Internet Phone

[lynn jones]

hi all,

my son is in med school in grenada, W.I. he called home the other day using the internet. the service was:

http://www.skype.com/helloagain.html

i signed up. seems to be very cheap to call long distance and local(computer to regular telephone), like a dollar an hour. the computer to computer is free.

am i now on the cutting edge or on the bleeding edge?

lynn

Edited January 13, 2006 by lynn jones

[short_round]

Skype is awesome. I would say cutting edge.

[shred]

Available internet bandwidth is the key to a good connection. If you have broadband at both ends, it works well.

[Derek45]

Check to see if your VOIP provider supports the 911 system.

You might want to check out this link, the Texas Attorney General filed suit against Vonage, (another VOIP phone company) ......

http://www.oag.state.tx.us/oagNews/release.php?id=850

Texas Attorney General Abbott Takes Legal Action To Protect Internet Phone Customers

Lawsuit against Vonage first in nation to address 9-1-1 access concerns

HOUSTON - Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott today filed a lawsuit against Vonage, the country’s largest Internet-based telephone service provider, for failing to make clear to consumers that the company’s current service does not include access to traditional emergency 9-1-1 service.

The dangers posed by Vonage’s failure to clearly disclose the lack of traditional 9-1-1 access surfaced last month when a Houston family that subscribed to Vonage’s service tried to call 9-1-1 during a home invasion. Two victims were shot multiple times, but the victims’ daughter was never able to get through to 9-1-1.

“This Houston family’s moment of crisis signals a dire need for Vonage to clearly communicate to its Internet telephone customers that 9-1-1 access may not be available to them,” said Attorney General Abbott. “This is not just about bad customer service; it’s a matter of life and death.”

Joyce John, who joined Attorney General Abbott today in his announcement, attempted in vain to reach 9-1-1 dispatchers in February as would-be burglars fired shots through her home and threatened her parents at gunpoint, eventually wounding them. When John hurriedly placed the call from an upstairs room, a voice recording informed her that no emergency access was available from that line. The burglars fled the scene before causing more harm, and the victims survived their injuries.

The lawsuit, filed under the Texas Deceptive Trade Practices Act, requests injunctive measures to stop Vonage Holdings Corp. – a broadband phone company based in New Jersey – from misrepresenting the type of emergency telephone service it offers, and the fact that the “911 dialing” feature is not automatically included when a customer signs up for telephone service. The suit seeks $20,000 per violation.

The lawsuit alleges Vonage is deceiving consumers by not revealing in its television commercials, brochures or other marketing materials that customers must proactively sign up for 9-1-1 service. When consumers purchase the plan over the phone, call center salespeople also fail to disclose this important information. Even after signing up, there are limitations to the service that Vonage customers may never know about unless they read the fine print buried on the company’s Web site.

Internet-based telephone providers are unregulated by state and federal communications authorities. Though some of these providers offer 9-1-1 access, they are not required to do so. However, many consumers, like the John family, may not be aware of this fact.

Vonage advertises that its service includes “911 dialing.” However, it fails to make clear that when a customer signs up for Vonage’s service, the customer does not automatically have the ability to dial 9-1-1 and be connected to emergency personnel. Instead, the customer first has to take steps to activate Vonage’s “911 dialing” feature, which has significant limitations as compared to traditional 9-1-1 service.

For example, customers who dial 9-1-1 through Vonage’s “911 dialing” service are routed through administrative lines at 9-1-1 call centers, not directly to call-station operators who dispatch emergency vehicles. Calls outside regular business hours may not be answered. If emergency personnel do get the call, they may not be able to identify the caller’s phone number and will not have information about the caller’s address.

Attorney General Abbott urges Internet-based phone users to contact their Internet telephone service providers immediately to determine whether they are able to dial 9-1-1.

Sales of this communication option to consumers increased tenfold from 2003 to 2004, according to industry reports. Vonage alone boasts more than 500,000 subscribers. Internet service provider EarthLink is a reseller of Vonage’s Internet telephone service.

[Flexmoney]

Is anybody else running internet phone? (vonage seems like a viable format...and, it travels with you to any braodband connection)

[Clyde]

Using Vonage with Cable Broadband at the House. Took some time to get phone number ported after that no real issues to date. (Had to move Vonage box behind a router that initiates a vpn connection - all good now)

[Shooter Grrl]

My alarm company made me sign a disclosure that if I got VoIP Phone service that they would cancel my alarm service and not refund my money. Apparently, not only does it not dial 9-1-1 but any other "land line" services you may have attached get wiped out.

[Viggen]

Lynn

Skype is a wonderful product. You are on the cutting edge.

And congratulations that your son is in med school.

[spook]

Another vote for Skype.

[Clyde]

ShooterGirl

Some alarms uses cellular technology that was my solution.

[lynn jones]

i'm not replacing my phone service with the internet phone. i using the internet to avoid high long distance charges. the computer to computer use of skype is free. the only thing i had to get was a headphone with a mike.

i talked to the kid yesterday, the connection was clear as bell.

lynn

[profec291]

I signed up for Vonage and sent the Phone Adapter to my parents (on extended vacation) in the Philippines. Works great, I dial a 510 area code and I talk to them in the Philippines. Unlimited incoming calls to them! All they had to do was sign up for DSL. I'm really saving alot of money on International long distance.

[benos]

+ 1 For Skype and SkypeOut (calling a land line/cell phone from your computer).

be

[Flexmoney]

Finally jumped on the Vonage. Seems to work great. We will be saving $40 a month...or about $500 a year.

[ima45dv8]

Just think of all the Clamato beer you'll be able to buy with that!

[Matt Cheely]

Just think of all the Clamato beer you'll be able to buy with that!

[Paul Burtchell]

Bud Clamato, "The breakfast of Champions".

[JFlowers]

Lynn,

I used Skype when I was in Germany for the same reason. I simply bought Sype Credit and called from my laptop to a land/cell number for very reasonable rates (I think Germany to US was $0.02 a minute) or called laptop to laptop for free. Bandwidth is a major issue, especially if you are using a webcam and doing video-phone calls. Just voice is a lot less intensive on bandwidth.

Buy a good headset, cheap stuff is cheap stuff.

[Flexmoney]

Just think of all the Clamato beer you'll be able to buy with that!

Some things...you just can't experience from the internet. You got to pull on your boots, step up and take a great big swig of life.

Then promptly spit that nasty crap right back out.

[chp5]

It doesn't work well over some cable modems - like mine.

I would do it for home/personal use, but not for business. Just my $0.02.

[lynn jones]

wow, what a old thread. i use comast now for my phone service now. nationwide free. my son is now in the states. skype for overseas is the way to go.

lynn