Vonage

[Buckman]

What's the scoop with this type of phone system(Vonage)? Does anybody out there use one of these VOIP systems. Or is it to good to be true. I mean how the heck do they connect you with the phone number your dialing thru the internet? :shrug:

Any insight is welcome.

Take care

Bucky

 

[Nick Douglas]

I don't want to get too technical, but it essentially works because the packet based backbone of the internet and the public switch telephone network (PSTN) are both owned by the same telecommunications companies (Sprint, SBC, Verizon, etc.) What that means is that they can tag a certain IP address (packet based) to a traditional phone number (telephone network) and route your calls properly.

Here are things you want to consider: 1) You can't dial 911 from a VoIP phone the same way you can from a PSTN phone, 2) VoIP offers far more ways to enhance voice communications because it is packet based. What I am talking about are things like voice messages, sending data with voice, etc.

I only have a cell phone so I use neither service, but from what I have seen with VoIP phones, people really use the enhanced features and rarely rue the loss of 911 calling. If I were going to get a land line, it would be VoIP.

 

[bsucards]

I

Here are things you want to consider: 1) You can't dial 911 from a VoIP phone the same way you can from a PSTN phone, 2) VoIP offers far more ways to enhance voice communications because it is packet based. What I am talking about are things like voice messages, sending data with voice, etc.

I only have a cell phone so I use neither service, but from what I have seen with VoIP phones, people really use the enhanced features and rarely rue the loss of 911 calling. If I were going to get a land line, it would be VoIP.

I am pretty sure they have the 911 thing in VOIP figured out and most VOIP have it now.

Here is a link from Vonage:
http://vonage.com/features.php?feature=911

 

[dawgball]

I don't know if the link above says this, but I am sure it does. You can dial 911 from a VoIP phone, but the emergency service does not automatically know your location like they do with a land line. I think this drawback would come into play very rarely and would not be an issue for most potential clients.

I, personally, think Vonage charges way too much. I think waiting a little while on this technology will prove to be cost-beneficial.

If you have high-speed internet, you can use much cheaper services by calling through your computer. I use this to call international clients all of the time, and there has been no degradation of service that I can see.

 

[Franky Wright]

Dawgball,
We are thinking about getting rid of one of our two land lines, since we all have cell phones, and with the new packages, alot cheaper
Anyways, we dont call overseas, and rarely throughout the US, (would use cell if we did) so do you know which internet phone companies that are cheapest, I could check out? We have broadband!
Thanks :mj14:
Franky
P.S. By the way, nice ass whooping your dawgs put on my Badgers :cursin: :mj07: