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Broadband (VoIP) Phone Service
Comparing the major broadband phone companies
With more and more people using cable or DSL high speed Internet, broadband phones are becoming extremely popular. One of the main reasons is price. VoIP costs so much less than standard telephone service and includes so much more. Long distance rates to the US are generally included in the monthly price and International rates are a fraction of the cost of those placed on a regular phone line. The quality has improved so much that the people you call will have no idea you're calling them over the Internet unless you tell them. We are often asked if you can fax over a VoIP line. The answer is: usually. Some fax machines work without a problem while others have some issues. A better alternative is to use one of the e-mail-to-fax and fax-to-e-mail services. Here are a couple of links: RingCentral Fax, GoDaddy faxing, efax (VoIP not for you? Click Here, need broadband? Click Here)
Some of the major providers of broadband phone service are Packet 8, Sunrocket, ViaTalk, Vonage, iConnectHere, and Lingo. While they may stream your voice a little differently, all companies offer basically the same service. The difference comes down to their various packages and how they are priced. Below we will look at each of them individually. (Check out the brand new user forum)
Monthly Rate = $24.95 Residential, $39.95 Business Hosted PBX System
Includes unlimited local and long distance to the US and Canada
Unlimited calls to other Packet 8 users worldwide
International calling plans available
Activation Fee = $29.99 (1st month free + 3 months at 50% off)
Equipment Charge = None
Disconnect Fee = $59.00 after 30 day trial (1st year only)
30 Day money back guaranty
Payment Options = Credit Card Only
Included Features = Voice Mail, Caller ID, Call Waiting, 3 Way Calling, Call Forwarding
Packet 8 Review = Packet 8 is probably one of the best overall values in the current VoIP offerings. It offers so many great features for very little money. The sound quality is excellent. E911 is standard with all accounts. Local Number Portability is available so you can keep your existing phone number and move it to the Packet 8 service. They also just added virtual numbers which allow you to choose phone numbers in other parts of the country that ring through to your main Packet8 number. You can also get 800 numbers for your line. In most cases, it has the best international rates we've found. Packet8 continually adds new features without adding to the price.
For Packet 8 order info Click Here (Free Activation)
Monthly Rate = $199/year Residential
Includes unlimited local and long distance to the US and Canada
Unlimited calls to other Sunrocket users worldwide
Free international minutes ($3.00 allowance each month)
Activation Fee = $0.00
Equipment Charge = None
Disconnect Fee = $0.00
31 Day money back guaranty
Payment Options = Credit Card Only
Included Features = Voice Mail, Caller ID, Call Waiting, 3 Way Calling, Call Forwarding
Sunrocket Review = Sunrocket recently went out of business. It is good to look for a company that is well funded so you know they will be around a while. Packet8 (above) is a very good choice as they have been in business for around 20 years and they don't rely on third parties in offering phone service. They even make their own hardware.
Sunrocket is out of business.
Monthly Rate = $16.95/month (yearly) Residential
Includes unlimited local and long distance to the US and Canada
Unlimited calls to other voip.com users worldwide
Activation Fee = $0.00
Equipment Charge = None
Disconnect Fee = $0.00
money back guaranty
Payment Options = Credit Card Only
Included Features = Voice Mail, Caller ID, Call Waiting, 3 Way Calling, Call Forwarding
Voip.com Review = Voip.com is actually a late comer to the voip scene. They offer all the standard features the other companies offer. At this point we do not have any information regarding their financial stability. We look forward to watching them to see how well they will stack up against the competition.
For Voip.com order info Click Here
Monthly Rate = $24.99 Residential, $49.99 Business
Includes unlimited local and long distance to the US and Canada
Cheaper plans available without unlimited long distance
Activation Fee = $29.99
Equipment Charge = None
Disconnect Fee = $39.99 after 14 days (if cancelled in 1st year)
14 Day money back guaranty (if less than 250 minutes used)
Payment Options = Credit Card Only
Included Features = Voice Mail, Call Waiting, Caller ID, 3 Way Calling, Call Forwarding
Vonage Review = Vonage is the company that started the VoIP craze. They offer service comparable to other VoIP companies. They recently reduced the price of the residential service by $5.00 to be a bit more competitive. A nice feature available through Vonage is the ability to purchase a secondary phone number in another area code that rings through to your main number. So, your relatives across the country would be able to call you with no long distance charges either. They also have software that can be installed to allow you to make calls through your computer. This is only available to subscribers and it is treated as another phone line which you must pay for. If you need to call technical support, be prepared to listen to hold music for an extremely long time. Local Number Portability and 911 services are supported. Recently, Vonage was slapped with a lawsuit by Verizon. Apparently Vonage has been using some of Verizon's patented technology without Verizon's permission and without paying for its use. It is tied up in the courts right now so we'll have to wait and see where that goes.
For Vonage order info Click Here
Unlimited US/Canada Monthly Rate = $15.95 Residential, $35.95 Business
Includes unlimited local and long distance to the US and Canada (other plans available)
Activation Fee = $29.95 (Free with 1 or 2 year plan)
Equipment Charge = None
Disconnect Fee = Half of remaining time
14 Day money back guaranty
Payment Options = Credit Card Only
Included Features = Voice Mail, Call Waiting, Caller ID, 3 Way Calling, Call Forwarding, Call Transfer
ViaTalk Review = ViaTalk Is currently the price leader for unlimited calling if you are willing to pay for 2 years of service in advance. You have the option of paying for 1, 3, 6, 12 or 24 months at a time. With the 12 and 24 month plans, there is no activation fee and the overall price per month is reduced. A nice feature that is included in both the residential and business plans is call transfer.
For ViaTalk order info Click Here
Monthly Rate = $29.99 Residential, $49.99 Business
Includes unlimited local and long distance to the US and Canada
Activation Fee = $29.99
Equipment Charge = Just recently removed equipment charge.
Disconnect Fee = $39.99
30 Day money back guaranty (if less than 50 minutes used)
Payment Options = Credit Card Only
Included Features = Voice Mail
iConnectHere Review = iConnectHere recently updated their offerings to include unlimited calling plans. They are now more in line with the other VoIP offerings. You can choose to have a US, UK, Spain, Italy, Austria, France, Belgium, Ireland, Germany, Sweden, Switzerland or Isreal number (Anything other than a US number costs extra). They do not offer Local Number Portability nor 911 services. Their web site can be a little tricky when placing an order.
For iConnectHere order info Click Here (1st month free + free shipping)
Monthly Rate = $19.95 Residential, $49.95 Business
Includes unlimited local and long distance to the US and Canada and Western Europe
Cheaper plans also available as low as $7.95/Month
Activation Fee = $29.95
Equipment Charge = None
Disconnect Fee = $39.95 After 30 days (1st year only)
30 Day money back guaranty (if less than 500 minutes used)
Payment Options = Credit Card Only
Included Features = Voice Mail, Caller ID, Call Waiting, 3 Way Calling, Call Forwarding
Lingo Review = Due to so many inquiries, we have decided to list some information about Lingo. We have NOT evaluated their sound quality or reliability. This is simply to reduce the amount of inquiries we receive about the Lingo service and provide as much information about their services as possible. We will continue our efforts to evaluate their service quality and update when we have been able to do so. Their offering is impressive. Not only do they provide unlimited long distance to the US and Canada but throw in unlimited calling to a number of Western European countries including UK, Germany, France, Italy, Ireland, Netherlands, Belgium, Denmark, Switzerland, Sweden, Finland, Austria, Luxembourg, Vatican City, Norway, Portugal, and Spain. For an additional fee, they also have the option to choose a local number in Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, France, Guatemala, Hong Kong, Italy, Japan, Korea, Puerto Rico, and The UK. Their available US phone numbers are not as extensive as some of the other providers. They also have a plan available with unlimited calling to all of Mexico in addition to unlimited US/Canada for $29.95/month. We experienced some web site problems and errors while browsing and checking their various plan details. They do offer Local Number Portability and Emergency Calling Service (Not true 911 or E911). If they are unable to offer 911 services to your area, they will not sell service to you.
For Lingo order info Click Here (1 Month Free)
Other VoIP Providers
Verizon VoiceWing, Voip.net, Opex Internet Voice, Voip.com, Fonvantage,
With any Broadband phone service consider the following
Some of the broadband services do not offer 911 access to emergency services. If the one you choose does not, or you choose not to activate it, make sure you have an alternate way to contact emergency services.
Unless all of the various parts of your network as well as your Internet Service Provider have battery backup, your broadband phone will not work in the event of a power outage. Most people these days use cordless phones which would not work with the loss of power anyway but it is something to take note of.
Broadband phone service is only as good as your Internet service. So, if your Internet service goes down a lot, your broadband phone service will too. Make sure you have a reliable high speed Internet connection before ordering VoIP.
Broadband phone service can be hardwired into your home phone wiring but it is essential that you completely disconnect your standard telephone line before doing this or you risk damaging your VoIP adapter. If you choose to hardwire your broadband phone into your home phone wiring, it is recommended that you do not connect more than 3 to 5 phones at any one time. It is best to have a professional handle this for you.
A very convenient aspect of broadband phone service is that you can take your number with you wherever you go. Simply take your VoIP adapter with you when you travel and connect it to any high speed Internet connection. The VoIP adapter will automatically syncronize and you'll be ready to make and receive calls in a matter of seconds. You may be thousands of miles away from home but your callers will have no idea.
Summary
Broadband phone service is an amazing new service that really is beginning to go mainstream. It is so flexible and convenient. While there are still a few quirks and drawbacks, the benefits far outweigh them. And, the technology will just continue to get better and better from here on out. So, if you're thinking about switching to VoIP, do it. You will be glad you did and not just because of the money you save. And if, for some reason you are dissatisfied with it, you can always switch back. If you have any additional questions regarding VoIP or which service is right for you, call us on our main VoIP phone 801-783-4210. You'll be able to hear the quality and have your questions answered. We can even help you get signed up for the service you want and help you get it installed if needed. If you're not ready for VoIP or if VoIP service is unavailable in your area, we can help you save money on standard phone service as well. Just click here. You can also e-mail us at voip@smart-technology.biz.
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