May we revisit the Vonage question?

[phirey]

I know it was a pretty hot topic a few months ago, and I almost got it then. In order to switch, I need to make some big changes, though... I'll need to change cable providers so I can get a cable modem instead of DSL, which will also force me to change ISPs and therefore lose the email address I've had to about 8 years! Is it worth all that?

I ask because our DSL is constantly on and off, recently more off than on (at least when I want to be on!) I'm frustrated enough to be ready to make all the above changes. If you have it, and you cable goes out, I guess you have no phone, right? I just need a little push to make all those changes. So come on somebody, push me! Thanks!

[Bethann31]

Peggy,

We are really struggling with this as well. DH really wanted to switch a couple of weeks ago, but I am really scared about the 911 thing. I don't think you have 911 service (at least where your address comes up when you dial 911) with these services. I guess I'm paranoid, but that just scares me to death because I am so afraid one of the children would need to call and be unable to get help (I know, I am the parent of teens and almost teens in addition to Katherine, but we are all allowed to be over-cautious about something, right??)

We also have DSL and would need to switch to cable. DH says we could save quite a bit of money, which would go into our adoption fund, but I'm having a hard time committing to the changes.

Beth

[papal]

I am not a 100% sure, but i think Vonage will work with DSL or Cable.. so you may not have to cancel your DSL after all.
I know what you mean about your email though... i did not like changing mine but I prepared well because my DSL people shut it off the instant I called and cancelled. So I made sure to send out my CHANGE OF EMAIL email before DSL got shut off.. at least a week before. And anyone who sent mail to my DSL account, I could tell them to update their address books.

Yes, if you have Vonage and the cable goes.. then no phone. Or if there is a power outage then no phone. But we have cell phones to use in cases like this. And if cell phones don't work either, like on 9/11 when all circuits were busy, then there is very little we can do anyway.

As for 911, you can set up your Vonage so if you dial 911 it does go to an Emergency Center which has your address. Again, read the details on their website for more info. For us, not having to deal with crap from the phone company, having local and long distance for $25 a month with no weird surcharges and taxes.. these were reasons enough to make the switch. I have been VERY happy so far. We save a lot of money and I can talk to my sister for hours and hours. heehee.

[sbjf]

Vonage will work with any internet connection, whether it be DSL, cable modem, hotel internet service, work ISP service, etc. The cheapest route in most cases would be with a cable modem, not DSL. Here in Georgia, Cable modem service is about $43 a month, which is roughly about the same for DSL. But with DSL you still need a phone line which will run you $17.50 a month plus junk fees.

Vonage's 911 service will route your call to the proper authorities, but the police will NOT have your address. For the police to know who and where you are at, Enhanced-911 service is needed. Vonage has recently implemented this Enhanced-911 service in Rhode Island back in October as a pilot project. I'm sure down the road most the Voice-over-IP companies (Vonage, Lingo, etc) will have it standard, but for now we have to wait.

If you have DSL, then you will still have your original phone line. So during power outages you can hook your phone up to your old line to make calls.

Bonnie's DH

[parkersmama]

Pretty much ditto to Rashmi's comments. Our cable goes out occasionally but not enough to truly be a problem especially since we have cell phones. Plus, the voice mail still works even if the cable is down so you don't really miss any calls. We are saving about $15-20 per month on Vonage so I definitely think it's been worth it. Is it all us Georgia folks who are just sick of BellSouth? :)

[phirey]

I guess it is all us Georgia flks! Most of the posts are from us, so maybe I should just move my post to the Georgia Gang Yahoo Group!!!

I realize I can keep DSL, but I really want to fire BellSouth (as Clark Howard says). I don't think $51 a month is OK to pay for my phone bill. Funny thing, though, our cable is BellSouth Digtal Cable because it's cheaper than Comcast! I don't really see a difference between digital and regular, so when I switch to Comcast, I guess I'll go with regular cable.

So here's my best guess of my before and after $ breakdown...

Before: phone -- Bellsouth $51
DSL -- Earthlink $50
Cable -- Bellsouth $50
Long Distance-- Capsule $8
Total about $158

After (I don't know about add-on fees:
Cable TV and Modem together $90?
Vonage -- $30?
Total about $120

I guess I could cough up the $10 it takes to keep my earthlink address, and still save $30+ a month...

[papal]

FWIW,
Cable (tv plus broadband) costs us $15+$45 = $60 a month. We only have basic cable.
Usually when you signup, you will get 6 months of broadband for free or some such deal.
Vonage costs us $25.
Cell phone costs us $25 (but we would have this regardless of Vonage).

[sbjf]

We have our DSL provided by Speed Factory and it's been FANTASTIC! We never have DSL go out anymore, very good customer service, too.
We pay 60 a month for top of the line DSL service through them.

Just found out from dh that we still do have to use Bell South for our phone line, but that's it.

[ALLEYCAT]

I work in a 911 dispatch center in NC and we have the enhanced system. Your address shows up on a small screne everytime you dial 911, not just make contact with them, so if you dial it and then hang up we call you back to check on you. ANY phone from a residence or business, can be used in an emergency. Even one which has been disconnected. So if you don't pay a bill, or just moved or for some other reason you have "no service" you can always call 911. I don't know if that is just in my county or with our local company but you could check with your local service and find out. For that matter you should ALL check 911 from your home phone to confirm your address.
Call at off peak hours, not at shift change (7am 3pm and 11pm)

[NancyJ_redo]

Here's the deal re 911 with VoIP (Voice Over Internet Protocol, which is what Vonage, Lingo, Call Vantage, and all of those services are): for 911 to work with your VoIP box (router), you need to register your home address so it's tied to your VoIP box. It's not a big deal, and from there forward the 911 operators will know exactly where you are. That said, if you move or take your VoIP phone with you when you travel (that's one of the cool things about VoIP, you can take the box with you to a hotel, to Asia, UK, etc. and it still works), you have to update your address so the 911 operators know where you are at. Again, not a big deal but something you should be aware of.

The company I work for is one of the big names for VoIP and I'm the attorney who gets to analyze and write all the disclaimers, etc., which is why I know about 911.

The one thing I don't know about is Enhanced 911 for VoIP since it doesn't exist in this area, but it sounds interesting.

Also, just FYI there are other VoIP providers in addition to Vonage. There is AT&T CallVantage, Lingo and Primus, perhaps others, so you may want to do the cost comparison. I don't know if there are any significant differences in costs, but it may be worth checking.

Good luck!