Vonage or other VoIP
bossdog @ Mon Apr 24, 2006 10:28 am
Does anyone here use Voange or any other VoIP service for their home phone service?
I just hooked all some cool Vonage gear last week and I'm pretty happy with it. Down here, it only cost $25 a month for unlimited long distance for Canada and the US plus I get about 8 features.
The web interface is pretty cool too. It keeps a record of all my incoming and outgoing calls in real time and I can check my voicemail from the website too. It will even email me if I have a voicemail waiting.
The sound quality is just a good as our old digital voice service. I can even control the amount of bandwidth I want to use for the VoIP.
Down sides: If my Internet drops, my phone services drops. I still find it's worth the chance.
H2Obuffalo @ Mon Apr 24, 2006 10:47 am
We have Shaw Cable VOIP, its bundeled with our internet and TV. think it works out to 50/55 bucks.
unlimited Canada and US calling, and 1000 international minutes a month.
Voicemail, caller id, 3way calling, everything you can think of is included.
quality wise, i can't tell the difference and it's nice not to have to worry about how long i spend talking.
but, as you said, when our cable goes out, we got no phone either, so we loose all communication when shaw has a problem (i think its been twice in about six months) but for the hour or so it takes em to fix their problem, i have cell phone if i absolutely need to call someone.
i havent looked into the webinterface for it, but i might want to if i start using those oversea minutes...
Shaw has a seperate modem for the VOIP, that splices into the house telephone wirining where it come in, so it was easy in.
Canadaka @ Mon Apr 24, 2006 12:30 pm
I have VOIP from Vonage, I love it.
I love getting my voicemail sent to my email as a sound file.
becks10 @ Tue Apr 25, 2006 10:01 am
Canadaka Canadaka:
I have VOIP from Vonage, I love it.
I love getting my voicemail sent to my email as a sound file.
I love getting my voicemail sent to my email as a sound file.
I guess it truly is voicemail now
ziggy @ Tue Apr 25, 2006 10:06 am
I was at the source the other day,didnt pay much attention but they had a voip unit there for about $60.00. Will that set up a home pc as phone or has anyone seen this unit yet?
bossdog @ Tue Apr 25, 2006 10:20 am
It should attach to your current modem or router so you can plug telephones in to it. Vonage has a service called SoftPhone which, once set up, will allow you to use your PC as a telephone as well.
ziggy @ Tue Apr 25, 2006 10:22 am
bossdog bossdog:
It should attach to your current modem or router so you can plug telephones in to it. Vonage has a service called SoftPhone which, once set up, will allow you to use your PC as a telephone as well.
So with that unit I wouldnt even need a plan or is that for home only kinda thing?
bossdog @ Tue Apr 25, 2006 10:36 am
You cut out your home phone service provider all together and pay the flat rate to Vonage for unlimited long distance and local calling.
Indelible @ Tue Apr 25, 2006 12:33 pm
H2Obuffalo H2Obuffalo:
We have Shaw Cable VOIP, its bundeled with our internet and TV. think it works out to 50/55 bucks.
unlimited Canada and US calling, and 1000 international minutes a month.
Voicemail, caller id, 3way calling, everything you can think of is included.
quality wise, i can't tell the difference and it's nice not to have to worry about how long i spend talking.
but, as you said, when our cable goes out, we got no phone either, so we loose all communication when shaw has a problem (i think its been twice in about six months) but for the hour or so it takes em to fix their problem, i have cell phone if i absolutely need to call someone.
i havent looked into the webinterface for it, but i might want to if i start using those oversea minutes...
Shaw has a seperate modem for the VOIP, that splices into the house telephone wirining where it come in, so it was easy in.
unlimited Canada and US calling, and 1000 international minutes a month.
Voicemail, caller id, 3way calling, everything you can think of is included.
quality wise, i can't tell the difference and it's nice not to have to worry about how long i spend talking.
but, as you said, when our cable goes out, we got no phone either, so we loose all communication when shaw has a problem (i think its been twice in about six months) but for the hour or so it takes em to fix their problem, i have cell phone if i absolutely need to call someone.
i havent looked into the webinterface for it, but i might want to if i start using those oversea minutes...
Shaw has a seperate modem for the VOIP, that splices into the house telephone wirining where it come in, so it was easy in.
we have the shaw cable too, except that it is a little more expensive and we only have internet and phone... no cable tv. but the best thing is that it is one flat rate to call anywhere in continental north america, at any time of day. i love this, now i can call my family and it's cheap. i can also do 3-way convos which has come in handy.
Hester @ Tue Apr 25, 2006 12:48 pm
I have Primus - for $29.95 a month I get unlimited calls and 8 features. I don't get the voicemail email, but I can check my voicemail just by picking up the phone and clicking an icon on the website.
Canadaka @ Tue Apr 25, 2006 1:38 pm
yah there is lots of competition really fast in the VOIP market. her ein BC there is (that i know of)
Vonage
Shaw
Primus
3Web
aptura @ Fri Sep 15, 2006 12:39 am
There is more in this world then vonage. I will be starting to sell voip service in specially built IP-PBX soft switch boxes for small to medium bussiness. Not only will thay do everything that vonage does but will also interface with bussiness applications and much much more. Imagine a company that gets a call and with the caller ID, a app opens up and the customers account info comes up.Thats called quick customer service!
If I had at least 10,000 dollars then I would have my own voip company and provide everyone here with good quality service. Any investors here care to chat? 
If you are a residential customer and want to keep your dollars here rather then sending them to Vonage in Newjersey I would recomend Navigata. Thay are a LOCAL company so you can almost assure voip reliability then having your voip traffic cross the country with the possibility of your call quality going down or reliability issues.
Primas is another local company that I would recommend.
digitalvoice is another company that I have not heard any negative comments about and are perhaps one of the first voip providers in the greater vancouver area.
Lorin
Aptura Network
Consulting services
bossdog @ Fri Sep 15, 2006 2:09 am
Well, can't use any of them now so I got Skype. Honestly, you can''t beat the price of 0.017 euros a min to Canada and the US.
JonasCanuck @ Fri Sep 15, 2006 2:17 am
I just use Skype. Works great for free. I use my headset and mike and get to call anywhere in North America for free until the end of Dec.
bossdog @ Fri Sep 15, 2006 2:25 am
Is that only PC to PC or are you using Skype Out to call from PC to landline?