Best VoIP?

[Sammy]

I have had Vonage for over three years now and they have raised my rate for the 500 minute plan by $3/month for each of two lines. One of the lines actually was ported over three months ago on a promotion for $10/month for unlimitted minutes but that has expired and they want another $10 to change it to the 500 minute plan. So I am ready to port again because they are pissing me off on this. Might as well get screwed by at&t rather than them.

I am looking at going with viatalk for a two line, single number phone at $200/year for unlimitted minutes. Anybody have any experience with them or have recommendations for another VoIP service provider?

Also, the broadband to telephone converter is apparently locked to them. I paid for this device. Does anybody have knowledge of how to unlock it so I can use it with another provider as I don't appreciate companies thinking that they can own a device that I paid for.

Any help or recommedations are greatly appreciated.

[Sammy]

Anyone? Bueler?

[dadkins]

Have you seen ooma?

http://www.ooma.com/

Looks interesting...

[Sammy]

Do you use it? One time charge of $40 for porting a number? How does that business model pay for CS and telephone switching and connection to land lines on the other end?

[Sammy]

I didn't see this at first:
"Buy the award-winning ooma Hub™ for the one-time price of $249.99." That plus $40 to port over brings it up to almost $300.

[dadkins]

Originally Posted by Sammy

I didn't see this at first:
"Buy the award-winning ooma Hub™ for the one-time price of $249.99." That plus $40 to port over brings it up to almost $300.

Keep reading... no monthly bills.

*One Time Price" - means... ?

No, I have Comcast Digital Voice.
Doesn't rely on internet to work.

[Sammy]

I had the same thing with Charter CATV a while back. It used a separate modem that hogged up a rather big chunk of my desk space. Not using my bandwidth, per se, but still using up their system capacity from my house to their switch box from coax to fibre. I really don't think that a phone call uses up much of my available bandwidth.

[phlydude]

Whatever you deside to do, be sure that if you port your number OFF of Vonage that you tell them to cancel your account - they love to charge your credit card for a service that you don't have a phone line linked to

[Sammy]

Due to other reasons my CC was no longer valid with Vonage, so I only paid for one month of service today, but thanks for the heads up. Vonage has now proceded to p!ss me off to no end. Over two hours on the phone with (non)CS. The wont even try to close the $300 gap over the next two years between what they charge and what Viatalk charges. So they are not going to be getting any more $$ from me. They can take thair penny stock and shove it. Delisted last fall and $0.33 today. YouWho ad program has put Tons of debt on Vonage's books and they can crash and burn as far as I am concerned. They need to get serious about customer retention, which they have proven today that they are not. So now they lost another small bit of their revenue stream today. All those little bits add up to serious cash (flow problems).

[Halcro 1]

I have T-Mobile 10bux a month ... 3 monthe no issues had to reboot modem 2x thats it.... 50 bux for the router no extra fees ....

[Halcro 1]

Originally Posted by dadkins

Have you seen ooma?

http://www.ooma.com/

Looks interesting...

Looks like crap to me 40 to port a number ... Then they say you dont need a computer ... OK but I still need a ISP ..... stupid 300 bux T-Mobile 60 dollar modem and 10 a month .. First month free cant beat it

[dadkins]

Originally Posted by Halcro 1

Looks like crap to me 40 to port a number ... Then they say you dont need a computer ... OK but I still need a ISP ..... stupid 300 bux T-Mobile 60 dollar modem and 10 a month .. First month free cant beat it

$10 a month with 2-year contract provided you have a qualifying T-Mobile plan ($39.99 standard plan or $49.99 FamilyTime plan), plus $49 for the T-Mobile @Home HiPort Linksys Wireless Router.

http://www.t-mobileathome.com/#/about-at-home.aspx

That per month is actually $39.99(required) *PLUS* $10 per month.

Yeah...

[Halcro 1]

Originally Posted by dadkins

$10 a month with 2-year contract provided you have a qualifying T-Mobile plan ($39.99 standard plan or $49.99 FamilyTime plan), plus $49 for the T-Mobile @Home HiPort Linksys Wireless Router.

http://www.t-mobileathome.com/#/about-at-home.aspx

That per month is actually $39.99(required) *PLUS* $10 per month.

Yeah...

I have their cell phone already . So Its no big deal to me and 50 for a router not bad it you dont have one already .I had a router sold it ... And If my cell contract expires before the home phone .. I can dump cell plan and keep home plan for as long as I want ... So maybe I should have said If youre an existing T-Mobile customer the 10 dollar a month plan is a good deal ... Happy Now ..I just cant see paying 250 for a box ... Do you have it ??? then maybe you can give us a review ....Maybe the Magic Jack people should chime in I know people who have it and like it .. But you would probabally bash that also

[Sammy]

Originally Posted by Halcro 1

I have their cell phone already . So Its no big deal to me and 50 for a router not bad it you dont have one already .I had a router sold it ... And If my cell contract expires before the home phone .. I can dump cell plan and keep home plan for as long as I want ... So maybe I should have said If youre an existing T-Mobile customer the 10 dollar a month plan is a good deal ... Happy Now ..I just cant see paying 250 for a box ... Do you have it ??? then maybe you can give us a review ....Maybe the Magic Jack people should chime in I know people who have it and like it .. But you would probabally bash that also

I am not at T-Mobile customer and don't plan on switching anytime soon as I like my Helio by Virgin Mobile.

BTW you can get a wireless router for WAY less at monoprice or newegg or amazon or just about anywhere. You don't need their router to get the VoIP do you?

[dadkins]

Originally Posted by Halcro 1

I have their cell phone already . So Its no big deal to me and 50 for a router not bad it you dont have one already .I had a router sold it ... And If my cell contract expires before the home phone .. I can dump cell plan and keep home plan for as long as I want ... So maybe I should have said If youre an existing T-Mobile customer the 10 dollar a month plan is a good deal ... Happy Now ..I just cant see paying 250 for a box ... Do you have it ??? then maybe you can give us a review ....Maybe the Magic Jack people should chime in I know people who have it and like it .. But you would probabally bash that also

Yeah, you should have.
For us non T-Mobile customers, it would be $49.99 per month.
@ $50 per month, that adds up real fast doesn't it?

Even at $250 for the box, it comes out cheaper than your T-Mobile service.

You tore appart my post, but that's ok, huh?
If you go back and read my post, it says - clearly... "Looks interesting".
That would mean that no, I do not have it.

Two posts later, you can see:
"No, I have Comcast Digital Voice."

Anything else you wish to attack?

[Halcro 1]

Originally Posted by Sammy

I am not at T-Mobile customer and don't plan on switching anytime soon as I like my Helio by Virgin Mobile.

BTW you can get a wireless router for WAY less at monoprice or newegg or amazon or just about anywhere. You don't need their router to get the VoIP do you?

Wow helio is Virgin mobile?? were they always Vurgin ?? I had them when they first came out , Didnt like Helio at all.. And yes you need the T-Mobile router for their service ... Bummer

[camper]

I've been using Magic Jack for almost 9 months now, no problems. Cost me $100 for a 5 year plan or something. Kept my landline, just basic service to get incoming calls with and in case of power outtage.

camper

[Rob71]

Originally Posted by camper

I've been using Magic Jack for almost 9 months now, no problems. Cost me $100 for a 5 year plan or something. Kept my landline, just basic service to get incoming calls with and in case of power outtage.

camper

Been seeing their ads a lot lately and have been thinking of trying them out. I think as far as price goes they are going to be hard to beat.

[camper]

Originally Posted by Rob71

Been seeing their ads a lot lately and have been thinking of trying them out. I think as far as price goes they are going to be hard to beat.

As long as you have cable modem service or better (I think DSL is too low) and a computer you're willing to leave on all the time, it's a good deal. I bought a spare desktop JUST to run the USB device from geeks.com, a KVM switch, 4 handset pack of cordless phones, and a powered USB hub for around $250....in just 6 months, I've recouped all those costs plust the magic jack by cutting my long distance (the unlmited) plan down to just a dialtone & unlisted number. My phone bill used to be about $80 a month and now it's down to $25.

I was skeptical of it, but it really works well. Only as good as your ISP though, if that's down a lot expect your phone to be too. But that's voip in general.

camper