fearlessfosdick
join:2001-08-22
Stamford, CT
| Thinking of leaving VT for PhonePower. Any thoughts?
My $199/2nd year free contract is almost up.
I've been somewhat happy w/VT but have had many issues over the two years.
I've heard that some users are happy with PhonePower. They seem to have similar features and use the same GrandStream ATA.
And w/PP I can get the same 2nd-year-free deal that I originally got from VT. My understanding is that VT won't give the same deal to existing users. Is that correct.
Are there any issues/problems with canceling VT service? Do I have to return the ATA?
Have you had any experience with PP?
Any thoughts/experiences would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks,
FF |
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dcurrey
Premium
join:2004-06-29
 ·ViaTalk
| Best you can get is 18 months for $199 plus whatever taxes. You will have to submit a trouble ticket to get a ballpark figure on that. With most it averages about to around $16 a month for the term. Your millage may very.
You can keep the ata but they will bill you $50 for it.
Cancellations can only be done via trouble ticket. |
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magilladke
join:2005-12-07
Collegeville, PA
| reply to fearlessfosdick
I'm actually in the process of moving from ViaTalk to PP. I had a ton of problems w/ViaTalk over the past 2 years. I switched to month-to-month during the transition since my contract just ran out. I have BYOD so this "should" make things easier.
If your happy w/Viatalk I'd think about staying some more. I like the idea, just hasn't worked out for me.
Good luck. |
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chemie
join:2005-01-01
Midland, MI | reply to fearlessfosdick
I am up in July and want to test drive another one. Phonepower or VOIPO? Which one? |
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dcurrey
Premium
join:2004-06-29
·ViaTalk
2 edits | Haven't tried Phonepower but for me Voipo was a major disappointment.
I am thinking with my average usage for the last 4 months at 316 minutes outbound and 1218 inbound minutes in I might be able to go with Call Centric. I would need the pay as you go outbound and unlimited inbound would shave a dollar or two off what VT would bill me. Not too excited about having to watch the clock so to speak.
Major concern with CC is I want outbound and inbound callerid with name. Think they only offer inbound and they just started doing that.
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nitecourt
join:2004-10-19
Erie, PA
·ViaTalk
 ·RoadRunner Cable
| reply to fearlessfosdick
When I decided to switch providers I created a virtual credit card number that had enough credit for 3 months of taxes and fees. After my number ported away from ViaTalk I packed the ATA and everything that came with it in the original box. I even included my original welcome letter and scratched out the temp number ViaTalk assigned and wrote the number I ported away. I sent it Priority Mail, like they sent it, in the same shipping box. A few days later I received support ticket via email saying they received my request to cancel. I had to verify the 1st 2 and last 4 of my current credit card on file. After I did that it was cancelled. I had the $199/2nd year plus the SunRocket contract buyout. My service was set to end/renew in October.
I've never tried PP. |
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burris
Premium
join:2000-08-22
Miami, FL
·VOIPo
 ·AT&T Southeast
·ViaTalk
| reply to chemie
said by chemie  :I am up in July and want to test drive another one. Phonepower or VOIPO? Which one? I vote for VOIPo since it works so well for me.. |
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CyberSultan
Premium
join:2006-07-20
| reply to fearlessfosdick
FF, before you decide I would look at each service's website (that you are considering) to see which one offers the essentials of what you are looking for in a service (price, features, terms, etc)...and then do some good searches in these forums to see what experiences users of that service have had (which IMO will reveal more about a service than some of the GBU reviews). Good luck. |
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dcurrey
Premium
join:2004-06-29 | Don't beat around the bush CyberSultan what are you trying to say about the GBU reviews? Don't answer I know the answer.  |
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RogerD
join:2008-07-15
Sunnyvale, CA
| reply to dcurrey
You might want to check closer on CC's CallerID service. If I recall, not only will they allow you to set your CallerID to any number on your account, you can validate other numbers (i.e. cell phone) and you can choose that for your CallerID.
Inbound CallerID has been there for a while. Plus, with their new Call Treatments, you can redirect calls based upon incoming CallerID or number dialed. This allows calls to a virtual number to be redirected (i.e. directly to VM) separately than other calls.
CallCentric is giving VT a run for their money feature wise in my book. Might be tough to decide when it's time to renew. |
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CyberSultan
Premium
join:2006-07-20
| reply to dcurrey
said by dcurrey :Don't beat around the bush CyberSultan what are you trying to say about the GBU reviews? I think the posts about a service speak louder than the reviews. That's all. |
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bubbanc
join:2007-05-05
Garner, NC
·VOIPo
·ViaTalk
| reply to dcurrey
said by dcurrey :Haven't tried Phonepower but for me Voipo was a major disappointment. I am thinking with my average usage for the last 4 months at 316 minutes outbound and 1218 inbound minutes in I might be able to go with Call Centric. I would need the pay as you go outbound and unlimited inbound would shave a dollar or two off what VT would bill me. Not too excited about having to watch the clock so to speak. Major concern with CC is I want outbound and inbound callerid with name. Think they only offer inbound and they just started doing that. Are those your average minutes from Voipo or CC? If Voipo, how in the heck did you get the total numbers. I've put a feature request in to show you tallys but they haven't put alot of time and effort into the call logs. |
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Russell_
join:2006-04-06
| reply to CyberSultan
said by CyberSultan :said by dcurrey :Don't beat around the bush CyberSultan what are you trying to say about the GBU reviews? I think the posts about a service speak louder than the reviews. That's all. I feel the same way too. I've never used the GBU ratings / reviews when shopping for service and I've had paying accounts with 5 different companies over several years.
--
Russell |
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dcurrey
Premium
join:2004-06-29
·ViaTalk
1 edit | reply to bubbanc
said by bubbanc :Are those your average minutes from Voipo or CC? If Voipo, how in the heck did you get the total numbers. I've put a feature request in to show you tallys but they haven't put alot of time and effort into the call logs. Those come from VT logs. |
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ptrowski
Got Helix?
Premium
join:2005-03-14
Putnam, CT
clubs:
·VOIPo
·Metrocast Communic..
·AT&T DSL Service
·ViaTalk
| reply to dcurrey
said by dcurrey :Don't beat around the bush CyberSultan what are you trying to say about the GBU reviews? Don't answer I know the answer. Very simple-the GBU has lost a ton of validity lately. I do the seem thing by having people review the forums for a better feel about the providers.
Yeah, some of the comments on the GBU can be useful but to me that's about it.
--
"So, Lone Starr, now you see that evil will always triumph because good is dumb."
Have you been touched by his noodly appendage? »www.venganza.org |
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dcurrey
Premium
join:2004-06-29
·ViaTalk
| reply to RogerD
said by RogerD :You might want to check closer on CC's CallerID service. If I recall, not only will they allow you to set your CallerID to any number on your account, you can validate other numbers (i.e. cell phone) and you can choose that for your CallerID. Inbound CallerID has been there for a while. Plus, with their new Call Treatments, you can redirect calls based upon incoming CallerID or number dialed. This allows calls to a virtual number to be redirected (i.e. directly to VM) separately than other calls. CallCentric is giving VT a run for their money feature wise in my book. Might be tough to decide when it's time to renew. From my understanding they don't do outbound callerid with name. Yea you can set the outbound callerid number to whatever you want with certain restrictions of course. But no name. |
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RogerD
join:2008-07-15
Sunnyvale, CA
| said by dcurrey :From my understanding they don't do outbound callerid with name. Yea you can set the outbound callerid number to whatever you want with certain restrictions of course. But no name. I'm not an expert on CallerID, but from what I've picked up in my readings, it seems CallerID Name is the result of the terminating service looking up the number in one of several sources. Populating those sources may be an issue. I've lost visibility in several "White Pages" when I moved my POTS number to VoIP. Kinda defeated the desired effect of porting my number of over 20 years...
I'm sure we will hear from some more knowledgeable. |
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44402812
Hack The Planet
Premium
join:2006-08-28
Plattsburgh, NY
3 edits | reply to fearlessfosdick
said by fearlessfosdick :My $199/2nd year free contract is almost up. I've been somewhat happy w/VT but have had many issues over the two years. I've heard that some users are happy with PhonePower. They seem to have similar features and use the same GrandStream ATA. And w/PP I can get the same 2nd-year-free deal that I originally got from VT. My understanding is that VT won't give the same deal to existing users. Is that correct. Are there any issues/problems with canceling VT service? Do I have to return the ATA? Have you had any experience with PP? Any thoughts/experiences would be greatly appreciated. Thanks, FF See my review and link I posted to mediafire which will let you download a voice mail they left me. I feel it is the best 200.00 I spent knowing that:
A. My phone will work and will get notice of any planned outages.
B. I won't get hung up on or wait days for a ticket to get answered.
C. If someone does not know the answer they will find the answer and call you back the same day! |
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schipperke
join:1999-11-29
Potomac, MD
·PHONE POWER
|  reply to fearlessfosdick
I just had to go look at my PP control panel to see when I switched, it was last November. Time flies when everything works. They have sent a couple emails, I think one recently, letting you know if there will be an upgrade, and that has never effected us. They give you the second line too. Not as "techie" as VT, they just give pretty solid service all around. They supplied us with a nice Grandstream ATA, and you can't get deep in to configuration, but can set a static IP on it, and have no problems behind my Actiontec.
OH, and when we prepaid, no monthly this & that charges. |
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cm631
join:2006-10-25
Ronkonkoma, NY
| reply to fearlessfosdick
Being one who had and has both services....PhonePower runs circles around ViaTalk...ViaTalk simply has more problems then what its worth...They are rude, inconsiderate, and have no problem charging you when you owe a dime but when they owe you...lol...thats a different story...better just go and put it in your wait bin!! PhonePower is cheaper and much more reliable than ViaTalk hands down....Don't make a mistake and sign with ViaTalk...Go with reliability...Go with Phone Power!!! |
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