Vonage Who's using it?

[yostevo 0]

Pros/Cons

 

What say ye?

[bostonlager 2,664]

I don't even have a landline. I just use a cel.

[Sho Nuff 720]

When we moved I almost got it because I was fed up with Bell South wanting to change our phone number if I became a new subscriber to the Dish/Phone/DSL package.

Comcast is not offering the digital voice yet in our new neighborhood.

 

Thought about the switch...then was reading about it. I did not want to phone to be just based off of the cable modem and basically have useless telephone plugs everywhere (if I read things correctly...I could be wrong).

 

Just said screw it and stuck with Bell South until Comcast gets the phone package available.

[yostevo 0]

When we moved I almost got it because I was fed up with Bell South wanting to change our phone number if I became a new subscriber to the Dish/Phone/DSL package.

Comcast is not offering the digital voice yet in our new neighborhood.

 

Thought about the switch...then was reading about it. I did not want to phone to be just based off of the cable modem and basically have useless telephone plugs everywhere (if I read things correctly...I could be wrong).

 

Just said screw it and stuck with Bell South until Comcast gets the phone package available.

 

At half the price of my current phone company, those little focking phone jacks can collect all the dust they wish.

[Wildman 0]

I use it. I've been using it for nearly two years. Very few problems. Occassionally the cable connection goes down (once a month?) for a short period (maybe an hour or two at most--generally only 15-20 minutes though) and you lose phone connectivity, but you can forward the calls to another phone. I used to laugh when the kids friends would unexpectantly get my office phone (so I knew the phone would be down). It doesn't last very long.

 

I can't imagine why I would use another type of land line at this point. Inexpensive and really no problems at all. Took a little bit to wire everything up, but considering I'm probably middle of the road when it comes to being tech savvy, that's no big deal. My mom is not tech savvy at all, and she recently wired Vonage up herself without any questions directed to me.

 

It's worth it...

[Franknbeans 46]

Have it. Love it. Verizon is a bunch of ass rapers.

[Sho Nuff 720]

At half the price of my current phone company, those little focking phone jacks can collect all the dust they wish.

 

After a thorough biotchfest...its not that much more to keep Bell South right now...

[Strike 5,488]

 

 

Thought about the switch...then was reading about it. I did not want to phone to be just based off of the cable modem and basically have useless telephone plugs everywhere (if I read things correctly...I could be wrong).

 

 

You do have it somewhat wrong. Here's what you do. You disconnect your regular phone service wherever it attaches to your home. Then you run a phone cable from the Vonage router to a phone jack in your house. Generally, you'll find that all jacks in a home are wired in parallel. In other words, when you plug the vonage in to one jack it hooks them ALL up to vonage. So you can use all the jacks in the home with vonage just like your old phone service.

[yostevo 0]

I use it. I've been using it for nearly two years. Very few problems. Occassionally the cable connection goes down (once a month?) for a short period (maybe an hour or two at most--generally only 15-20 minutes though) and you lose phone connectivity, but you can forward the calls to another phone. I used to laugh when the kids friends would unexpectantly get my office phone (so I knew the phone would be down). It doesn't last very long.

 

I can't imagine why I would use another type of land line at this point. Inexpensive and really no problems at all. Took a little bit to wire everything up, but considering I'm probably middle of the road when it comes to being tech savvy, that's no big deal. My mom is not tech savvy at all, and she recently wired Vonage up herself without any questions directed to me.

 

It's worth it...

 

Thanks for the info. Would you say the sound quality is comparable, better or worse? Free calls to Canada and to some European countries is pretty greta. The wife is greek and .07 cents a minute to the those goat herders is also greta.

[edjr 6,580]

We use it at work and it is pitiful. All we do is forward the vonage # to another #.

[Strike 5,488]

Thanks for the info. Would you say the sound quality is comparable, better or worse? Free calls to Canada and to some European countries is pretty greta. The wife is greek and .07 cents a minute to the those goat herders is also greta.

 

I've heard people complain about the sound quality on occasion, but I haven't seen it. It's worked well for me. Also, you can adjust the sound quality by telling vonage how much of your bandwidth to use. I use the default, which is in the middle of the scale, and I've got no complaints.

[Wildman 0]

Thanks for the info. Would you say the sound quality is comparable, better or worse? Free calls to Canada and to some European countries is pretty greta. The wife is greek and .07 cents a minute to the those goat herders is also greta.

 

Very little difference. Sometimes you have a little issue here and there if the cable is acting up, but really nothing. I'm doing a fair amount of weekly phone interviews/radio broadcasts using this line during the season and have no issues with sound quality.

 

I don't know about the Eurpoean calls, unfortunately don't know anyone overseas to try it. But domestically speaking, no issues whatsoever. If your cable company is reliable, you'll be fine. It's a bargain, IMO.

[yostevo 0]

Wow. The reviews on this are pretty pathetic. Granted, most of time when people feel compelled to review a product it's usually because they want to b!tch, but man o man this is an alarming # of people crying about the customer dis-service.

 

http://reviews.cnet.com/Vonage/4852-3535_7...rd=&tag=nav

[Strike 5,488]

I convinced a buddy to get Vonage after they came out with the free european calls, cause he is from Ireland. He's lovin' it

[edjr 6,580]

I've heard people complain about the sound quality on occasion, but I haven't seen it. It's worked well for me. Also, you can adjust the sound quality by telling vonage how much of your bandwidth to use. I use the default, which is in the middle of the scale, and I've got no complaints.

 

 

They need to use QoS, Quality of Service. Where the router can specificy an amount of bandwitch for VoIP.

 

We have VoIP at work with no QoS and it FOCKING SUCKS!!!!!

 

I think the newer technology comes with QoS, or you can maybe get a router with QoS.

 

anyway, if you have VoIP and the connection sucks, ask them about getting QoS

[Strike 5,488]

They need to use QoS, Quality of Service. Where the router can specificy an amount of bandwitch for VoIP.

 

We have VoIP at work with no QoS and it FOCKING SUCKS!!!!!

 

I think the newer technology comes with QoS, or you can maybe get a router with QoS.

 

anyway, if you have VoIP and the connection sucks, ask them about getting QoS

 

Earlier, you said you have vonage at work and it sucks. Now it's just generic VOIP? Which is it? And if it's vonage, have you gone and adjusted the amount of bandwidth they use to maximum to see if that resolves the issues you're having?

[edjr 6,580]

Earlier, you said you have vonage at work and it sucks. Now it's just generic VOIP? Which is it? And if it's vonage, have you gone and adjusted the amount of bandwidth they use to maximum to see if that resolves the issues you're having?

 

 

We have a vonage #, which is forwarded to a VoIP #.

 

It's both VoIP, they BOTH suck. QoS is the only answer and it's on the way.

[Lionsjunkie 1]

I use Lingo...same concept and same results, goes down every now and then.

 

But for $24/month with unlimited long distance calls (incl Canada), I gotta keep it.

 

No landline.

[edjr 6,580]

I use Lingo...same concept and same results, goes down every now and then.

 

But for $24/month with unlimited long distance calls (incl Canada), I gotta keep it.

 

No landline.

 

I have no need to call canada and I pay 85 a month for my and my gf's cell phones. i can't see any reason for ever needing a land line. I havent had one since 99, cept that one month I tried VoIP and didn't like it.

[Voice_Of_Reason 0]

When I move next month, I'm ditching Vonage. 50% of all callers say they I break up when talking. I have experienced this when calling my home from my cell.

 

My wife hates Vonage too.

 

I have a high speed cable modem with no problems. But Vonage doesn't seem to like it.

[mmmmm...beer 803]

When I move next month, I'm ditching Vonage. 50% of all callers say they I break up when talking. I have experienced this when calling my home from my cell.

 

My wife hates Vonage too.

 

I have a high speed cable modem with no problems. But Vonage doesn't seem to like it.

 

 

I've had it for a week now with no major problems. Sound quality is great. Only small complaint is sometimes the wife's work answering system doesn't hear the numbers I punch in for her extension?

 

But since my phone bill with Qwest for regular service was $30 + a million little focking taxes and an additional $25 for unlimited long distance + a million little focking taxes = about $60 bucks a month for regular focking phone.

 

I'm saving quite a bit per month like $30 something and getting quite a few more options.

 

I'd say I'd switch again to Vonage.