benjamin
All propositions are of equal value
Premium
join:2000-12-20
New York, NY
clubs:
 ·BroadVoice
 ·RCN CABLE
1 edit | AT&T VoIP Service Is Live
AT&T's long-awaited VoIP service, CallVantage, has gone live: »www.usa.att.com/callvantage/action/smp
They are priced on-par with Vonage [edit: make that $5 more than Vonage], with only one plan and a limited number of features for the time being (although more are said to be on the way).
Area code selection is not the best (for NY, had a choice of NJ or TX!).
Interestingly there don't seem to be any set up fees and there is no mention of the $1.50 recovery fee, that I could find... Maybe someone will read the fine print. |
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sesat
Premium
join:2003-12-16
Oakland, CA
3 edits | the girl looks like she has a pillow under her shirt, skewed to the side. odd camera angle huh.
Now on to my take of the fine print:
$39.99/mo
intro offer $19.99/mo if you signup by 5/1/4 edit: for first 6 months
$59.99 fee for cancelling after 30days
Call Forwarding only to continental US
10 way conferencing (hint hint Jeff) free for limited time, schedulable.
No international calls.
No directory assistance.
No operator.
Local Number Portability, to and from.edit: I am wrong about this
Do not disturb.
Find-me-follow-me with 5 other numbers to hunt for, simultaneous ringing supported.
voicemail via web
no 900/976 calling
no 10-10 dialaround (dohhhh)
no support for fax and TDD and home alarm systems
edit: no mention of using modems.
Unlimited to them is 5000 minute ceiling
codec, don't know. Possibly g.729a. edit: they specify you need 90k of upload bandwidth to use the service. They also say you can surf the web and talk at the same time if you have 90k of u/lb.
re dsl/cable: "USB-only modems are not supported. In addition, you will not qualify for the service if you have an integrated modem and router." This implies that they're providing a CPE that routes?
Static IP supported.
Private IP addresses not supported. I assume this means they can't handle nested NAT, or CPE behind NAT.
edit: call logs, click to call, contact list
i don't know about contact list -> caller id
11 digit dialling enforced.
011... for international calls. Quick rates: uk 6, de 9, my 15, moskva 12, jerusalem/telaviv 7, delhi/bangalore 22, beijing 8.
Yes I know I said no international calls, but wtf am I supposed to believe? Fine Print(tm) says quote:
Service does not support directory-listed numbers, dial-out directory assistance, direct dial calls outside the U.S. and Canada, operator assisted, pay services or third-party billing (except calling cards or prepaid services).
e911: quote:
You can update your physical Service Address by calling Customer Service at 1-866-596-8464 (prompt 1). It will take several days to update your records with the emergency services provider at your new location.
edited to change preschedulable to schedulable. |
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dellsweig
Extreme Aerobatics
Premium,MVM
join:2003-12-10
Campbell Hall, NY | reply to benjamin
This is GREAT!! I love it!!
And the winners are : US!! The ones who have been using VoIP (Vonage, P8, BVD, etc) The strongest companies will survive and the features will only get better!! |
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benjamin
All propositions are of equal value
Premium
join:2000-12-20
New York, NY
clubs:
·BroadVoice
·RCN CABLE
| reply to sesat
said by sesat  :
Unlimited to them is 5000 minute ceiling
Hmmm... that is indeed a VERY interesting definition of unlimited! High prices could be justified by the good call quality experienced by beta testers (I guess) but a usage cap? |
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sesat
Premium
join:2003-12-16
Oakland, CA | All providers of unlimited plans have a cap. |
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benjamin
All propositions are of equal value
Premium
join:2000-12-20
New York, NY
clubs:
·BroadVoice
·RCN CABLE
1 edit | said by sesat :
All providers of unlimited plans have a cap.
Actually Vonage doesn't. Nor does Packet8 or BroadVoice. See the BroadVoice web site, for example:
"How much is the overage charge?
Because you are not limited to your minutes there are no overage charges with BroadVoice service." ( »www.broadvoice.com/support_rates.html )
I'm sure usage is monitored for abusive use (i.e. someone using their [edit: residential] service to send 500 junk faxes a day) but one of the advantages of VoIP is that unlimited truly means unlimited. |
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Automate
join:2001-06-26
Atlanta, GA
·Comcast
1 edit | reply to benjamin
said by benjamin :
a limited number of features for the time being
I don't think their features are second to anyone. Some of the features they have I don't think anybody else has. One such feature is the click to return call. In your call log/voicemail web page you can click on a call to make a return call to anyone that has called you.
They don't have every feature that every other VOIP provider has. But at least right now there is no perfect provider that has all the best features of all the other providers.
I do think not being able to run the TA behind a NAT router is a big minus for a lot of people. |
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sesat
Premium
join:2003-12-16
Oakland, CA
| reply to benjamin
said by benjamin :
said by sesat :
All providers of unlimited plans have a cap.
Actually Vonage doesn't. Nor does Packet8 or BroadVoice. See the BroadVoice web site, for example:
No, it is just that Vonage and Packet8 and BroadVoice are not being up front and honest with their cap.
They are all in a business where everything they buy and everything they sell is enumerated. Offering unlimited anything (where mc>0) costs an infinite amount of money. There is no such thing, just that the words "unlimited", along with a TOS/AUP they can terminate you with, is more palatable to consumers than a listed cap. (look inwards for evidence of this) Hence, they offer "unlimited" packages. |
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LostAussie
Voip Enthusiast
join:2004-02-03
Hoboken, NJ
| reply to Automate
said by Automate :
I do think not being able to run the TA behind a NAT router is a big minus for a lot of people.
I suspect this is a deal breaker for a significant number of us. Most of us only have one Public IPAddress and everything behind it must be NATT'd. |
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sesat
Premium
join:2003-12-16
Oakland, CA
| reply to Automate
said by Automate :
Some of the features they have I don't think anybody else has. One such feature is the click to return call. In your call log/voicemail web page you can click on a call to make a return call to anyone that has called you.
BVD has this feature. |
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sesat
Premium
join:2003-12-16
Oakland, CA
| reply to LostAussie
said by LostAussie :
I suspect this is a deal breaker for a significant number of us. Most of us only have one Public IPAddress and everything behind it must be NATT'd.
It wouldn't be too bad if the router they provide was any good. Does anyone know whether they'll provide the same POS CPE as before?
(PoS here means piece of shit, not packet over sonet  ) |
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Automate
join:2001-06-26
Atlanta, GA
·Comcast
| reply to sesat
said by sesat :
said by Automate :
Some of the features they have I don't think anybody else has. One such feature is the click to return call. In your call log/voicemail web page you can click on a call to make a return call to anyone that has called you.
BVD has this feature.
I don't see this on their feature page. Is it listed there? |
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Bucfan
@mn.ch | reply to benjamin
I am schocked to see AT&T is only offerinh area codes in New Jersey and Texas at this time. |
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LegolandMan
@4.42.x.x |  reply to benjamin
Yeah...is like: "open 24 h. a day !!! ... from 9-5"  |
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mariolanning
join:2002-04-19
Tucson, AZ
| reply to benjamin
WTF, you go through the registration and the final page that tells you what they are charging looks like this. I have no idea how much they charged me.
Monthly Service Charge:
$39.99 (plus applicable Federal and State taxes and surcharges)
Less Service Charge Discount:
$20.00 per month for the first 6 months
Cost of Telephone Adapter:
$59.99, one time charge
Credit for Telephone Adapter:
$59.99
Service Activation Fee:
$29.99
Service Activation Credit:
$29.99
Early Termination Fee:
$59.99 |
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benjamin
All propositions are of equal value
Premium
join:2000-12-20
New York, NY
clubs:
·BroadVoice
·RCN CABLE
| said by mariolanning :
...
Cost of Telephone Adapter:
$59.99, one time charge
Credit for Telephone Adapter:
$59.99
Service Activation Fee:
$29.99
Service Activation Credit:
$29.99
Thanks for posting that... looks like AT&T will charge an activation fee after all, once the promo has ended. The telephone adaptor fee is separate, so it seems as if you actually own the device - except, of course, that maybe they charge you the Early Termination Fee if you don't return it.
I agree all of this is not very clear and I wonder if "applicable taxes and surcharges" will include the $1.50 recovery fee...
Good luck with the service and let us know how it goes (and exactly what the fees turn out to be). |
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Automate
join:2001-06-26
Atlanta, GA
·Comcast
| reply to Bucfan
said by Bucfan:
I am schocked to see AT&T is only offerinh area codes in New Jersey and Texas at this time.
They also have beta customers in GA and FL. Most of the VOIP providers have not lanuched nation wide all at once. Better to make sure it is working right in a limited area before rolling it nationwide. |
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wilsonck
join:2003-03-01
Orange Park, FL
clubs:
| reply to benjamin
said by benjamin :
said by sesat :
All providers of unlimited plans have a cap.
Actually Vonage doesn't. Nor does Packet8 or BroadVoice. See the BroadVoice web site, for example:
Start using thousands of minutes a month and see what they say. They'll basically upgrade your account to a business one if they feel it is warranted. |
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mariolanning
join:2002-04-19
Tucson, AZ | reply to benjamin
Ok, I called, I was only charged $19.95. There is no activation fee or Adapter fee for the bonus period.. |
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The Beer
I Love It When A Plan Comes Together
Premium
join:2001-07-24
Omaha, NE
clubs: | reply to benjamin
What a joke!
Texas And Jersey?
$39.99!
$59.99 Early Term Fee!
Yea I will stick with P8, or go back to Qwest for less with unlimited LD and line for $34.99
Hello?! |
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