VOIP

[Cutter John]

I've just moved in with a friend who doesn't have a phone in the house (he uses his cell). Since I rarely make phone calls anymore I really don't want to bother with a monthly bill, so I've been looking into trying out internet phone service. Anyone used it? Good? Bad? Indifferent? I could sure use some advice at this point.

 

[Mr. Laser Beam]

Why not get a prepaid cell of your own?

 

[JonathonWally]

I can't speak for using VOIP to Landline calls, but I know Skype to Skype calls are incredible now.

Years ago it was such crap, then recently I installed it again and now it's clearer than a landline, I was amazed.

 

[Small White Car]

If you really need a landline, using Skype (for a landline, not computer to computer) seems to be one popular way I hear a lot about.

Vonage is the other one I hear a lot about.

That's all I know, I've never tried either one.

 

[Bears Discover Fire]

It's good if you have a reliable hi-speed cable connection. If your cable goes out, you're screwed. You won't even be able to call your cable company to repair your connection unless you have a back up phone.

Other than that, I think its a good value.

Bears (has a Vonage account)

 

[Mr. Laser Beam]

I get my phone service through my cable company, though it is *not* VOIP. I still enjoy the service, though. It's cheap and reliable.

 

[Kryton]

We've been a Vonage customer family going on 3 years now. The only time it's ever been an issue is during really intensive download and/or upload times on the computer. Otherwise, it's just like any other landline-type phone.

 

[Cutter John]

Hmmm, I'll have a look a Skype. (hadn't considered a pre-paid, I'll have to have a look) I had been looking at this.
Basically I just want a phone for emergencies(I'm at home alone during the day), the ocassional lunch date, or if work needs to get in touch. Otherwise I just use email.

 

[Spot's Meow]

I had a prepaid cell phone (Virgin Mobile) for a while, it was nice if you don't make a lot of calls. You had to buy a $20 card for it every three months to keep it active and each call was like 15 cents a minute or something. This was about five years ago, so I'm sure it's all changed by now, but you should check it out.

 

[SmoothieX]

Vonage is one of the best things I've ever done. I've had it nearly 5 years now. It's great. You'd never know it wasn't a hardline. It gets wonky maybe twice a year tops, and if that happens just use your cellphone.

It's great, because my wife and I both have almost all our friends/family way out of state. And It's nice to be able to call the folks at 3 PM on a Tuesday and know you aren't going to pay anymore for it.

Why traditional phone companies are still in business boggles my mind.

 

[jkladis]

I get my phone service through my cable company, though it is *not* VOIP. I still enjoy the service, though. It's cheap and reliable.

We've had this discussion already. It is VoIP, they're just not branding it that way.

 

[Crusher Disciple]

For those of you who are using Skype or Vonage, who do you get your internet from? I have AT&T bundled internet and phone, and I'm trying to find a cheaper alternative.

 

[Mr. Laser Beam]

I get my phone service through my cable company, though it is *not* VOIP. I still enjoy the service, though. It's cheap and reliable.

We've had this discussion already. It is VoIP, they're just not branding it that way.

No, it isn't. Cox VOIP isn't using the public Internet for their service. They're using their own private network.

Don't believe me? It's from Cox's own fact sheet, right here.

Specifically:

Despite common misconceptions, Cox Digital Telephone is not an Internet telephone service. Rather, in some markets, it uses Internet Protocol (IP) technology to transport phone calls over its private, managed IP-based data network, never traversing the public Internet or even requiring a broadband connection.

If Cox phone service was VOIP, you would of course have to have broadband in order to use it. You don't.

 

[Arrqh]

VOIP has nothing to do with the "public Internet." It says right there in the bit you quoted that they use IP technology to transport voice data and therefore is by definition Voice over IP. That's all the term means.

 

[TorontoTrekker]

I can't speak for using VOIP to Landline calls, but I know Skype to Skype calls are incredible now.

Years ago it was such crap, then recently I installed it again and now it's clearer than a landline, I was amazed.

This is how my boyfriend and I talk - and we can even see each other, as we both have webcams. I highly recommend it. He just got a new computer, and now it's almost like we're in the same room.

For regular (non-video) calls, I have no idea if there's a charge, but we don't have to pay anything for our video chats. (I'm not sure what their business model is or how they make money, but obviously they do.)

 

[Maestro]

We're using magicJack and are quite pleased. Our interwebs is just shy of a MB, so as long as we're not doing any heavy surfing or that which cannot be discussed, we're fine.