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Broadband22
join:2009-04-18
Boulder, CO

Broadband22

Member

2 year offer renewal

So, what does PhonePower offer to a current customer whose 2 year $199) plan comes to an end?

Do they offer to rewind the 2 year prepaid plan, or move the customer to some other plan?

Kinzoo
join:2004-01-22
Buffalo, NY

Kinzoo

Member

One year renewal last time!!
$179.00 & tax of course.

Still beats Ma Bell
Broadband22
join:2009-04-18
Boulder, CO

Broadband22

Member

Thanks for the reply.

That's not such a good deal..

I'll probably open another pay-as-you-go account with Callcentric.

$3.50 a month for a phone number and 911 fees.

2 cents a minute in and out bound call (USA).

That's about 575 minutes each month for 12 months to hit the $179 a year, or 6,900 minutes a year.

Far more than what I have ever used.

I'll pay for a BYOD device and the $25 charge to port the number and still be way ahead.

JohnInSJ
Premium Member
join:2003-09-22
Aptos, CA

JohnInSJ to Broadband22

Premium Member

to Broadband22
said by Broadband22:

So, what does PhonePower offer to a current customer whose 2 year $199) plan comes to an end?

Do they offer to rewind the 2 year prepaid plan, or move the customer to some other plan?

Their standard non-promo rate is 14.95/mo with a two year commitment.

After taxes it works out to $19/mo

You get a lot more than you get with Callcentric, but if you're looking for the cheapest service then sure, you can find cheaper than phonepower.

For me, the $19/mo is $15/mo less than ma bell (AT&T), and $21/mo less than comcast, for comparable "full feature" phone service. I'll very likely stay with them - we'll see, I just started my 2 year prepaid and am very satisfied.
JohnInSJ

JohnInSJ to Broadband22

Premium Member

to Broadband22
said by Broadband22:

I'll pay for a BYOD device and the $25 charge to port the number and still be way ahead.

Hm... it seems phonepower is less than callcentric for unlimited domestic calling. Interesting you missed that.
Broadband22
join:2009-04-18
Boulder, CO

Broadband22

Member

Don't think I'm missing anything, but I'm open for suggestions.

Assuming PP charges $179 for a 1 year renewal, Callcentric's pay-as-you-go plan is the better way to go if you don't exceed 6,900 minutes a year, $3.50 X 12 = $42 plus $132 = $180 plus tax, plus the one time purchase of a BYOD, about $30.

I'm not looking at the monthly rates plans of either provider, PP doesn't offer a pay-as-you-go plan.

I've had a pay-as-you-go Callcentric account for as long as I've had PP.

With Callcentric's no charge calls to other Callcentric users I get the benefit of calling between our homes for free.

Between our use of mobile phones and IM, the desktop telephone, VoIP or POTS) is becoming less important in our life style.

Quality of both services is excellent, so we're in a commodity space and price rules when talking commodities.
Broadband22

Broadband22 to JohnInSJ

Member

to JohnInSJ
"You get a lot more than you get with Callcentric, but if you're looking for the cheapest service then sure, you can find cheaper than phonepower."

What more do you get??

an hour of free international (that's a good deal), what else??

JohnInSJ
Premium Member
join:2003-09-22
Aptos, CA

JohnInSJ

Premium Member

said by Broadband22:

"You get a lot more than you get with Callcentric, but if you're looking for the cheapest service then sure, you can find cheaper than phonepower."

What more do you get??

an hour of free international (that's a good deal), what else??

Unlimited domestic calling. Which costs you $19 on callcentric.

2nd line. Does callcentric offer that?

You can make free calls on google voice. Skype. iChat. Whatever.

topgun
join:2011-01-31

topgun to Broadband22

Member

to Broadband22
You get what you pay for...have we not learned out lesson yet kids?

»youtu.be/SgvogQBNcfs
Broadband22
join:2009-04-18
Boulder, CO

Broadband22

Member

Hmmm. it seems VOIP.MS also has some sweet offers which make PP even less attractive.

JohnInSJ
Premium Member
join:2003-09-22
Aptos, CA

JohnInSJ

Premium Member

said by Broadband22:

Hmmm. it seems VOIP.MS also has some sweet offers which make PP even less attractive.

You should use the service and let us know how it is in real life. It's another metered service. This one is prepaid paid as you go.

If you're going to compare prices, try to compare similar services. If unlimited domestic calling isn't valuable to you, then you've already established that phonepower isn't your first choice - they don't offer any metered-only service.
Broadband22
join:2009-04-18
Boulder, CO

Broadband22

Member

I just opened a free account and will play around with it.

They do offer some form of Unlimited plan in the USA for about 6 bucks a month, don't have all the specifics yet.

Their user control panel is "extensive" and shows at least one feature PP doesn't have and I would use extensively, as I did on AT&T Call-vantage.

They don't force 911 on you (I don't need it) so there's a $1.50 a month savings right off the top.

If it looks too good to be try it probably is. So, playing with if for a few months will be a good test.

Not at all unhappy with PP, but when it comes to $$$$ it's better in my pocket than the other guy's.

Cheers,

JohnInSJ
Premium Member
join:2003-09-22
Aptos, CA

JohnInSJ

Premium Member

said by Broadband22:

They do offer some form of Unlimited plan in the USA for about 6 bucks a month, don't have all the specifics yet.

I didn't find it looking at their site. If you post a link to it, that would be neat. Since they seem to charge for both incoming and outgoing calls per 6 second interval, I'd be interested in what you find.

Given the price to beat for actual equivalent service includes the market basket provided by PP (2 lines, unlimited domestic and 50 min international, a phone number, e911, voice mailboxes, web interface to call logs, click to call, call blocking, and CID) I'd be interested in seeing THAT basket priced out on competitors. When I did this exercise I ended up selecting PP as the best combo of price and features - sure there are ways to drop things to lower the price, but I don't think they're going for "Cheapest bare bones" service. They seem to be trying to be a low cost but feature rich service.

Also, the joy of working with a canadian company and exporting my money offshore (even if its just up north) is a turn off for me.

Keep us posted. Let us know if you see any downtime too, that's kinda important to me for home phone service.

topgun
join:2011-01-31

topgun to Broadband22

Member

to Broadband22
Yeah and when your phone service goes down, who is going to be the first one complaining about Voip.ms, Google Voice, CallCentric etc. or some other duck taped solution. There is a difference being being cheap and frugal. You remind me of the people in the ole SunRocket forum. So you save a tank of gas a year by being a cheap bastard, then when your uber cheap service fails on you...Enjoy
Broadband22
join:2009-04-18
Boulder, CO

1 recommendation

Broadband22

Member

said by topgun:

So you save a tank of gas a year by being a cheap bastard, then when your uber cheap service fails on you...Enjoy

Don't think I asked your opinion. But, the real value proposition with another carrier is you won't be there to be a pest, regardless of how many screen names you use we won't miss you.

JohnInSJ
Premium Member
join:2003-09-22
Aptos, CA

JohnInSJ

Premium Member

said by JohnInSJ:

said by Broadband22:

They do offer some form of Unlimited plan in the USA for about 6 bucks a month, don't have all the specifics yet.

I didn't find it looking at their site.

Ah here are all their rates
»voip.ms/specifications.php

I see this for INBOUND

Monthly Fee: USA: $4.95 to 6.95 Canada: $4.95 to $5.95
Per minute inbound: free, up to 3500 minutes monthly
Channels: 2

So, let's say $6. That covers your 2 inbound lines and 3500 minutes inbound. You're still paying for outbound?

Optional Premium Route: $0.0125 (1.25¢) per minute?

1.25 cents a minute outbound?

e911/911 $1.50 per month

$25 to port number

Web portal looks comperable.

So with e911, you have $7.50 plus whatever outbound usage you get billed for, plus $25 one time, plus taxes.

yep, that sounds like it could be $$24 cheaper over 2 years. With the $25 one time fee (free port from PP on signup) and they're dead even. Unless you still pay per outbound minute to terminate on the telco network, then they're more expensive.

After the promo period on PP, they could be $10 cheaper monthly (again I don't understand the pricing if you're paying for outbound calls - if you do then the breakeven point is 1300 minutes or so a month outbound.

Yep. Could be a hair less, depending on your usage.

PP's monthly charge gives you unlimited inbound, 5,000 outbound minutes/mo included. Outbound after 5,000 is 2 cents a minute. And 60 minutes international calling. If you're a heavy user, you'll pay less on PP.

Anyway, it seems still fairly close after the promo period, and it seems in PP's favor during the promo period.

topgun
join:2011-01-31

topgun to Broadband22

Member

to Broadband22
If you don't like my posts you can ignore them...I'm a pest...thanks for the compliment...if your going to change services because of me I feel flattered...sorry you won't miss me...I was starting to enjoy your company...Dude you need to lighten up a little don't take everyone\everything so Sirius...
Broadband22
join:2009-04-18
Boulder, CO

Broadband22 to topgun

Member

to topgun
said by topgun:

or some other duck taped solution. There is a difference being being cheap and frugal. You remind me of the people in the ole SunRocket forum. So you save a tank of gas a year by being a cheap bastard, then when your uber cheap service fails on you...Enjoy

BTW it isn't "duck" as in quack quack, it's "duct" as in heating duct.

Hey, I just filled my tank today, $120. If I can save $120 on phone service, why not, gets me 2 weeks of driving...

Siriusly, you really need to get a life, and maybe even a girlfriend (or boyfriend), someone to take your mind off of this nonsense.

JohnInSJ
Premium Member
join:2003-09-22
Aptos, CA

JohnInSJ

Premium Member

said by Broadband22:

BTW it isn't "duck" as in quack quack, it's "duct" as in heating duct.

Just for fun

»www.duckbrand.com/

I think they gave up and renamed it Duck Tape. Mostly because it's great for everything EXCEPT HVAC ducts.
Stewart
join:2005-07-13

Stewart to Broadband22

Member

to Broadband22
»www.cse.cuhk.edu.hk/~phw ··· 084.html
kluemaster
join:2011-03-11
Chambersburg, PA

1 recommendation

kluemaster to Broadband22

Member

to Broadband22

said by Broadband22 See Profile
BTW it isn't "duck" as in quack quack, it's "duct" as in heating duct.

I am not one to agree with topgun, but it was originally invented for it's waterproof properties, as well as being made of "cotton duck" (similar to the material in cloth medical tapes), water ran off it "like water of a ducks back."

sources:
»ask.yahoo.com/20051019.html
»en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Duct_tape


topgun
join:2011-01-31

topgun to JohnInSJ

Member

to JohnInSJ
ROFL! You can lift ducks, quacks, cars, and trucks

»youtu.be/3IMuZY5U3AM
Expand your moderator at work