Vonage anybody?

[rr2465]

I'm wondering if anybody has tried Vonage as their primary phone in your house. I have a cell phone for emergencies (power outage when the internet might be down) but I'm wondering if anbody has any opinions on Vonage service? $14.99/month doesn't sound too bad for 500 minutes of local and long distance phone service. I'm paying $34.99/month from MCI right now. Any advice?

Thanks in advance,

Rob

 

[jonnythan]

I don't have it, but I know people who do and they are quite pleased. Just like a normal phone.

If you have cable, check to see if your cable company offers a similar service. Phone service from the cable company is the same thing as Vonage, except service, repair, installation, and support will be easier thanks to the local presence of the cable company... and you won't have two companies trying to blame each other for problems

 

[Audioholics]

I use it as my home phone with no problems... The only downside is that the Feds got ahold of them and now with taxes it's about the same as a regular line... except that I get the call waiting, forwarding, etc for free.

 

[warhummer]

Told Verizon to stuff it two years ago and haven't looked back since. I disconnected the incoming phone wiring at the box outside the house so I could power all the phone jacks in the house with the VoIP modem.

 

[warhummer]

If you have cable, check to see if your cable company offers a similar service. Phone service from the cable company is the same thing as Vonage, except service, repair, installation, and support will be easier thanks to the local presence of the cable company... and you won't have two companies trying to blame each other for problems

Except I've found the cable companies to charge just as much as the traditional land-line telephone companies.

 

[stratman]

Curious, how does their 911 work? I keep seeing the disclaimer at the bottom of the commercials that it doesn't work like regular 911.

 

[rr2465]

Thanks

Thanks for the responses friends.

Re: 911 - from what I understand you won't be able to dial 911 if the power goes out. If electricity is out, your cable modem can't work and you won't be able to make any calls. I figure that I can use the cell phone if that happens.

I'm looking at Vonage vs a company called Sunrocket. They are a tad cheaper and there are no setup fees. In any case it's a good experiment to try something new and get away from the phone company and all of the associated fees (thats what really steams me). Thanks for the advice.

Rob

 

[aarond]

I had terrible service and worse customer service. Never got a clear connection. Could never get it resolved. Try to cancel and it was little harder than quitting AOL used to be. I now have Time Warner cable phone with no problems. It does cost more but I can complete calls now.

 

[jonnythan]

A lot of people buy a cheap UPS from Best Buy or Circuit City or similar in order to keep their cable modem and router up during a power outage. If you do this, your phone will still work while the power is out. Even a small UPS can power these devices for quite some time.

 

[naisphoo]

Go with Sunrockets, they are good and a bit cheaper than Vonage....I have them. Their $19.99 a month plan is basically the same as Vonage $24.99, plus you get 100 minutes each month of international call as bonus. That is great for me as my family lives in Europe. When I signed up a few months ago, I paid $199.99 upfront for 15 months, so really it's a good deal. It was easy to install their equipment and I think if I remembered it was free. You'll like it.

 

[rr2465]

Sunrocket

Yes, I've come across Sunrocket. They are offering $199 for 15 months right now. But after the 15 months, then what? Will they charge me again? Will other offers be available? I am definately leaning in this direction though...

Any comments on customer service?

 

[naisphoo]

After 15 months then back to the $19.99/month. Customer service is top rated. When I received their equipment, I called them for help. Their reps are very nice and helped me promptly. No complain at all. I can't be any happier. This is the best phone plan out there bar none!

 

[riceaterslc]

i use vonage also. it is especially convinient making calls back to the US, without having the long distance fees from korea to the wife back home.
i haven't heard anything about sunrocket before, but that seems to be a heck of a deal. you may also want to check out Skype. a bunch of my buddies use it as opposed to vonage and are pretty happy with the service.

 

[sholling]

I Had Vonage for a year. The $25 "unlimited plan" and had good luck for the first year. Tech support these day is strictly from India and totally clueless - a zero on the 1 to 10 scale. I had months long reboot your router monthly outranges after a year. The problem in my opinion is that they need to get down to where you need one open port for reliability, not every port known to man.

These days Verizon offers unlimited calls for $5 less with 90% of the features to their DSL customers when you factor in the DSL and mandatory land line fee.

Please note that for most companies unlimited calling equals a maximum average of 3,000 minutes per month. I've spoken with a man that claimed that Vonage riquired him to maintain 3 accounts because his three daughters talked too much (~8000min/mo). Still a bargain I' think and it worked out well for him.

I'd just like to see our 100% bought and paid off FCC require more honesty in the minutes per month vs reality. But I understand that such reality could seriously cut into a regulator’s post government income. Leave office and collect a 100k plus consulting gig requiring maybe a phone call a year of your time, all for selling out the American public until replaced. What a cheap investment.

It should be a 30yr stay for anyone that for 10 years after leaving office takes a dime from those they were to regulate. As it is they go from public life to selling out the public and a nice retirement. For a price? The two border patrol agents being sent to jail for doing their jobs and stopping a drug smuggler is a perfect example. The case in my opinion shows US attorneys on the payroll of drug smugglers