Authority
Obama Biden '12
join:2000-03-29
Beverly Hills, CA
 ·AT&T Yahoo
 ·Packet8
·magicjack.com
| Vonage vs. iConnecthere
Anyone run the numbers? While Vonage is clearly a cleaner and easier deal it does look like IcOnnecthere has a significant price advantage - something like 70% less?
That and they have been around longer and hence MAY offer a more mature network. Of course.. THEY don't offer referrals. 
Thoughts?
Brett |
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joako
Premium
join:2000-09-07
/dev/null | What's the cost of an ATA186 or similar ETHERNET device (no USB crap)? |
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Sparky12
join:2000-02-27
Nokomis, FL
| reply to Authority
Iconnect seems to be quoting $199 for the ATA unit? And getting a straight answer out of them about area codes and stuff is like pulling teeth.
I'd certainly refer people in that direction, with no bonus at all, but there doesn't seem to be any centralized info source.
Sparky |
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Authority
Obama Biden '12
join:2000-03-29
Beverly Hills, CA
·AT&T Yahoo
·Packet8
·magicjack.com
| said by Sparky12  :
getting a straight answer out of them about area codes and stuff is like pulling teeth
They're definatly not the easiest to work with. As this has become the defacto Vonage forum I know it's heresy to even ask questions like this, but they DO seem cheaper and I think they have more area codes to boot.
Interesting that NO ONE has tried?
Brett |
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mikey2007
join:2002-05-07
Enfield, CT
clubs:
| reply to Authority
IConnecthere is definatley cheaper if you don't need unlimited calling.
I have used IConnecthere with an ATA186 prior to using Vonage. Infact I still have service with them since I just want to keep that #.
If you have any sort of real tech support question that cannot be scripted they do have a very hard time answering and they escalate it but god knows when they will respond. But it seems the same is happening with Vonage too.
Vonage does have a better web interface. Vonage allows you to block dialing international #'s. Also Vonage lets you forward calls and IConnectHere Doesn't.
While when doing the math IConnecthere might come out to be cheaper, for a little more I strongly recommend Vonage. Vonage is almost worry free without all the troubles.
Thats just my 2 cents if you have any IConnecthere questions let me know and I should be able to answer them as I still do have service with them.
--
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Authority
Obama Biden '12
join:2000-03-29
Beverly Hills, CA
·AT&T Yahoo
·Packet8
·magicjack.com
| said by mikey2007 :
IConnecthere is definatley cheaper if you don't need unlimited calling.
It seems with the difference in price plans you'd get about 1250 min with IConnecthere before Vonage became a better deal.
Brett |
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mikey2007
join:2002-05-07
Enfield, CT
clubs:
| Agreed (assuming your math is correct).
But did you take into account call forwarding? When I was using IConnectHere and even now I believe incoming call forwarding does not work.
Also for the ATA to work you need to forward ports to the device, and I was still having trouble with incoming calls with IConnecthere.
Also Vonage now does now have MANY MANY MANY more areacodes then IConnecthere.
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Get $40 for signing up for Vonage Digital Voice (Unlimited Long Distance) INSTANTLY |
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Sparky12
join:2000-02-27
Nokomis, FL
| reply to Authority
Yes but Cabo, for many people the initial outlay for the ATA will be a factor as well. You can see this as amortized with Vonage, while you have to pay for it up front to hook up with Iconnect. For those who have no VoIP experience, that can be a daunting prospect. At least with Vonage, if you don't like the service you can ship the thing back and it's a wash. Iconnect refers you to a third party to buy the ATA. Even more complications and up front expense.
Sparky |
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Authority
Obama Biden '12
join:2000-03-29
Beverly Hills, CA
·AT&T Yahoo
·Packet8
·magicjack.com
| said by Sparky12 :
for many people the initial outlay for the ATA will be a factor as well....Even more complications and up front expense.
Agreed and agreed. Still, I'm guessing in less than a year Iconnecthere would break even and after THAT would save around $300 a year. Hard to ignore.
Brett |
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Sparky12
join:2000-02-27
Nokomis, FL
| I see your point. If they would show a list of available area codes before you have to actually sign up for the service, it would be something to consider. btw, I've used an average of 800 minutes per month on Vonage since I signed up. So it doesn't really represent much of a savings to me, especially when I can't tell what I'm getting into from the site.
In fact, the whole sign-up process should be more seamless. As it is, it branches off in 10 directions until you have a hard time knowing what you're even looking at. It's very poorly laid out, makes (at least) me feel like they are just brokering a bunch of random services from other companies, and it's up to me to make sure that I get the services and equipment I was looking for in the first place.
Sparky |
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AJuan
Anon Juan
Premium
join:2002-08-14
Miami, FL
clubs:
| reply to Authority
Re: Vonage vs. iConnecthere vs Net2Phone?
CaboBrett,
I won't add any more re: V vs iC; you, mikey and sparky have covered it pretty well. What I will throw into the mix is Net2Phone and their broadband product.
Net2Phone definitely offers a more mature network.
Where I find them to fall down, and it sounds like iConnect here has similar issues is:
1. A lack of clear consumer guidance on their broadband product.
2. A less refined web management dashboard for non-techie users
3. Ease of simple plug and play. Some non-techie types are petrified of the /dev setup for the ATA!
4. Really slow customer service. Vonage seems to be playing catch up here though!
So at the end of the day, I think a simpler, clearer marketing strategy, upgraded management console, support specifically for their broadband users and a simple setup procedure would create real competition for Vonage by any of the serious VoIP players.
It wouldn't take much time or money, but the reality is that both Net2Phone and iConnect here have ignored the needs of broadband users for a long time, and have now lost first mover advantage because of it.
I think the real issue raised by your post is that any VoIP company is going to have customer retention issues as setup becomes easy and products become cheaper.
The nice thing is that this will only mean more savings for us - the consumers.
--
AnonJuan
Get your instant $40 credit before you sign up with Vonage |
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ITTOLEDO
join:2002-03-14
Toledo, OH
| said by AJuan :
Net2Phone definitely offers a more mature network.
Anon,
As Not2phone was my first voip attempt, please, please, please tell me that the others (V & IC) are no where near as horrible as Not2phone. I am ready to make a move to try another provider and am hoping that the others are far better/ (mature?). |
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AJuan
Anon Juan
Premium
join:2002-08-14
Miami, FL
clubs:
| reply to Authority
Re: Vonage vs. iConnecthere
ITTOLEDO,
I assume your net2phone experience was over a dial-up? Using their software? When I used their software over dialup my calls were never usually longer than 5 mins, due to frustration with the quality of the call. Still, they were much cheaper than a regular call. 
When I used a hardware/card with Net2phone the quality improved dramatically - average call length went up to 20-30 minutes!
I still have the card setup on a machine using Net2Phone, but now its over a broadband connection and the phone call quality is at least as good as a cell phone call. They are still cheaper than Vonage to Canada - which is where that machine is used to call mainly.
The call quality is still not even close to Vonage. Just last night I had some friends over for a group call to Canada (family Xmas call ) and they could not believe that they were talking over the Net. The sound quality is at least comparable to a regular call - sometimes a little worse, sometimes a little better.
I (generally) wouldn't use poor voice quality as a justification for not going VoIP over broadband. Most providers will give you good to great voice quality over your broadband connection.
--
AnonJuan
Get your instant $40 credit before you sign up with Vonage |
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ITTOLEDO
join:2002-03-14
Toledo, OH
| ANON,
First and Foremost, thanks for your advice and info.
Now on to the specs. I am running it on a clear channel 1.5mb SDSL circuit (private atm backbone). During my calls, I have the channel wide open with nothing else using bandwidth. Latency blows away my T1 at work (typically, I can hit Vancouver, WA in under 20ms from Toledo, OH). As far as hardware, I am just using my server with its SB live sound card. However, when using SJPhone, I can call my Canadian buds with the clarity of a POTS circuit. Only problem was no ability to get a dial tone (pc to pc only). Well, that and a a few problems using it behind NAT (couldnt receive calls even with ports wide open) |
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clecrupt9
join:2002-01-22
GA | reply to AJuan
Re: Vonage vs. iConnecthere vs Net2Phone?
Where I find them to fall down, and it sounds like iConnect here has similar issues is:
1. A lack of clear consumer guidance on their broadband product
Could not agree more. |
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Cyber2lz
join:2001-11-15
Odessa, FL
| reply to Authority
Re: Vonage vs. iConnecthere
OK, I'm new to this VoIP thing. I've checked out Vonage and Iconnecthere. I did not experience any thing near the trouble that you guys intimated. Vonage has no 813 numbers and Icon. does. Vonage doesn't activate the second port(?) of the ATA, Icon. does. Icon. has a pay as you go plan Vonage doesn't. U say $199 for the ATA, I see $179. The website is no more confusing than Vonage's.
Granted I'm looking at it from a different perspective than you are. I am a home user that is sick of Verizon and WANTS to go elsewhere. My house is WIRED, so I can centrally locate the Cisco next to my Linksys 8port QOS router.
Now to the real question. All of the above is just so much horse hockey if the service sucks. So how about it?
Assuming a high degree of technical competence, what is the buzz on the service?
Inquiring minds want to know!!!!!
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If you're not livin' on the edge, you're takin' up too much space ! |
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mikey2007
join:2002-05-07
Enfield, CT
clubs:
| $200 and $179 are very close. Don't forget to include S/H
The quality of IConnectHere's service is okay when working. When it isn't working, well good luck getting help if you have an actual problem.
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Get $40 for signing up for Vonage Digital Voice (Unlimited Long Distance) INSTANTLY |
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VonageWannaBE
@verizon.net
| Well,
As I have said before in this forum, most of the posts here are biased towards Vonage due to there referral. One person, who regularly posts here has atleast 6 domains names registered for Vonage referral and atleast 3 Vonage referral IDs when redirecting to vonage's web site.. so whoever is evaluating VOIP, should read other forums as well, and make an informed decision.
You can get ATA for about 150 bucks from some online retailers e.g. ecost. This is one time cost.. then you don't have to pay any heftly monthly charges and ATA BOX IS YOURS FOREVER. In case of Vonage - you pay them 29.99 activation fee + 10 bucks shipping + 39.99 whenever you cancel your service - which is about 80 bucks.. so you are basically just looking at a 70-80 bucks investment if you compare the two.
They both use THE SAME TECHNOLOGY. Check out the dates when this thread was started, then deltathree required opening those ports, but now it also used ATA version 2.15 which detects the NAT automatically and you don't have to open any ports.. you can call ATA to ATA free and call on a per minute basis which no Fixed costs.
YOU CAN ALSO USE YOUR DELTATHREE ACCOUNT as a calling card from 13 countries, which is a big plus for me as I am a frequent traveller. Overall - IConnectHere gives you MORE value for your money.
(PLEASE: - If someone wants to dispute - please include some math in your response.. not just bogus marketing fundas with a referral link to voange.) |
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mikey2007
join:2002-05-07
Enfield, CT
clubs:
| Yes there are many here that are biased towards vonage.
I currently use both and have an active account with both. Although I haven't used my Iconnecthere account for a little while.
IConnecthere makes great sense if you don't need unlimited calling.
But unless their customer service improved greatly it could still use help. But it is true that Vonage's customer support is sliding too.
--
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clecrupt9
join:2002-01-22
GA | reply to Authority
DDDC(deltathree) closed at .47 a share today
Value is in the wallet of the beholder. By the way I am not a vonage customer. |
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