[sdw2003] Residential VOIP? Vonage, Skype, etc?

Sat Jan 9 19:46:22 PST 2010

There is a possibility that public VOIP over the internet will be no longer or less cost effective. The FCC is mandating that all voice traffic be transmitted over IP. AT&T is asking that voice traffic be subject to rate charges. So this means that VOIP will only be free over private networks.

AT&T Tells FCC It's Time to Cut the Cord
http://www.pcworld.com/businesscenter/article/185649/atandt_tells_fcc_its_time_to_cut_the_cord.html

COMMENTS OF AT&T INC. ON THE TRANSITION FROM THE LEGACY
CIRCUIT-SWITCHED NETWORK TO BROADBAND
(http://fjallfoss.fcc.gov/ecfs/document/view?id=7020354032 )

----- Original Message ----
From: Karen Christian <kchristian at nctg.com>
To: San Diego Windows 2003 User Group <sdw2003 at mattware.com>
Sent: Sat, January 9, 2010 11:11:17 AM
Subject: RE: [sdw2003] Residential VOIP? Vonage, Skype, etc?

Not I.  I have the Hub and Scout and that's enough for me.  That was all that was offered when I got onboard.

Karen Christian
North County Technology Group
760.734.4315
www.nctg.com
-----Original Message-----
From: sdw2003-bounces at mattware.com [mailto:sdw2003-bounces at mattware.com] On Behalf Of Leo Dano
Sent: Saturday, January 09, 2010 9:15 AM
To: San Diego Windows 2003 User Group
Subject: Re: [sdw2003] Residential VOIP? Vonage, Skype, etc?

I wonder if you can use the new handset with the older hub?  Karen, have
you tried this?

___________________
Leo P. Dano
Network Administrator
The Bishops School
7607 La Jolla Boulevard
La Jolla, CA  92037
858-459-4021 X431
858-459-3914 fax

San Diego Windows 2003 User Group <sdw2003 at mattware.com> writes:
>You buy the equipment only for Ooma and then no extra charge EVER unless
>you want the added features.  I had terrible experiences with number
>porting and customer service from Vonage over the 5 years it was in use. 
>Glad to hear your experience was better.  Nice to know they seem to have
>improved (at some of our expense).  
>
>Vonage = $300 per year @ $25/month with this expense ongoing
>Ooma = The older style hub (I have that) cost $169.99 a couple months ago
>at Fry's (it is a white unit and is still available at
>http://www.frys.com/product/5983204?site=sr:SEARCH:MAIN_RSLT_PG for the
>same price)  I got mine in San Marcos.  I then bought the scout for the
>second number via eBay.  Yes you can setup:
>'Call forward on network outage will only ring the number of your choice
>when your Ooma system is offline or when your Internet connection is
>down.'
>
>Vonage horror story:
>When my son and his wife moved his phone number from Vonage to Cox last
>year Vonage failed to remove the ported number from their available
>number database and assigned it to a company (Going Green).  He couldn't
>figure out why he was getting calls EARLY in the morning (from the east
>coast) that appeared to be the wrong number.  I could reach him if I used
>my mobile phone but if I called him from my Vonage phone I got Going
>Green.  They had already put it in lots of advertising pieces and online.
> I talked to one of their sales people one time and then spoke with the
>company owner another time and described the issue (the number belonged
>to my son and Vonage erred in assigning it to him - I could tell he
>wasn't thrilled to hear that).  It took over 2 weeks to get Vonage to
>straighten that up and it took multiple calls from both me and my son
>(lives in AZ) to get it resolved.  They said they couldn't resolve it
>until they talked to the company they had assigned the number to and get
>them to OK the change (huh?).  Yes my son filed a complaint with the FCC
>regarding this matter.        
>
>Karen Christian
>North County Technology Group
>760.734.4315
>www.nctg.com
>-----Original Message-----
>From: sdw2003-bounces at mattware.com [mailto:sdw2003-bounces at mattware.com]
>On Behalf Of Randy K
>Sent: Friday, January 08, 2010 2:57 PM
>To: San Diego Windows 2003 User Group
>Subject: Re: [sdw2003] Residential VOIP? Vonage, Skype, etc?
>
>Used Vonage for about a year and was VERY happy.  Wife wanted to see
>called
>ID on the TV so we switched to Time Warner.  One thing I really lied about
>Vonage was that if your internet connection failed it would route the
>calls
>to another number.. say your cell.  TW doesn't do that.. when our internet
>connection was down calls went to.. well nowhere.. just dead not even a
>fast
>busy.  when I mention the reroute to the TW customer service and the tech,
>they were amazed that anyone could do that!  not surprised here..
>
>OOMA?  Why pay hundreds of dollars for that is included in Vonage.
>So Vonage is $25 month... and OOMA is 199 (basic) +109 (premium)= 308.  So
>that is about 12 months of Vonage..  I bet something better, cheaper , 
>etc
>comes out in 12 months.  Plus Vonage ships you the hardware...  no need to
>go to Fry's and deal with the folks who couldnt get a job at Radio Shack!
>
>
>
>
>On Thu, Jan 7, 2010 at 5:44 PM, Tom Lively
><tlively at livelycomputer.com>wrote:
>
>> I've been happy with voipyoulife.  I can't recommend any VOIP service
>for a
>> FAX line however.
>>
>> Tom
>>
>>
>> On 1/7/2010 11:48 AM, Leo Dano wrote:
>>
>>> Hello Group,
>>>
>>> Anyone have personal experience going VOIP at home?  I am looking at
>>> Vonage and they have a great International Plan of free fifty free
>which
>>> would save us bundles since my wife calls TJ all the time.  The problem
>>> is, I am seeing a lot of unhappy customers on the reviews I pull up on
>>> Google.  Anyone got any input on this?
>>>
>>> ___________________
>>> Leo P. Dano
>>> Network Administrator
>>> The Bishops School
>>> 7607 La Jolla Boulevard
>>> La Jolla, CA  92037
>>> 858-459-4021 X431
>>> 858-459-3914 fax
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> _______________________________________________
>>> sdw2003 mailing list
>>> sdw2003 at mattware.com
>>> http://lists.mattware.com/mailman/listinfo/sdw2003
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>> _______________________________________________
>> sdw2003 mailing list
>> sdw2003 at mattware.com
>> http://lists.mattware.com/mailman/listinfo/sdw2003
>>
>_______________________________________________
>sdw2003 mailing list
>sdw2003 at mattware.com
>http://lists.mattware.com/mailman/listinfo/sdw2003
>_______________________________________________
>sdw2003 mailing list
>sdw2003 at mattware.com
>http://lists.mattware.com/mailman/listinfo/sdw2003
>

_______________________________________________
sdw2003 mailing list
sdw2003 at mattware.com
http://lists.mattware.com/mailman/listinfo/sdw2003
_______________________________________________
sdw2003 mailing list
sdw2003 at mattware.com
http://lists.mattware.com/mailman/listinfo/sdw2003