anyone using it?
From what I hear, top class service offered by vonage.com , sunrocket.com and AT&T’s Vantage are good.
As per info I’ve, this service is good with a speedy net connection (90kbps+) anywhere in the world. It means if someone has a good connection speed in Pakistan can use this service and it’ll be a local call for them to US. Anyone tried this idea? I also heard that most of ISPs are told to block voice support over Internet so this may not work.
Your comments/ideas?
Re: Broadboand VOIP
I don't have a landline, i just use Vonage. it's been totally indistinguishable from a regular phone line, apart from having a lot more services at a fraction of the cost.
The coolest feautre is that I get emailed as soon as I have voicemail. I can then login and listen to my messages through the internet.
Re: Broadboand VOIP
I have vonage as well, good rates to Paki. Plus u can travel with that line, wherver u have internet u can have ur phone.
Re: Broadboand VOIP
Tofi what ISP do you use?
Re: Broadboand VOIP
cool ... sounds like a revolution :p ...
Re: Broadboand VOIP
I have the local cable company, Optimum Online.
Re: Broadboand VOIP
I'm somewhat interested.
I'd like to know how exactly does it work, what are the intial costs and how much does it cost to call Pak and UAE.
Also, is there any hardware required and does it work well on DSL?
Re: Broadboand VOIP
I use Skype, dont really know how it compares to the others for international calls but its only 1p/min for landlines in the uk which is cheaper than my mobile. I also have an incoming phone number for it and voicemail, tho have to subscribe for those services (but the rates are cheaper than normal line rental) and of course it allows free calls to other ppl with Skype.
Re: Broadboand VOIP
Does skype allow you to make calls to cell phones? That would be great ... then I gotta find a cheap, unlimited Internet connection :p
Re: Broadboand VOIP
It works like a regular fone line but with alot more features for free basically.
Intial cost would be paying for shipping and handling from vonage. 21 or 26 cents to pak cheaper to uae i presume.
its works good on cable and dsl
Re: Broadboand VOIP
I pay $19.99 and get 500 minutes a month anywhere in Canada & the USA, plus free voicemail with online checking, caller display, and tons of other features.
The rates to Pakistan are:
| Pakistan | 92 | $0.36 |
| Pakistan (Cellular & Premium) | 923 | $0.34 |
| Pakistan - Islamabad | 9251 | $0.36 |
| Pakistan - Karachi | 9221 | $0.33 |
| Pakistan - Lahore | 9242 | $0.34 |
| United Arab Emirates | 971 | $0.38 |
| United Arab Emirates (Cellular & Premium) | 97150 | $0.37 |
In short, it’s not a substiture for phone cards. But it gives you a local telephone at a fraction of the normal cost, with slightly cheaper international rates than normal providers.
Re: Broadboand VOIP
^^ That’s canadian dollars.
You hook up a telephone adapter to your DSL router and then a regular phone to that adapter.
Yes, it does. It also works on dial-up connections, although the quality suffers.
Re: Broadboand VOIP
DM, I'm sure my family talks for a lot more than 500 minutes within the city and the continent. So it may not be the best option.
Tofi, as I suspected, attaching it to DSL may not be all that good. My phone quality suffers a bit as is because of running DSL on it. I'm sure the quality would become worse if I add anything else on it.
Re: Broadboand VOIP
Dial-up and DSL are 2 separate things, even they work on the same copper lines. Dial-up is what you use when you don't have broadband (DSL or cable modem).
VoIP works over DSL, just like how you surf the web and post on GS. This should not have an impact on your phone connection. If you are experiencing disturbance with you regular voice calls because of DSL you should look into getting filters installed on ur lines. Check your nearest RadioShack for those.
DSL works over regular phone lines, which needs a dialtone, which means you already have regular voice lines hooked up. Depending on how much your local phone company charges is what may entice you to VoIP services.
Re: Broadboand VOIP
I asked my local phone company to remove all unnecessary “features” from the service so I can use VoIP over my DSL connection (DSL requires local phone line) but darn local phone company will still charge around $20 for “minimum basic, naked phone line” + $30 for DSL + $25 for Vonage = $75 
I think I might go for SunRocket unless someone here tells me its disadvantages. SunRocket.com offers $17 per month (if annual package is bought).
Did anyone send it to Pakistan to see if it works there?
Re: Broadboand VOIP
The minimum basic phone line here with SBC is about 6 bucks/mo. With unlimited local dialing, it jumps to 11 bucks, but for DSL you don't need unlimited local dialing either. I am also thinking of getting two Vonage boxes. Keep one here, and send the other to my folks in Pakistan. Vonage to Vonage calls are free.
Re: Broadboand VOIP
^^ If ur folks have Vonage, they're equivalent to being here in the US, so by default all calls are free anyway.
A lot of DSL companies absorb the local loop charge depending on where you are located. Where i live i couldn't get any DSL to come below $50 so I went for Cable-modem.
Re: Broadboand VOIP
I am using Comcast Cable and with it Lingo (www.lingo.com) VOIP service.
1) Overall it is good.
2) I once had a problem with my router and the lingo device, and I called their tech support. It took about an hour to get through to them but once I was talking to their tech, it seems they knew what they were talking about. In other words, it wasn't like, please turn off your device and blah blah blah.
3) I did have interruptions in service where my phone goes dead but rebooting the lingo device gets it back on. I suspect there is still something not right in my router/lingo setup.
4) Contrary to common belief they do support 911 calls. I think almost all VOIP services do now.
5) I pay US $19.99 and have unlimited calling to US & Canada and Unlimited land line calling to Western Europe. My mom calls my sister in Scotland every other day.
6) Put me as your referral if you decide to go with Lingo, as we both will get a month off (I think).
Disclaimer: Sorry if the above is repeated info. I haven't read all replies in the thread.
Re: Broadboand VOIP
Actually Lingo send you the message as an *.wav attachment that you can listen to by opening the email. No need to logon to anything. :-p
Re: Broadboand VOIP
It does, but you have to pay for them… cant remember what they come upto.. i think its 0.4euros/min which i guess is cheaper than phoning from a mobile with a different network if you dont get free minutes. But i’m not certain about the price so dont take my word for it!