| Broadband/VOIP Calling |
Broadband phone service, or VOIP (Voice Over Internet Protocol), is a fast
growing segment of the telecom industry. It's going mainstream - and for good
reason. But is it for you?
With modern broadband calling, you use your regular phone. When you pick up
your phone you get a dial tone. Then you dial calls just as you do now.
Advantages include:
- Cost - Lower than traditional service, often you pay one low rate
for unlimited local and long distance calling. International long distance is
also cheaper.
- Features - Broadband phone companies offer a wide array of features
- like voicemail, call waiting, call forwarding, caller id, caller id block,
call locals, conference calling, etc. Please browse suggested services for
specific features available from each company.
- Ease of use - It used to be a techie thing. But with modern
broadband service, you use your current phone and you make calls just like you
always have. You can call to traditional phones, the person you are calling to
doesn't need any special equipment.
- Dual use - You can surf the internet while using your phone.
- Keep your current number- Broadband phone companies can now port
your current number into their system, allowing you to switch to broadband but
keep your current phone number.
- Get a virtual number - Even if you're in Florida, you can order a
phone number with a New York area code. This would be handy if you have
relatives in NY, as they would have a local number to call you at - no long
distance charges for them!
- Use while traveling - Take your phone adaptor with you when
traveling. Your number will go where you go. For example, when you go overseas,
plug your adaptor into a high speed internet connection and calls back to your
home town are still local (your local number travels with you).
- International origination - If you are outside of the US, you can
sign up and get a US based virtual number. This allows you to make and recieve
calls as if you are in the US. Unlimited international calls at one low price.
There are a few drawbacks. If your internet connection is down, or electricity
is off, you can't make calls. Quality is mostly dependable, but not as
dependable as using a traditional 1+ service. Quality is affected by your
internet connection. You will need to have a broadband (cable or dsl) internet
connection. Anything less just won't cut it.
If you have a household system (such as an alarm, satellite TV, or TiVo) that
uses your traditional phone service, they may not work with a broadband phone.
Check with their customer service to be sure.
911 calls are also a concern. With broadband calling, you could be calling from
anywhere... so how does the system know where to route your 911 call to? With
most broadband services, this is handled through your online account manager.
You will need to complete a 911 profile, so that the broadband company knows
where your 911 location is and can deliver your information to the 911
operator. Still, you need to be aware that 911 service is not universal yet,
but is expanding.
The set up for a broadband phone system is pretty simple. When you sign up for
service, the broadband phone company will send you a gadget (an ATA or Analog
Telephone Adaptor) that connects your phone to your broadband modem. If you
have cordless phones, it just plugs into the base station.
So let's go back to the orginal question... is broadband service for you?
If you're thinking about it, this is what I would suggest: sign up for a
monthly plan with no contract. Let the broadband company give you a new number
(don't port your regular phone number over yet). Try out the service for a
month. If you like it, then you port your number over, and when that's done and
everything is to your satisfaction, close your traditional phone service down.
A company called
Packet8 offers residential plans starting at $19.99/month.
Specials change regularly. They have an instant rebate on the adaptor, making
that free, and the set up fee is just $29.99.
Another company we have had good experience with is
OPEX Internet Voice. They offer monthly plans with no
contract. Residential plans with unlimited local, instate and state to state
long distance start at $19.99/month. Set up and adaptor cost apply.
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