| [Other Providers] Lingo vs Vonage vs MeritCall?? I have compared all these 3 carriers and the most outstanding difference is that only MeritCall does NOT have any monthly service charge and they all provide the same service and qualities (as said on their websites). Can any users from these carriers give me some advices? I'm trying to get VoIP service from one of them. Thanks. |
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| Re: [Other Providers] Lingo vs Vonage vs MeritCall Meritcall has no monthly fee, but it does have a cost to purchase either an sip phone or an analog terminal adapter. So, you have to amortize this outlay. Further, you don't get your own phone number, if I understand the site correctly. Thus, you can't receive calls, only make them.
Vonage and lingo provide an analog terminal adapter. You select the area code in which you wish tho have your number. You may receive calls as well as make them.
-er |
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| reply to newvoipgeek
Re: [Other Providers] Lingo vs Vonage vs MeritCall?? I guess what's interesting me from MeritCall is that there is no monthly fee or contract, more importantly, the international long distance rates are just absolutely amazing. |
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tj008
join:2004-06-24
Cincinnati, OH | reply to newvoipgeek
There are several services that dont have a monthly fee or contract. do you want an actual telephone number? Do you want to use your computer as your phone or use an ATA?
The other services that come to mind are: Stanaphone, IConnectHere, Skype, FWD, etc.
MeritCall looks like a skype type service that uses voIP ATA instead of pc2pc type connection. The drawback to MC is that one doesnt have an actual phone number. No one can call you directly. A would-be caller would have to use MC or, call a local access number and then dial your MC number.
FWIW |
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| reply to newvoipgeek
I don't think MeritCall is a skype type of service. Skype is a free "softphone" and it does only PC2PC. MeritCall actually does termination in and out of PSTN and VoIP with GateKeepers. So according to my understanding MC and Skype are in different categories, am I right or I misunderstood? I have actually called MeritCall and they told me they will start the local number bundling later in December '04. Do you guys think it's worth of waiting? If the only short part for MeritCall comparing to other providers is the local number binding, would it be worth of waiting until they lauch the bundle service (in 3 months)? Suggestions are much appreciated. |
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innoman-Premium
join:2002-05-07
Dallas, TX
kudos:1 Reviews:
 ·VoicePulse
| Re: [Other Providers] Lingo vs Vonage vs MeritCall Well... lets use a little common sense here. What do you want? MeritCall looks bogus.... I wouldn't get them. SkypeOUT can do PC to PSTN calls. How many minutes in and out each month? Local/Nation/International??? What kind of service, features? It is hard to give advice to someone who doesn't state what they want. There are many more companies then the ones you listed... which ones offer area codes in your area?
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Formerly Innobabe79 |
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| reply to newvoipgeek
Re: [Other Providers] Lingo vs Vonage vs MeritCall?? What I want is just something that can substitute traditional phones and also the most cost efficient service. I am very annoyed by the telemarketer right now, it seems like everybody knows my phone number. |
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| Re: [Other Providers] Lingo vs Vonage vs MeritCall
Try Lingo; $39.90 to get started, 1 month free, $19.95 a month for unlimited service and NO extra "taxes/fees" like CallVantage and others have.
Since I got my new Lingo number back in mid-June I have not had a single telemarketer call; of course, right away I registered my Lingo number in the National Do Not Call Registry, but I think since VoIP numbers are non-published numbers, that helps the most, and doesn't cost any extra like a normal telco charges for an unpublished number!
Just my $0.02,
Chris R. |
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innoman-Premium
join:2002-05-07
Dallas, TX
kudos:1 Reviews:
·VoicePulse
| reply to newvoipgeek
Still... you don't say how many minutes of LD u use or if you call international a lot. Do you want a plan that gives you unlimited internation or do you only use a few hundred long distance a month. Tell us how you use your phone and we will tell you what options would be best. Where do you live? In the US I mean? For telemarketers... you just need to goto donotcall.gov and register your number there. I haven't gotten a tm call in over a year...
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Formerly Innobabe79 |
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| reply to newvoipgeek
Re: [Other Providers] Lingo vs Vonage vs MeritCall?? Thanks for the info on donotcall.gov, it was very useful much appreciated. I need something that can offer unlimited minutes for international calls for a flat rate. Also, what's covered in the Lingo's $19.95 plan? Unlimited US domestic / Canada / Western Europe calls to any PSTN numbers? Anytime? |
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| Re: [Other Providers] Lingo vs Vonage vs MeritCall The lingo plan is for unlimited calls to most western european countries and the usa and canada. Look at the web site to see which countries are excluded. I can assure you that the uk, france, benelux, spain and italy are included. For others, check the web site.
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| I checked Lingo's website. It is a really good option for VoIP. However, I am a meritcall user. I am using meritcall services for 6 months. I do not know how the Lingo's service is like. But meritcall is really good at voice quality and services. They have an amazing low rate. And recently, I got a mail offer to participate their new plan, "Free Plus" Plan. Which is "there is still no monthly fee, but if you use the phone over 1300 mins, then the extra minutes will be free." I think comparing Lingo's plan, this plan is more competitive. |
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garys_2kPremium
join:2004-05-07
Farmington, MI Reviews:
·Callcentric
·Future Nine Corp..
| reply to newvoipgeek
That's comparing apples and oranges. Any VoIP service that forces me to sit at my computer to make calls or doesn't offer an incoming number, is NOT comparable to services that do. Those "computer only, no incoming" services ought to be cheaper, a lot cheaper, because you get so much less from them.
If Meritcall is what you need, and that had better include never receiving calls from the PSTN, more power to you. If you want to make the cheapest international calls you may want to look into calling cards. But to compare Mericall to real, full service VoIP providers is just wrong. |
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| Go check Meritcall's website. I just came from there. They have a variety of options, some you need to plug into a PC, others, not.
And people w/out Meritcall phones CAN call you, via a local (as local as you can get, at least,) access number. So they call you, you call them right back to be cheap.
I'm looking at Meritcall or other similar for calling TO the States from Japan, where I'm living. I have no use for free/discounted minutes between US and Canada, etc., so most of the services I've found are full of stuff I don't need and can't use. Like I called Canada all the time when I WAS in the States...
Always consider if all the "feature" you're getting are of any use to you. |
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