Vonage

I am seriously considering switching our home phone service to Vonage from at&t (an evil, wicked company that I *DETEST* - thank god for the BBB, stuff for another post...)

Anyway, have any of you had any experience with Vonage? I am wondering specifically...
-can I keep the same phone number?
-if my internet connection goes down or has heavy traffic slowing it down, will my phone service be affected?
-if the power goes out, does the phone still work?
-which plans are the best?
-will my phone work if my computer is not?

TIA for any help!

[Vanquisher]

Re: Vonage

-can I keep the same phone number?

Yes.

-if my internet connection goes down or has heavy traffic slowing it down, will my phone service be affected?

Yes. If your internet goes down, you won't be able to use your phone. Heavy traffic shouldn't affect
it too much.

-if the power goes out, does the phone still work?

No.

-which plans are the best?

I have the unlimited 24.99 plan, and it is very nice. I would highly recommend it.

-will my phone work if my computer is not?

I'm not sure what you mean by this. If your computer is off, but your internet connection is on, your phone will work.

On the rare occasions my internet goes down, or the power is out and my phone isn't working, I have a cell phone.

If you do decide to get vonage, can I send you a referral so that I get some free service? Purdy please?

Re: Vonage

Thanks for your answers! Send me a referral!

[Vanquisher]

Re: Vonage

What's your e-mail?

[MissCrabette]

Re: Vonage

Heidi and Heidi

Vonage rocks and I'm glad to see someone else join. There's a way to set your account so that calls get forwarded to another number if your internet connection stops working. There's also a prepaid annual plan ($239.99) that would save you almost $60 so check that out too. I'd use that if I talked more on the phone but as it is we're only on the basic $14.99 plan.

[Sheherezade]

Re: Vonage

Let me be the lone voice of dissent. I have had Vonage for three years now. We have intermittently had issues with service and voice quality. Since I am also in the Cleveland area, you should consider this carefully. I'd estimate the service has been out 2-3 times a year due to internet issues through Time Warner (or Adelphia) - that's not Vonage's fault. Voice issues seem to occur every few months. Mostly, I get blank space instead of voice going out.....my reception is fine, but the listener complains that I have "dropped" or sound odd. I also had a two week period with no service due to issues with the device that connects my cable modem to the phone line. The device had to be reset in anumber of different ways -- via internet, entering code, etc. It took four solid days of email/phone and testing before the service would work. (The two weeks out was in part due to my laziness at addressing my lack of phone service.) I also do worry about the financial issue that the company faces, although these may have been resolved. For a time a few months ago, there was talk of them shutting down.

I have stayed with Vonage, but if I was doing it again, I would look at all my VOiP options. There are more ways to go digital phone than Vonage.

Good luck!

[peggyfromwastate]

Re: Vonage

I am very happy with Vonage. We've only been using it for about 6 months, but holy cow! It was either that or nothing I was so sick of Verizon.

Re: Vonage

Dumb Vonage question: right now we have our phone service and DSL through ATT (bundled together). If you use Vonage, who provides your internet service?

[alison]

Re: Vonage

I don't have Vonage, but a friend of mine does. Voice quality is an issue - she mostly speaks in a garbled mess, and I end up calling her cell phone, because I can barely make out what she is saying. Apparently, she hears me clearly, but her friends and I have problems when we talk to her.

Re: Vonage

Toronja- we have internet access through Time Warner cable.

I am worried about the voice quality issue now that 2 people (one in my area) have brought it up.

Anyone have Skype or know anyone that does?

[MissCrabette]

Re: Vonage

I also have Skype but it's been having major issues lately even simply connecting to their network. That may have changed so give it a try. If you're worried about voice quality with either Skype or Vonage, give Skype a try first because they have a pay as you go option that doesn't lock you into a long term contract like Vonage.

[peggyfromwastate]

Re: Vonage

Maybe the voice quality is regional- we haven't had any problems except for 1 time, and that was because the cable was down.

Also, Vonage doesn't actually "provide" our service- they contract with Comcast VOIP service. So it's about $10 cheaper per month than Comcast's VOIP for whatever that's worth. So I would imagine that any VOIP in a given area would have the same type of problems?

I'm not a technically savvy person, so who knows.