VoIP/Vonage - WOW!
 

This is really great and inexpensive technology. Vonage is $14.99 a mo for 500 min and $24.99 for unlimited service in the US and Canada. No further need for a land line nor long distance provider.
The Vonage router is larger than it needs to be (I guess to accomodate the many ports), but weighs only a few gms and when I take it to MX, Europe, etc. I get free calls to the US and Canada.
Surely there must be a downside other than the obvious power failure (cell phone back up).
Has anyone had negative experiences?
M

I can't speak about Vonage specifically, but in general I've been completely underwhelmed by VoIP technology. Also, if one is already paying for a broadband IP connection, charging extra for VoIP is a scam. There's little if any additional overhead involved with VoIP.

I've heard that billing can be a nightmre with Vonage, too, although I don't know specifics. My brother (lives in the UK) tried the service and finally gave up because his credit card was billed incorrectly over and over again.

fdecarlo,
Please elaborate as I just transferred to vonage, live with my SO who has SBC DSL and I now connect via wireless IP, but have my own tel # and I'll soon be in my MX house with free US/Canada service. A new land line with SBC here in DFW would have been ridiculous.
Are you employed in the dying baby bell
companies?
Many thanks.
M

mikemo: no, I'm not employed by a baby bell.

The VoIP systems I've tried have had latency problems, either occasionally or usually. The other drawback is, when the network is down one loses voice capability as well.

FYI - the new Consumer Reports for February has a review of five VoIP services,including Vonage.

I have no idea how the VoIP's handle 911 service.

I wouldn't drop my land line for a cell phone due to 911 service. I'd hate to stand there watching my house burn down with a dead cell phone I forgot to recharge in my hand.

Maple,
Thanks, my redirected copy of CR arrived today.
I am most impressed by my ability to take the router to MX and have unlimited free calling to the US and Canada.
Hard to bill something greater than the 500 min $14.99 or unlimited $24.99 monthly charges and not get a decline charge call from me to my CC company.
M

We use Vonage at my office in the Dutch West Indies. When we first hooked up we had some problems with the service fazing in and out which was really annoying during a conversation. I think we had innappropriate routers installed, however, because it's been pretty clear lately ever since our routers were changed.

It typically costs an arm and a leg for us to call the US, or vice versa, so it's been really nice that my employer encourages me to use the service at work. Not only can I call my family free of charge, they can call me by using the Florida telephone number provided and it doesn't cost them a dime, either.

The wireless internet service has also improved recently and is faster and has less problems than our local provider.

I was really skeptical with this service at first due to the kinks that we didn't have worked out, but I think it's quite good now. I would get the service at home, as well, but in order to use it here overseas we have to invest in a rather expensive dish. I may end up doing it eventually, though.

Having been through 2 hurricanes, 2 ice storms, and 2 blizzards in which we lost power for more than a week, I would never give up my land phone. It was the one thing that either never went out or came back within a day or two. Cable, by contrast (which is how I have internet connection), was out in one case a week longer than the power. And although I'd never give up my cell phone either, I remember what happened on 9/11 when many of us were trying to get in touch with relatives, not only in NYC but across the country. DS had Vonage for 6 months and gave it up happily for the quirkiness of connection and service.

Redundancy is a virtue when it comes to absolutely critical facilities.

Statia,
I'm taking it to MX in mid Jan. and I expect the same experience.
Cassandra,
Things have been more geographically stable in SMdA, MX for centuries, but one never knows.
My, and my neighborhood's land lines were down for nearly three weeks in Sept/Oct.
Thanks for all the comments.
M

Cell phones have just been introduced on the island where we live during the past couple of weeks and my husband keeps trying to get me to get one and give up the land line because local calls are free on the cell (we pay per minute for them on the land line).

Personally, I don't really want a cell phone, but I also agree that I don't think I could ever feel good about giving up my land line completely. I like to know that I am "hooked up," so to speak, if need be.

Mike, be sure to report back how Vonage works in Mexico.