okieopie
Premium
join:2004-02-06
Alexandria, KY
2 edits | reply to Italian
Re: Quick Help: Might Switch to Voip
said by Italian  :1. Can we keep our same (Verizon) phone number? We would really hate to get a new phone number. Yes, the porting of the number takes anywhere from 10 to 30 days. It's best to use the number that is assigned by the VOIP provider for a while to see if it works well -- then begin the porting process. When the number is ported over, the service to your POTS line will be discontinued.
said by Italian :2. Is there a search feature on this site for VOIP availability(like how we can search for ISPs). If not, does anyone know which ones are available in my area? What is your area code and exchange. Most providers have an easy lookup to see if their service is available to you.
said by Italian :3. Is the reliability of the phone dependent solely on the internet(Comcast). If the internet is down, then the phone is down right? What about emergency(911)? Yes, phone service is carried over the internet -- so if Comcast is down, so is your phone. That happens very rarely though. e911 is required by all VOIP providers now.
said by Italian :4. Will bandwidth usage or any other internet activity affect/interfere with the phone? Heavy download activity will affect the quality. There are ways to deal with that through QoS settings on a router.
said by Italian :5. Is there some sort of wireless router for the phones, so you can have multiple phones? You can either use cordless phones that connect to a base that is attached to the adapter, or you can feed the phone signal to all the existing phones in your house by connecting the VOiP Adapter to a wall jack. Be sure you research that fully before you do it though!
said by Italian :6. Are there any plans that are cheaper if you have a one year(or so) contract? If so, which providers do that? Yes, the one I use is SunRocket which I like very well. I'm not sure if it is available in your area, however. ViaTalk is getting great reviews here as well.
said by Italian :7. Should we switch!!?? Heck yeah! I don't regret going with it for a minute. My cost is only $199 a year -- and that includes free phones... Try it for a while and if you don't like it, cancel and continue with the POTS. |
