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bbarnard01
join:2004-11-03
Las Vegas, NV
|  [General] Real Basic VOIP Question
I am not looking for any referrals at this time. My need is much more basic. Is VOIP right for me? Here are the facts:
Home is in Las Vegas
Living in Honduras with US Military address
Son in Los Angeles
Sister in Law in Okinawa, Japan
Friends all over US
Don’t understand "hands on" basics of VOIP
What do you thinks? Is VOIP the best thing since sliced bread for me or should I try to find something else? What? Where does one go for referrals?
Thanks,
Bob
bbarnard@email.com
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DracoFelis
Premium
join:2003-06-15
| said by bbarnard01  :I am not looking for any referrals at this time. My need is much more basic. Is VOIP right for me? Start by reading this thread: »So you wanna try Voip?
Some questions you might want to ask yourself are:
1) Do you want to keep your existing phone line, as a "reliable" backup for when your VoIP is down or having problems?
Doing so will be "safer", but it will also cost more (since you then have to pay the monthly fee for both your VoIP and your normal telco line). If you keep your existing phone service, your "VoIP service" essentially is a "2nd phone line". OTOH if you go with just VoIP (dropping your existing phone service), you will save the monthly fee for your phone, BUT you will not have that "trustworthy phone service" to fall back upon when your VoIP service is having problems for any reason!
2) Is your internet from DSL? If so, you may be REQUIRED (by your ISP) to keep your phone line, to keep getting your broadband internet.
This is my situation, btw! If so, make sure you include in your cost calculations the assumption that you will be continuing to pay for "basic phone service", as that means you really don't have the option to drop your existing phone (but you do still have the option to use VoIP to lower your long distance phone charges). If (like our family) you call LD a lot, you can still save money with VoIP, by using it primarily as a cheap alternative to traditional LD.
3) What types of calling are you trying to save money on?
If mostly normal "long distance" calls, compare your VoIP LD costs to the costs of using say a "pre-paid calling card" (and "run the numbers" for your savings on lack thereof). And remember, using a phone "calling card" can be reasonably cheap, even if it's not quite as cheap as some of the VoIP options. As just one decent calling card option (that I use as a "backup" to my VoIP options), »www.onesuite.com only charges 2.9 cents/min to call the lower 48 states when you start the call by dialing their 800 number...
4) Are people you talk to a lot also on broadband internet?
If so, consider what it would take to get both of you on some free service ("Free World Dialup" for example). The reason being, is that VoIP to VoIP calls (if on the correct service) are totally "free" (beyond whatever your ISP charges the two of you for your use of the internet), even if/when the two parties talking are in different countries! So by putting "the whole family" (for example) on the same free VoIP service, you can just stop paying "long distance charges" for those calls! This is the potential "big ticket saving" with VoIP, but you can only get this payoff if/when not only you, but also the people you frequently talk to, are setup with VoIP!
5) And finally; Can you live with lowered reliability on your VoIP line, than you have with a normal telco line?
While VoIP has been improving a lot, it is still more like cell phone reliability than normal "land line" reliability. As such, you will have "glitches" from time to time (and you will probably want either a normal telco line, or a cell phone, as "backup"). If this is an issue for you, you may not want to go with VoIP, even if it would otherwise save you a lot of money (and if it saves you money or not, will depend upon your calling pattern). | |
bbarnard01
join:2004-11-03
Las Vegas, NV | Thank for the info... | |
georgepan
join:2005-05-09
Wesley Chapel, FL
1 edit | reply to bbarnard01
>>>>Home is in Las Vegas
Living in Honduras with US Military address
Son in Los Angeles
Sister in Law in Okinawa, Japan
Friends all over US
Don’t understand "hands on" basics of VOIP
From the looks of it you are a prime candidate for VOIP. The "big question" is not only how much you are currently paying for all phone services combined (local, intrastate, national, international) and if you are willing to live with the occasional quirk to get features and portability regular landline can't give you, but also whether you have access to broadband internet in Honduras, your current residence.
VOIP can save you a lot of money. The caveat is that it can go out sometimes, because it relies on a broadband connection and VOIP providers "assemble" their services from many places, so between your ISP possibly going out and your VOIP possibly having an outage, there is an increased risk. Most people have adequate cell phone backup, so it is not that big a deal to them. In general most VOIP providers are pretty stable. Outages are usually far and few between with all of them. So, if you don't mind an occasional outage that forces the cell phone out of your pocket the question is which provider may be good for you.
As far as VOIP providers are concerned you have to first ask yourself if you need or want an unlimited calling plan within the US and Canada, or whether 500 minutes outgoing (unlimited incoming) is good enough for your typical usage patterns. If it is the latter there are providers like Voicepulse, Vonage, Lingo, that can give you service at that level at the $14.99 price point or below. I believe VOIP.net has the lowest cost at $12.95 per month. If you need more than 500 minutes you may opt for unlimited VOIP service. Vonage, Voicepulse, Sunrocket, Packet 8, ATT Callvantage and others offer unlimited calling plans anywhere in the US and Canada. Prices range (with fees and taxes) from a low of $16.58 for Sunrocket using their $199 per year deal (minus a $3 call allowance per month to call your Sister-In-Law in Japan for 100 minutes every month "on the house") to about $28 for Vonage. Packet8 is inbetween at around $22. Voicepulse is at around $26.50. You can research this site or the individual providers' websites for features of the individual providers to see which fits best.
For VOIP to work you have to have a broadband connection available. If you will remain in Honduras for a while you could sign up for service in Las Vegas and then take the adapter with you (or have it shipped to you.) Upon plugging it into a broadband connection and connecting a standard corded or cordless phone to the adapter you will have dialtone and a Las Vegas phone number while residing in Honduras. You could then place free calls to anywhere in the US and Canada as if you were at your home in Las Vegas. Your friends would call your Las Vegas number, which means for your local Las Vegas friends calls would be free of charge and your other US-based friends would just pay the typical US long-distance rates, not international rates, even though your phone would ring in Honduras. Upon your return to Las Vegas you just plug the adapter into a broadband connection and are instantly ready with dialtone and your phone number.
In your specific case 911 calling could be an issue. You would be registered in Vegas, so if you called 911 whereever in the world you have the adapter plugged into a broadband connection, the Las Vegas police department would respond. Just something to keep in mind. | |
faethor420
join:2005-09-17
Federal Way, WA
| Hey georgepan, out of curiosity, why was Voicewing absent from your listing? Is it a price thing, a service thing, or just a slip of the mind?
I ask only because I would like to get some feedback from educated minds regarding their Voicewing experience/knowledge overall. | |
georgepan
join:2005-05-09
Wesley Chapel, FL
| reply to bbarnard01
faethor420-
There are many VOIPs out there. Voicewing is one of them. I mentioned a few but could have listed Voicewing as well. However, I think for 500 minute plans there are plenty that provide good service at $14.95 or below, so VW is a little on the high side there, unnecessarily IMO. Same with the price for unlimited service.
If you already have Verizon in your house for DSL or FIOS, Voicewing may add convenience as it would streamline billing (only one bill.) I am not sure, but is there a discount that comes with Voicewing for also having Verizon DSL or FIOS? | |
voiplover
Premium
join:2004-05-28
Portsmouth, NH | I would not have listed Voicewing. I think that the TOS outlaws taking their device out of North America. Plus you can go right to the OEM and get a better deal. »www.Iconnecthere.com | |
PCInTech
In another place and time.
Premium
join:2004-06-07
Massena, NY
clubs:
 ·VoicePulse
 ·RoadRunner Cable
| reply to georgepan
said by georgepan :Voicepulse is at around $26.50. Not to quibble about a small amount of money, but VoicePulse is $24.95. There are no extra fees or taxes whatsoever, unless your in New Jersey.  | |
Status8
join:2005-10-21
Kent, WA
| reply to georgepan
As a subscriber to Verizon DSL or FIOS you receive $5 off the monthly service charge on the unlimited voicewing plan (34.95 becomes 29.95 for the first 12 months)
The price is compairable with other services however the GUI user interface known as "personal account manager" received good reviews in PC Magizine.
Also the billing is not combined to my knowledge. VoiceWing billing is completely seperate, however it is a paperless bill viewable on the Personal Account Manager. Billing is monthly for the service charge and "as needed" for any charged calls such as International calls and 411. It is completely seperate from any other billing system except for the Recognition and Validation of service when requesting to receive the package discount.
P.S. I believe the TOS is statment is pertaining to Shipping outside North Amarica. Being as its via the internet, montitoring IP location would be slightly challenging with so meny customers. The phone is for use with "Any" broadband connection be it in Texas or in Berlin. (Great idea for military families) Only the shipping address must be with-in US and perhaps Canada. Oh and dont forget no 911 service with it overseas. (and in the U.S. for some folks. hah)
Enjoy and gl testing
Status8 | |
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