# vonage?  pros and cons?



## strollingbones (Aug 19, 2010)

i am thinking about getting vonage...i think i can do the 10 buck plan with no problems....saving me 35 bucks a month....who has it and how does it work?


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## Ringel05 (Aug 19, 2010)

Sorry Bones.  The only exposure is 2nd hand.  I guy I worked with picked up Vonage.  He said read the fine print very carefully, hidden start up fees.


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## strollingbones (Aug 19, 2010)

oooooo free activiaton ...shipping and adaptor....limited time offer...

they always get ya with hidden fees


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## Ringel05 (Aug 19, 2010)

strollingbones said:


> oooooo free activiaton ...shipping and adaptor....limited time offer...
> 
> they always get ya with hidden fees



Apparently there are other fees that they don't include in free activation, etc....
You asked, just telling you what I was told.


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## ConHog (Aug 19, 2010)

to me the biggest drawback is lose your electricity, or your internet and lose your phone


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## Jon (Aug 19, 2010)

Pros: It's cheap.
Cons: It's worthless.

Who uses a house phone anymore?


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## Quantum Windbag (Aug 19, 2010)

My problem with Vonage is it is to expensive. I have been using MagicJack for my calls for a few months and I have no real problems, other than needing to keep my computer on if I want to get call. I am thinking of switching to Ooma rather than renew my subscription to MJ, though I am hesitant about the comparatively high cost of the equipment a lifetime of free calls is pretty tempting, especially with the good buzz they keep getting. I am a bit leery about those taxes and fees though.


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## strollingbones (Aug 20, 2010)

i have to have a house phone....to use my cell at home i have to go outside and down the drive way


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## Quantum Windbag (Aug 20, 2010)

Ever consider a cell phone booster?


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## asterism (Aug 20, 2010)

strollingbones said:


> i am thinking about getting vonage...i think i can do the 10 buck plan with no problems....saving me 35 bucks a month....who has it and how does it work?



I've been using Vonage for about 7 years now.

Pros:

Portable (E911 won't work correctly if you move it out of the registered location, beware)
Easy to hook up to house lines
Easy call forwarding, voicemail, tracking phone calls (web interface)
Cheaper than landline for business
Cheap international calls
Call quality is good if your available upload (at the time) is 125K or more 
Simple set up
Cheap local phone numbers in almost any area code - at one point I had my Atlanta main number and local numbers in:  New York, Chicago, Washington DC, Los Angeles, and Miami.
Voicemails get emailed (although Google does this too)
Easy method to change account types

Cons:

Network problems cause dropped/missed calls
Many points of failure for network problems
Subscriber's internet is down or spotty
Vonage SIP is clogged
Router issues at either your ISP, the backbone, or Vonage's ISP (rare and short lived, but frustrating)

Cascading call settings can be a bear to troubleshoot
Vonage tech support sucks balls
Expensive early termination fees


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## ConHog (Aug 20, 2010)

strollingbones said:


> i have to have a house phone....to use my cell at home i have to go outside and down the drive way



Bones, do you have att? do you have high speed internet? if so the solution is SIMPLE. go to your att store and tell them you want a microcell ( you do have a wireless router don't you, if not you'll need that to) hooke them up program your cell phone into (it has to be a 3g phone which is basically any cell phone att has sold in the last 2 years) and boom you have a 3g celll inside your home. They are $150, no extra monthly fee. They work AWESOME. I've had mine for 3 months and before this we had NO cell signal at the house, now we can surf the web on cellular and everything. Of course you still have the issue of no electricity or internet no phone, but at least you're not paying another monthly fee. 


AT&T 3G MicroCell - Signal Booster - Wireless from AT&T


It MAY not be available in your area yet, but I THINK it's national now.


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## strollingbones (Aug 20, 2010)

i know about the microcells....

ring...hats off to you sugar....i read the fine print.....ouchie...it was too scarey


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## ConHog (Aug 20, 2010)

strollingbones said:


> i know about the microcells....
> 
> ring...hats off to you sugar....i read the fine print.....ouchie...it was too scarey



then why are you asking about Vonage? Micro cell is the way to go.


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## Kat (Aug 21, 2010)

I hate Vonage commercials. Especially the old ones.

Bones, why not Magic Jack?


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## uscitizen (Aug 21, 2010)

Can you get a local number?  Will it be long distance for your neighbor to call you?
I think this is an issue with most of the net phone service thingys.


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## Kat (Aug 21, 2010)

uscitizen said:


> Can you get a local number?  Will it be long distance for your neighbor to call you?
> I think this is an issue with most of the net phone service thingys.



Really? You're kidding! I didn't realize that. I only use cell now days. Don't miss the ''home phone'' even a sec.


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## uscitizen (Aug 21, 2010)

Kat said:


> uscitizen said:
> 
> 
> > Can you get a local number?  Will it be long distance for your neighbor to call you?
> ...



I give my cell number to people that I WANT to call me.  The land line catches the rest.
works well with CNID and VM.


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## Kat (Aug 21, 2010)

uscitizen said:


> Kat said:
> 
> 
> > uscitizen said:
> ...



Right. What I love about a cell only is no solicitations. (yet anyhow). Even though my land line was with ''do not call'' I still would get some.


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## uscitizen (Aug 21, 2010)

I have had 10 calls in the last week that had survey in the name field of my CNID display.  Must have been Time Magazine about the Jews?


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