. Thats not gunna happen again.

BTW, if anyone else is gunna sign up, and want a free month (and me too of course!) let me know, I can refer you.. scratch my back i'll scratch yours :D

I'm looking to sign up for this on Monday, from Vonage. As it's the only VoIP company I can find that has local Bremerton and Wilkeson phone numbers.

Hows the service working? And, can you still refer 6 months later?

Wow... old thread back from the dead :p

I sure wish I could find a "ball of wax" deal just to be able to write one check per month for phones, LD, internet, satellite tv, etc. Right now I'm paying on the average of $250 a month for two phone lines (one data, the other voice with AT&T $0.07 per minute LD), 384 dsl, two cellphones with 100 anytime/3500 N&W minutes/unlimited free mobile to mobile, and premium Dish Network.

Why can't someone just step up and offer it all? :mad3:

My buddy at work has Vonage and loves it. He has a lot of family in Puerto Rico so they do lots of long distance calling and it has saved his butt.

Wow... old thread back from the dead :p

A lesson for the newbies... search before asking. :laughing:

I'm looking at this, due to my wifes pregnancy, with all the family calling. We can't afford the 2,000+ minute a month plans with verizon. (and no, I'm not switching to another provider, you get what you pay for with cell businesses) Her side of the family can't afford to call our cells regularly anyway. (long distance) So vonage and a virtual number or two sounded like a perfect solution. But like anywthing, it isn't a good deal if it works.

I thought that just this morning that it was $25 for their unlimited package now??? If so, that will kick ANY landline and most any cell program.

Donno, qwest is $20/mo unlimited at the moment. No 911 on many VoIP setups. etc.

with VoIP though there is no governmental regulation etc..

No 911 on many VoIP setups. etc.



That's what cell phones are for... :flipoff2:

That's what cell phones are for... :flipoff2:
It's something to consider ;)

It's something to consider ;)

For someone like me, it doesn't matter.

You can't hardly get emergency services to show up when called anyway. :rolleyes: :laughing:

I've had Vonage for over 4 months and we're getting ready to dump the POS.

First, I had the motorola box. This box is known for losing your caller id feature. Now I have a Linksys box. This is even worse. I keep dropping calls. This happens on almost every call.

Vonage tech support is one of the worst. Good luck if you want to try to contact a manager.... I'm getting ready to call them again......

Just waiting for someone else to offer VOip service so I can dump Vonage.

What is your internet connection provider? Your advertised line speed (do they call it "up to")? Have you tested it's upload capacity?

I'm just asking because when I hear descent about a service that I hear many others rave about. I just like to understand why.

Customer service - I haven't met a land line company yet that doesn't suck ass. So I would consider this not too much different as not all VoIP carriers carry the local area/prefix numbers I need.

I use packet8 VOIP service. Been happy with it for 5-6 months. I'm on a 3/256 cablemodem - I've stressed the upload while talking and had very little distortion. The packet 8 hardware/connection is also much better behind a NAT device than other devices.


http://www.packet8.net

I would/have recommended it to many people - just keep in mind it isn't quite as good as a lnadline for audio quality. More like a cel phone.


Nicholaus

I would/have recommended it to many people - just keep in mind it isn't quite as good as a lnadline for audio quality. More like a cel phone.


Nicholaus

Inadline?

That service also has Bremerton/Enumclaw numbers but is $5/mo cheaper. Hows their customer service been?

(All the others so far have been talking fast and pushy on the phone.)

What is your internet connection provider? Your advertised line speed (do they call it "up to")? Have you tested it's upload capacity?

I'm just asking because when I hear descent about a service that I hear many others rave about. I just like to understand why.

Customer service - I haven't met a land line company yet that doesn't suck ass. So I would consider this not too much different as not all VoIP carriers carry the local area/prefix numbers I need.

I use comcast cable modem. I don't have any problems with it.
Looks like Vonage is going to send me another box to try out.

If this does not fix it, I'm going back to a land line. I don't give a rats a$$ about the savings if I'm dropping calls all the time and I have to spend hours on tech support.

I have spend over 10 hours on the phone waiting and talking to tech support.
Their managers are impossible to find and some of their employees will lie to you....

So far, Vonage really SUCKS

if you run a speed test, what speeds are you getting out of your broadband connection?

I've got a coworker that is barely getting over what dialup would give him on the upload. :eek: And yes, that's comcast.

if you run a speed test, what speeds are you getting out of your broadband connection?

I've got a coworker that is barely getting over what dialup would give him on the upload. :eek: And yes, that's comcast.

How do I run a speed test?

Inadline?

That service also has Bremerton/Enumclaw numbers but is $5/mo cheaper. Hows their customer service been?

(All the others so far have been talking fast and pushy on the phone.)


Landline (sorry, fat-fingered it). Honestly, I've had no dealings with customer service from this company. A friend of mine ordered the service, so I got to try it out at his place.

I placed my order online, box arrived, activated online and I've been yakking away since.

How do I run a speed test?

One place is:
http://www.dslreports.com/stest

I'm running between 1600-2300kbps down, but more importantly, I'm getting about 233kbps up. 90kbps is required by vonage. (kbps is not kilobyte, it's kilobit, otherwise known as baud rate.) If you are just browsing the internet, posting here, etc. then you would probably never know if you had a crappy upload speed.

The problem with cable modem is it's very design. You are connected to what is called a node. Your bandwidth is shared by everyone else on the node. So, if you have a heavily utilitized node, you won't get as much bandwidth.

If the node isn't busy (comcast can tell you), and your transfer rate still sucks ass. Good luck, that's a battle with comcast that isn't easy. first, replace the cable for your cable modem in your house with a high grade, quad shield if you don't use that already. Use nothing less IMO. Then if it's still a problem, it's probably the line from your house to the pole, or the general condition of the lines in your neighborhood.

Along these lines, is also to check latency. Find out from vonage the server your VoIP adapter uses. from your PC do a ping -t <their servername>.

The responses should be below 100ms. If not, latency, could be a cause of your problems. Although I've read 300ms is a breaking point (typical latency for satellite). For a cable subscriber, you should be getting 50ms or less.