dockeryfan Posted June 14, 2011 Share Posted June 14, 2011 I have verizon for my home phone and they have had to come out 3x to fix it. Each time, I have to set aside time for them to fix their own problem. They never even have to come in the house. It's all repaired outside somehow...until it happens again and I lose dial tone. So I want to get VOIP and, if it works, I'll get rid of the verizon land line for good. Any personal stories to share? Who do you use, how long have you used it, etc. Have you ever had a problem? Thanks for helping. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pick6 Posted June 14, 2011 Share Posted June 14, 2011 We are actually getting these installed in my office this week. The switch will be made over the weekend and we will be up and runnning on Monday. I can let you know how it is working here next week. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dockeryfan Posted June 14, 2011 Author Share Posted June 14, 2011 We are actually getting these installed in my office this week. The switch will be made over the weekend and we will be up and runnning on Monday. I can let you know how it is working here next week. What kind of business? If this works at home I might consider changing it at work as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jpillian Posted June 14, 2011 Share Posted June 14, 2011 I've been using Ooma for the past year. $250 for the box that plugs into your home network, and then $11 a year after the first year. Haven't had any real problems. The wireless handset sort of sucks (poor features, poor range), but we live with it (we primarily use cell phones). You can plug it in to your home's internal wiring or another wireless phone system. Lots of online features. Especially if you pay for the premium service ($100/year). You can manage phone number blacklists, call logs, get your voicemails via email. We've been extremely happy with it to date. http://www.bestbuy.com/site/ooma+-+Telo+VoIP+Home+Phone+Service+-+Black/9511405.p?id=1218117369181&skuId=9511405 Disclaimer: Of course for VOIP you need broadband internet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mjah Posted June 14, 2011 Share Posted June 14, 2011 My wife and I both work from home. We have been using Comcast VoIP for about three solid years now for both home and work purposes. It works just as well as the conventional phone line(s) it replaced. When the Internet goes out, we do lose phone. But that's a real rarity, and we have about four layers of backup (cell phones, MiFi) just in case it's ever an issue. The same backups we'd have against the possibility of losing conventional phone access, actually. I've never been unable to make or receive an important call due to an outage. One thing I have noticed about VoIP is that it definitely adds a very, very subtle digitized sound to sustained tones. So when our little girls' grandfather calls and sings to them, "How ya doin'! Mah babiiiiiiiieeeeesss!", that last word sounds very subtly Autotuned. He's a professionally trained singer so he can hold a note very constant for a long period of time -- but the slight amount of fluctuation in that otherwise constant note makes the transmitted frequency of his voice get "stairstepped" up and down just a tiny bit. I'm the only one in the house who notices it, but I do find it really odd. (And in person, he does not sing like the post-production Black Eyed Peas so it ain't his normal voice!) As long as you aren't holding business conference calls where everyone converses via Wagnerian prima donna, I'd say choosing VoIP is a good step -- but only if your local Internet service is very reliable. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Corcaigh Posted June 14, 2011 Share Posted June 14, 2011 Currently experiencing a FIOS outage where I've lost Internet and phone. So I'm thinking about just cutting off the phone as we use it so rarely. We've used VOIP at work for several years and never had an issue. Even VOIP with GotoMeeting on a wireless connection has been just fine, but I don't know what the minimum bandwidth is to avoid quality problems. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rocky21 Posted June 14, 2011 Share Posted June 14, 2011 We have VOIP at work and it goes out far more frequently than a copper wire run from a giant wooden telphone pole overhead into a building. It is however I assume far less expensive. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TXREDSKINS44 Posted June 14, 2011 Share Posted June 14, 2011 I have been using the Magicjack for the past 4 years and have never had any issues. I can stream netflix and other heavy bandwidth stuff and the magicjack works just fine. I payed 50 bucks for 5 years of service. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DC_Skins Posted June 14, 2011 Share Posted June 14, 2011 I had the same issues with comast as you did, I switched to VONAGE and never had any issues plus no contract. http://www.vonage.com/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PokerPacker Posted June 14, 2011 Share Posted June 14, 2011 Who needs a home phone anyways? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dockeryfan Posted June 14, 2011 Author Share Posted June 14, 2011 Who needs a home phone anyways? Personally, I like having a home phone. I've always had one, and I don't like talking on a cell phone for more than 20 min. Damn thing gets too hot. (Plus the cancer...j/k) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Xameil Posted June 14, 2011 Share Posted June 14, 2011 I've used Vonage for at least 6 years, never had any issues. love it Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pedigroove Posted June 14, 2011 Share Posted June 14, 2011 I have the magicJack at home and it is great. I got tired of verizon and only have internet with them. No issues at all with MagicJack. $40 for the first year and $20 each additional year. can't beat it. We also have VOIP with my job in a call center and we don't have any issues. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RememberOsaka Posted June 14, 2011 Share Posted June 14, 2011 I switched over all 3 of my offices to VOIP about a year ago and the reliability and functionality has been nothing short of amazing. Not to mention that I went from $900/month to $300/month and every inbound and outbound call is recorded by date and length of call by user in our online portal. Great tool for managing the business. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
More Complete Posted June 15, 2011 Share Posted June 15, 2011 I would love to switch to VOIP, my only concern is keeping my number. I've had it for so long that I don't want to change it. Do any of these services allow you to keep your current phone number? Also, what about emergency calls? Is the number tied to your address and traceable if god forbid you have to call 911? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.