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VoIP sounds death knell for home phones
vnunet.com ^ | 15 Jun 2006 | Matt Chapman

Posted on 06/16/2006 7:29:01 PM PDT by nickcarraway

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To: TommyDale

who are you with ? I was with packet8 for 19.95 a month.


41 posted on 06/16/2006 8:26:43 PM PDT by stylin19a
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To: B.Bumbleberry

The break-ups I could take, the changing our phone number from a 7 to a ten digit number every other week was not a problem them could solve, and not a problem we could deal with.

My niece lives in our area, has Vonage, and is now having the same problem, despite what they told her about always having a 7 digit number.

I try her on the 7 digit number, get a tone and notice call cannot go through, so then I dial her on the 10 digit and it goes through. That creates a real problem when everybody in your area code is used to using just a 7 digit.


42 posted on 06/16/2006 8:27:52 PM PDT by dawn53
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To: VeniVidiVici

I need to consolodate. I'm too connected. I have two ISP's (one is highspeed cable), 2 cell phones (1 work, 1 personal), 2 hardline phones (1 used for fax), cable tv and XM radio. There are lots of bundles out there, but I haven't found the right one just yet. Soon there will be a better set of options.


43 posted on 06/16/2006 8:30:04 PM PDT by umgud (FR, NASCAR & 24, way too much butt time)
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To: VeniVidiVici

I am trying to do the same thing, that is, ditch land line for cell phones. What has been your experience? I am looking for the whole package since my internet service is still dialup. I need broadband internet plus 2 cellphones. Is all this possible for less than $100.00 per month?


44 posted on 06/16/2006 8:36:05 PM PDT by Drawsing (The fool shows his annoyance at once. The prudent man overlooks an insult. (Proverbs 12:16))
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To: umgud
LOL! That's worse than me! I do only have the one ISP (cable) but my company pays for the internet portion. Hurricane Charley did affect my cell phone service. But it was just for a few days and I got over it once I realized I had nobody I had to call.

Other than that I have the XM and the family has seven cells. I like the fact that my kids can call all hours of the day or night ("Dad, I'm joining the Air Force!" "Great! Make sure you send your cell phone back after basic training!")

My wife does have a Blackberry and a Treo. Thank God her company finally dropped the pager.

45 posted on 06/16/2006 8:40:38 PM PDT by VeniVidiVici (My head hurts.)
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To: TommyDale

I have Vonage but I don't have any call blocking options (that I know of).


46 posted on 06/16/2006 8:48:08 PM PDT by streetpreacher (What if you're wrong?)
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To: Screamname
I find it annoying that people are yacking on their phones/ear implants everywhere. You can't stand in a line anywhere without people going yak, yak, yak, often almost shouting. Why would anyone want to go around with a phone sticking out of an ear?

Gosh, I'm so important! I have a phone stuck in my ear 24/7. Why, the President might call me at any minute! Bill Gates might call me! I know, I'll get two phones -- one for each ear! Look at me! I'm extra super-duper important with two phones sticking out of my head and I'll cut in front of you while yacking to someone about the weather (my weather is more important than your weather).

I think these ear-implant telephones are an abomination. What's wrong with going somewhere private to have a phone conversation?

47 posted on 06/16/2006 8:51:33 PM PDT by Wilhelm Tell (True or False? This is not a tag line.)
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To: nickcarraway
Don't count on that. The legislation that is currently in Congress will allow the communications companies (both cable and phone) to set special, higher rates for VoIP and other services.

We live in a Capitalist society. Profit rules. Always has. Always will.

48 posted on 06/16/2006 8:53:27 PM PDT by Jeff Gordon (Is tractus pro pensio.)
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To: dawn53

With Packet8 I use the numbers exactly like I did with my local service--7 digits within the area code, eleven digits for long distance.


49 posted on 06/16/2006 8:59:22 PM PDT by B.Bumbleberry
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To: VeniVidiVici

Still waiting for my Dick Tracy watch.


50 posted on 06/16/2006 8:59:54 PM PDT by umgud (FR, NASCAR & 24, way too much butt time)
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To: dawn53
That creates a real problem when everybody in your area code is used to using just a 7 digit.

Sorry, but welcome to the 21st century. I remember when my grandparents had a problem going from two-alpha through the local operator. Think BR-549. With the explosion of connected devices and mobility it makes absolutely no sense for me to travel international and be chained to a US area code. That is why country codes exist. The old way of assigning "telephone numbers" is gone. But hey, the good news is you can still get a party line in most states. Why would you?

51 posted on 06/16/2006 9:00:34 PM PDT by ARealMothersSonForever (Political troglodyte with a partisan axe to grind)
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To: nickcarraway
I replaced my landline with a cell phone ten years ago. I have some VOIP stuff for work, but that generally gets forwarded to my cell phone.

As for VOIP quality, it is crystal clear and essentially flawless if you have a decent internet connection and ISP that's worth a damn. Most long distance has been going over VOIP for many years now, they just run the converter in the CO instead of at your house.

52 posted on 06/16/2006 9:04:36 PM PDT by tortoise
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What happens when the Telcos charge for VOIP internet use and the price doubles or triples?


53 posted on 06/16/2006 9:10:10 PM PDT by D-fendr
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To: Drawsing
I don't know if you can get cable broadband cell consolidated. Companies like Verizon and Bellsouth offer packages for high speed (DSL) and cell phones, but that means you'll still have the landline.

I know I can get broadband cable for around $50 from one company and a family plan two cell setup for around another $50 from another company, but then, obviously, it won't be on one bill or one company.

I know if you have anything other than basic phone service you are probably paying at least $50 a month just on that. Remember that you can delete the money you are paying to the phone company for your landline and factor that into the equation. Ah, the trade-offs we make :)

54 posted on 06/16/2006 9:12:28 PM PDT by VeniVidiVici (My head hurts.)
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To: TommyDale

I too have switched to VoIP - EarthLink's True Voice. My main reason was several of my family members were ill and they all live out of state.

We had a bumpy start .. but when it was all ironed out .. I'm now very happy with the change.

I am paying $24.99 per month. I too have cable service - Time Warner's Road Runner and I have internet and basic cable through them also.

What VoIP service do you have that's 19.95?


55 posted on 06/16/2006 9:15:31 PM PDT by CyberAnt (Drive-By Media: Fake news, fake documents, fake polls)
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To: Ma3lst0rm
We had a few problems on and off in the beginning but most of them were related to the cable broadband provider not Vonage.

That makes sense, but it has been a number of years since I studied Internet protocols. As I remember, a router does not set up an end-to-end connection before sending packets. It just queues the packets when they come in, services them first-come-first-serve, looks at a paquet, sends it to the next best "hop", and then forgets about the previous packet when it services the next in line. So the routers have no idea what service a particular packet is delivering: web page, ftp file transfer, VOIP, etc. But the acronym is for Voice Over Internet Protocal, so I would think that Quality of Service could at times be a problem. On the other hand, maybe the router hardware is getting so efficient, that when you use VOIP, it seems like a dedicated connection.

56 posted on 06/16/2006 9:18:25 PM PDT by stripes1776
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To: stripes1776
http://www.cisco.com/univercd/cc/td/doc/product/software/ios122/122cgcr/fvvfax_c/vvfqos.htm#wp1130598

The network is now "smart". Basically, VOIP is not for people that demand to stay on a 7 digit world. Linksys is a subsidiary of Cisco. Some ISP's are not very good at configuring and maintaining QoS. The early adapters paid with sketchy service, yet the marketplace is driving innovation and pushing costs down.
57 posted on 06/16/2006 9:30:23 PM PDT by ARealMothersSonForever (Political troglodyte with a partisan axe to grind)
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To: Wilhelm Tell

What gets me is unless someone is some kind of tele-marketer, is WHY anyone would want to talk on the phone that much! Here in New York city, it`s totally out of control especially with the Pakistan cab drivers. You literally will not find one Pakistan cab driver without those things in their ears, and if you don`t believe me ask any Freeper who lives in New York city and they will tell you the same.. I mean who the hell are they talking to? Their wife? Their kids? I`m sorry, I love my wife and kids, but spending every waking hour talking to my wife or kids would drive me absolutely nuts. These psychos though do it 24 hours a day. And even if you got some tremendous interest, like some gorgeous girl you want, how much phone sex does it take? Freggin` rent a motel or something. Talking on the phone is basically a pain in the ass no matter how easy they make it, it`s like having some backseat driver in your ear after 5 or 10 minutes. It just goes to show how many neurotics are out there.... They can`t live life without constant approval and support.


58 posted on 06/16/2006 9:32:52 PM PDT by Screamname (George Noory freggin` rules!)
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To: whd23

How do I configure the QoS to make this happen? Do I just disable the bandwidth limit on Voice, or do I need to make everything else Low Priority?


59 posted on 06/16/2006 9:34:51 PM PDT by Moiraine
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To: Terpfen

Ha, with all the fraud going on with VOIP? You have to be kidding me.


60 posted on 06/16/2006 9:38:52 PM PDT by BurbankKarl
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