best benefit of using VOIP phone service....

[mike_c]

Another post just reminded me of one of the things I like best about my VOIP phone service. I've used Vonage as my only phone service for a year and a half now, and I have not received one single unsolicited phone call since the day I disconnected my SBC land line. Not one.

[napi21]

1. I would love to sign up with Vonage and dump Bell South, but

I can't depend on my broadband service. We are SLOWLY working out the problems, but it would go out every time it rained! If all I had was vonage, I couldn't even call them to report it!

I have Charter Cable and now that I've gotten the sell phone numbers of the Field Supervisor and the District Supervisor, they are at least heading in the right direction to correct the problem, but it's not done yet.

I've been told that Charter is planning on offering phone service in about a year and to be able to do that, they have to have pure clean lines. If they get there, for sure I'll sign up.

[durrrty libby]

2. Thanks for the tip

I have been thinking of looking into Vonage. I’d like to know more about it from a customer’s viewpoint.

[MazeRat7]

3. No thanks... you forget one small detail "power"

One of the key components of your basic "land line" is it is designed to provide service when there is no power on the local electric grid. Cell towers and broadband do not meet that standard. So for now... I am keeping my land line, since having a working phone in times of emergency is far more valuable than anything the others provide.

MZr7

edit: some cell provders do provide limited backup power to their towers.. its just not a "requirement".

[mike_c]

4. hey, that's a requirement that I've NEVER needed...

...so sacrificing it for lower phone bills, free long distance, and NO UNSOLICITED CALLS was an easy loss to endure. For what's it's worth, I'm not selling anything-- just noting one of the reasons I'm glad I dumped the telco.

on edit-- electricity goes out all the time up here on the north coast, but that's hardly an "emergency."

[OneBlueSky]

5. I just switched my phone service to Optimum Online . . .

and they offer reasonably priced battery backups for times when the power goes out . . . planning on buying one soon . . .