$20 annual phone bill?

[tdew]

This article is a review of a product that promises just that - $19.95 for a year of phone calls within the US.
The author of the newsletter is one that I know checks new things out and puts them through tests before making a report.
The device certainly sounds like something that would be worthwhile if you travel outside the US a lot - although I have used the SKYPE system with my laptop in the past and been pleased with it.
http://blog.eogn.com/eastmans_online_genealogy/2007/12/magicjack-never.html

[Ned]

Terry, that's a very interesting product.

For me, I have found that the reliability of VOIP is not yet to the point that I'm willing to go that route. I'm a major Skype user for video calls, but I'm also a multiple line (including dedicated fax line) Verizon subscriber.

This month alone, Comcast, my Internet provider has bombed out 3 times, once for several hours. On the other hand, Verizon telephone services has bombed out once in the last 15 years, for 2 hours.

I also find that there are times that cell phone quality at home and the office is not what I want. That's true for my service AT&T, as well as the quality of friend's cell phones on Verizon, and T-Mobile.

So, for now, I'm sticking to Verizon land lines, which include unlimited local, regional, and long distance service in the US and Canada, in my package from them.

[Annette]

I think the reliability of VOIP will depend on the reliability of internet service in one's area. For instance here the internet has only been out once during the year, and that was just for a few hours. For the difference in price I'm willing to put up with that. The difference between my phone bills? Previous: 2 separate numbers (one for personal, one for business), voicemail, call display, call forwarding etc = roughly $80/month, not including any long distance charges. With VOIP I've got the same plus unlimited Canada/US calling for $35/month, and the call quality has been just fine.

[Kairho]

I effectively have unlimited long distance on my cell phone so there' no need for VOIP other than for international calling. I did try it for several months and it was a complete disaster in terms of call quality, completions, and drops. It is now off the radar.

[stephen_s]

I've had good success so far with AT&T's CallVantage Service (VOIP). The other party keeps saying that the voice quality is a lot better than traditional land lines.

The only thing that I find disappointing so far is the occassional clicks that I hear but I blame that on the fiber optic Internet line I'm using.

[Loonbeam]

I've had reasonably good luck with Vonage, except when I try to use it at the same time as hosting a webconference and having multiple VPNs up (can't imagine why.) But I still keep a land line around for backup.

As far as faxing, Ned, I've switched to a fax to email service for incoming. It's cheap, reliable, and I can get my faxes anywhere!

[AaronK]

I too, knock on wood, have had no issues with Vonage. Only time I had a real issue was when I was doing a large file upload....

My ISP is also pretty reliable. I haven't had any major outages thankfully. (Again, knocking on wood.)