VOIP Devices
- Thread starter Kraven
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My parents have been using a Vonage box I set up for them probably 10 years ago at this point. It's been very reliable and they don't even have to think about the technology or hardware involved.
When I originally set it up, I disconnected the phone company's line from the outside to avoid interference and I plugged a simple phone cord from the Vonage box into an unused phone jack in their house. This makes all other phone jacks in the house perform exactly as they did with their old AT&T line. Same phones, same number, same answering machine, no difference except price as far as they are concerned.
I'm sure there are cheaper options but I hesitate to change anything since I no longer live there and they are very technically challenged. I moved out about a year after I set the Vonage box up for them and they never have to make "tech calls" to me to get things working again. I have thought about switching them to Ooma over the last couple years to cut the bill even more but I don't want to mess with a good thing.
In my house it's all cell phone. No traditional landline or VoIP necessary.
When I originally set it up, I disconnected the phone company's line from the outside to avoid interference and I plugged a simple phone cord from the Vonage box into an unused phone jack in their house. This makes all other phone jacks in the house perform exactly as they did with their old AT&T line. Same phones, same number, same answering machine, no difference except price as far as they are concerned.
I'm sure there are cheaper options but I hesitate to change anything since I no longer live there and they are very technically challenged. I moved out about a year after I set the Vonage box up for them and they never have to make "tech calls" to me to get things working again. I have thought about switching them to Ooma over the last couple years to cut the bill even more but I don't want to mess with a good thing.
In my house it's all cell phone. No traditional landline or VoIP necessary.
I've had Ooma for the last two years. Except for a server crash last month there have been no problems.
The Ooma Telo with WiFi and Bluetooth adapter is Amazon's Gold Box Deal of the Day at $89.99. My parents' last Vonage bill was almost $40 after taxes. It's no longer the substantial savings it used to be for them seeing that they can get VoIP bundled with their Charter internet for less.
It seems like lots of people here really like their Ooma service so I figure it's time to port their number over. Looks like porting is a one time $40 fee so we are looking at $130 to switch. By the 4th month of service with Ooma they will have passed the break even point.
Only thing I'm not a fan of is that according to Ooma's website it looks like Caller ID with names is a premium feature that requires the $9.99 per month plan. The basic plan only includes Caller ID with phone numbers. My parents use their home phone all the time and one of their favorite features of Dish is the way it displays caller ID on the TV. If it just shows the numbers that feature loses a lot of its value. They may be upgrading to premium if they really don't like it.
This link is the one from Satellite Guys if anyone else is planning to take advantage of this deal.
Amazon product ASIN B00P66FWX8
It seems like lots of people here really like their Ooma service so I figure it's time to port their number over. Looks like porting is a one time $40 fee so we are looking at $130 to switch. By the 4th month of service with Ooma they will have passed the break even point.
Only thing I'm not a fan of is that according to Ooma's website it looks like Caller ID with names is a premium feature that requires the $9.99 per month plan. The basic plan only includes Caller ID with phone numbers. My parents use their home phone all the time and one of their favorite features of Dish is the way it displays caller ID on the TV. If it just shows the numbers that feature loses a lot of its value. They may be upgrading to premium if they really don't like it.
This link is the one from Satellite Guys if anyone else is planning to take advantage of this deal.
Amazon product ASIN B00P66FWX8
