32 replies to this topic

[Arcaidy]

does it require a contract??
Can I use a Cisco 186??

[bh67]

If you have bellsouth dsl they will drop your dsl service and charge you the rest of your contracted period. I know a couple people who just signed on the line without reading when they got dsl, they switched to voip and now bellsouth wants the rest of their contract fullfilled.

My Mom swtiched over in NY but the pricing is much better there. For 49.99 with Road Runner she gets DSL, VOIP w/ caller id call waiting free long distance and It all seems to work great so far. Their local phone company did everything possible to hinder the deal and lied to Road Runner stating they had two lines and one was a business line. I was up in Novemeber when Road Runner finally came to investigate and found there were not two lines, years ago put in a splitter and ran a line to the garage just like adding another phone on the same line within your house. We had to pull the line going to the garage and put it back up after they set up the VOIP.

Arcaidy, most have provisions for Cisco routers. If they don't they are small operations often fly by night MLM products. I am seeing more and more of these, for me personally the MLM is a total turn off.

[The Sound Guy]

BH87:

Sure, if you cancel your phone service and seek to keep your DSL line to use VOIP, Bellsouth will nail you. 

But that wasn't what was suggested.

Surely you are not saying that Bellsouth will deny you phone service and DSL if you choose to add a VOIP line to the existing service you gete from them?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Pubby,

I read it as a reminder that most of us signed a 1 year contract with Bellsouth on the DSL to get the "Free" modem. They will charge you a huge modem fee if you drop it before that year is up.

SG

[Exodus007]

Publisher -


Do you use this service? I have waited a long time for a VOIP line. I am mostly concerned with the quality of the product/service.

[miamiphillips]

 

The sound quality is indistinguishable from a regular land line and quality is probably more dependent on the phone you use than anything else.

I'd call you on it but it is at the office (in line) right now.

.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I have had Lightyear's service for four months. I have a Bellsouth local line at their lowest rate ($17.95 - $27 after junk fees etc) and their dsl. I use my VoIP line for all my calls (better line quality - unlimited LD).

I'll be happy to call anyone who would like to hear the quality. In fact if you want I have a 'lender' box and as long as you aren't too far out of Dallas I'll let you try it!

Just PM me. Anything to help Pubby!

Miami

[leslie71]

I have comcast high speed and Vonage.

Love 'em both. The only drawback to VOIP is that when your internet connection goes down, so does your phone....so it helps to have a cell as well.

As a bonus, international calls are dirt cheap...you can check your voice mail messages online, and you can also access a bunch of call features including a call log and call forwarding online.

[FreeBird]

Lesley, are you suggesting high speed internet, Vonage and cell phone to replace a simple copper pair phone line?

[DarthVader]

VOIP rocks! The only disadvantages I know of are:
1) the internet connection is a single point of failure for voice and data
2) 911 service is different (if available), it goes through some sort of relay with vonage

I have Vonage with Comcast Cable. I removed the BellSouth line physically from my house.
It works great right out of the box.

I have mine behind a firewall with qos dedicating x% of the 4Mb connection.

The only prob I have is with my 2.4GHz phones and my wireless network (which is, of course, also 2.4GHz). I find the "signal boost" button effective.

[Brian]

I believe you're able to dial 911 even if your landline phone is disconnected.

[Brian]

I'd get Vonage myself but the only problem is that they don't have any number in the area code 865 (Knoxville, Tenn., and surrounding areas). This would be so great if my grandmother could call anytime without having to pay long distance to call herself.

Edited by Brian, 06 July 2005 - 06:52 PM.

[miamiphillips]

I'd get Vonage myself but the only problem is that they don't have any number in the area code 865 (Knoxville, Tenn., and surrounding areas).  This would be so great if my grandmother could call anytime without having to pay long distance to call herself.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

You can get an 865 number with Lightyear. I just looked it up.

Go to http://neomax.lightyearalliance.com (it's Pubby's site) and start the order process under 'products', and 'sign up online' and you will be able to choose that area code. (and we will help you hook it up if you like!)

Hope this helps.


Miami

[Brian]

You can get an 865 number with Lightyear. I just looked it up.

Go to http://neomax.lightyearalliance.com (it's Pubby's site) and start the order process under 'products', and 'sign up online' and you will be able to choose that area code. (and we will help you hook it up if you like!)

Hope this helps.
Miami

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Thanks miamiphillips. I'll be checking out on LightYear.

[tenstevenz]

Lesley, are you suggesting high speed internet, Vonage and cell phone to replace a simple copper pair phone line?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I have had Vonage for over a year combined with Comcast and have had only one outage. I find the quality is amazing.....In fact my Vonage is more reliable than my cell provider.

Your 911 has to registered on Vonage, once registered it goes through a PSAP which is government regulated, so there is no difference from a POTS line (Bell Phone Line).

I wouldn't trade my vonage for anything.... I have 3 phone lines with all the bells and whistles, and pay less than 60.00 a month with free LD.

[FreeBird]

Your 911 has to registered on Vonage, once registered it goes through a PSAP which is government regulated, so there is no difference from a POTS line (Bell Phone Line).

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Having a 911 call going to the PSAP is different than having E911 capabilities. For instance you are having a heart attack and cannot speak, your 911 call via the Vonage provider will get to the Paulding 911 comms center (as long as you have set this information up with the provider.) Trouble is that they will not know where to dispatch EMS unless you are able to relay your address. With my Bellsouth POTS line, the 911 call is directed to the comms center and the dispatcher knows where I am calling from, what FD station services my area and help is dispatched as a matter of protocol.

[tenstevenz]

Having a 911 call going to the PSAP is different than having E911 capabilities.  For instance you are having a heart attack and cannot speak, your 911 call via the Vonage provider will get to the Paulding 911 comms center (as long as you have set this information up with the provider.)  Trouble is that they will not know where to dispatch EMS unless you are able to relay your address.  With my Bellsouth POTS line, the 911 call is directed to the comms center and the dispatcher knows where I am calling from, what FD station services my area and help is dispatched as a matter of protocol.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

That is why I said you need to register your number and associate your address. Once that is done, ther is no difference in the 911 services.....

[FreeBird]

You are wrong. Getting to a PSAP and having the call with E911 capabilities are different animals. Registering the address simply gets you to the correct PSAP. The ANI/ALI required for E911 is not transmitted to the PSAP and therefore the PSAP does not have your location.

Here is info on the Vonage website if you don't believe me.

Simply understand that the 911 service that you will get from Vonage is different than Bellsouth. Sooner or later this will change (remember months ago when the feds gave the VOIP providers 4 months to correct the problem???)

[glockuser]

I was going to VOIP to cut off Bellsouth and keep from paying $47 a month for a phone line until I learned that you HAVE to have a phone line in order to have DSL. Guess I'll continue to pay $47 a month!!

[Cuteyellowbug]

I was going to VOIP to cut off Bellsouth and keep from paying $47 a month for a phone line until I learned that you HAVE to have a phone line in order to have DSL.  Guess I'll continue to pay $47 a month!!

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

1 word... Comcast!

[mrsbhavn]

For the Vonage, is it $24.99 then a bunch of fees? That really gets me with Bellsouth.

[ItsJustMe]

We have Vonage and did not get charged any extra fees. Got one month free when we signed up.

Took a little while for them to make the "switch" though on their end but it has been great!

[history101]

I have had Vonage for over a year combined with Comcast and have had only one outage.  I find the quality is amazing.....In fact my Vonage is more reliable than my cell provider.

Your 911 has to registered on Vonage, once registered it goes through a PSAP which is government regulated, so there is no difference from a POTS line (Bell Phone Line).

I wouldn't trade my vonage for anything.... I have 3 phone lines with all the bells and whistles, and pay less than 60.00 a month with free LD.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

You pay $60 month....does that include the internet? If not, how much is the internet service you use?

Also, if anyone knows, I have bellsouth (Complete choice w/ 3 different #'s; Free L.D., V.M. and Internet) and pay about $110 mth.

What would it run for this service (I MUST have 3 #'s and DSL or Cable-I don't want the dial up)

[miamiphillips]

For the Vonage, is it $24.99 then a bunch of fees?  That really gets me with Bellsouth.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Hmmmm. Isn't all this interesting.

Let me first answer this question. VoIP is an internet service so the only fees are a 3% FCC charge.

I see Freebird is up to his antics again about E911.

Let's look at this realistically.

If you port your existing number to your VoIP box you will be E911 because your number and address is already listed.

You can register your phone number and address with the 911 people, but if you take your VoIP box somewhere on a trip they would not know that.

Over 95% of 911 calls are made from cell phones.

If you are having a heart attack and can't talk I doubt you could get to the phone anyway.

Is it for everybody? Obviously it is not for Freebird. I wonder if he has a heart attack if he will crawl to his phone or if he will take his cell phone and dial?


There are 3 million people on VoIP today (roughly) versus just a couple hundred thousand a year ago. This for a technology that has been around just two years.

All projections point to 18 million by the end of 2007.

There will be people who are naysayers. Let them. They drove horse drawn carriages until their horse died. They listened to radio long after people had TVs. They wouldn't buy cell phones because their brains were going to be fried. A computer? They would never touch one of those things....

That's fine.

There is a group of us, including Pubby, who understand how truly big the business of VoIP is going to be (6-8 times bigger than cell phones) and are diligently working to be a part of it.

It works.

You want to try the service? Call me or Pubby and we will let you use a VoIP box for free at your house.

Want to make some money? Call me or Pubby and we will teach you how - part time or full time.

I don't mean to rant. Forgive me if you take it that way!

I wish for you to have a happy, healthy and abundant year!

Miami Phillips
Lightyear Alliance
www.findvoip.net
www.lightyearalliance.com
404 597 6000

[FreeBird]

Sorry, dude, just stating the facts.

I never heard back from you when you were promising E911 service here in Paulding. Even gave you contacts with the county E911 center to perform a test. Nothing....

Again, I challenge you to back up your claim that an existing Bellsouth number ported to a VoIP provider will have E911 service. The provider (Vonage, Lightyear, etc.) does not provide the ANI/ALI no matter what the number is or where it was ported from.

[fasn8nmom]

1 word... Comcast! 

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Comcast is not available in my area. I contacted them more than 3 months ago to see when they might come the rest of way down old Yorkville and am still waiting on an answer!!
I would LOVE to get away from Bellsouth.

[miamiphillips]

Sorry, dude, just stating the facts.

I never heard back from you when you were promising E911 service here in Paulding.  Even gave you contacts with the county E911 center to perform a test.  Nothing....

Again, I challenge you to back up your claim that an existing Bellsouth number ported to a VoIP provider will have E911 service.  The provider (Vonage, Lightyear, etc.) does not provide the ANI/ALI no matter what the number is or where it was ported from.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I called your contacts three times - with no help back from them.

My feeling is I do not need to 'back up a claim'.

Why don't you call Lightyear and ask the tech people? 1 866.614.8647?

I called 911 from my phone and asked them about it and that was good enough for me. It is also good enough for our customers - who by the way include the Georgia Dome, World Congress Center, Outback Steakhouse, Frontier Airlines etc etc.

There are plenty of people looking to save over 50% on their phone bills. I don't need nor want them all. I only need 10. And see since we are a full service provider - (one of the top ten in fact) - I can provide you with free cell phones, broadband service, T1 or T3, and even good old landlines at a much better price than the local company.

The reason you have not seen me on the forum is because I am out building a business and do not spend much time on the confuser anymore.

Funny you didn't answer any of the other comments about using cell phones...

Miami

[miamiphillips]

You pay $60 month....does that include the internet?  If not, how much is the internet service you use?

Also, if anyone knows, I have bellsouth (Complete choice w/ 3 different #'s; Free L.D., V.M. and Internet) and pay about $110 mth.

What would it run for this service (I MUST have 3 #'s and DSL or Cable-I don't want the dial up)

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

If you will pm or call me I will find out what is available for you and give you prices. I will also help you install anything you purchase.

Best case scenario is comcast broadband service with internet phone service.

Contact me or Pubby.

Miami

[miamiphillips]

I was going to VOIP to cut off Bellsouth and keep from paying $47 a month for a phone line until I learned that you HAVE to have a phone line in order to have DSL.  Guess I'll continue to pay $47 a month!!

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Go to www.findvoip.net, click on products tab, then broadband internet on the right and then the red Sign Up Online. It will ask you for your phone number and look up to tell you if broadband is available in your area and the cost.

I'll be happy to anser any questions or help anyway I can.

Miami

[FreeBird]

I called your contacts three times - with no help back from them.

My feeling is I do not need to 'back up a claim'.

Why don't you call Lightyear and ask the tech people? 1 866.614.8647?

I called 911 from my phone and asked them about it and that was good enough for me. It is also good enough for our customers - who by the way include the Georgia Dome, World Congress Center, Outback Steakhouse, Frontier Airlines etc etc.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Finally got a response from Lightyear technical support and they confirmed that E911 service is not available yet. Here is the quote from the email:

"In regards to your email posted below we are almost complete in
providing E911 for all. We are in the final testing stage. New or ported numbers
will have E911 and we will provide an outlet to update addresses."


While my other direct questions were ignored and not answered, this should hopefully settle the arguement and show that you are either misinformed or not stating the truth when you say that E911 service currently works with your provider here in Paulding County.

[Spyder]

I myself use Skype. its cheaper than vonage (at about 70 bucks per YEAR) with unlimited local and long distance/caller id/ voicemail etc etc etc. It works every bit as well as vonage and it can run with or without a computer (I use my computer to run mine) and I absolutley love it.

[blossombud]

I was going to VOIP to cut off Bellsouth and keep from paying $47 a month for a phone line until I learned that you HAVE to have a phone line in order to have DSL. Guess I'll continue to pay $47 a month!!

my friend has bellsouth dsl and had his phone cut off, he pays the 24.95 a month for dsl, so I called bellsouth and talked to them about dropping my home phone service and keeping my dsl. I and my neighbor had our home phone number moved to our cell phone, then you have to contact bellsouth and get a new number for your dsl service and that is because you have to have a number so that you can be billed. call bellsouth and talk to them, ask questiosns
check it out, you can drop the home phone service and keep your dsl with them. and just use you cell phone