Off Topic Vonage Phone

[AAFO_WSagar]

WOW... it's funny how the world turns round... I remember when we used to use our phones to get on the internet.... now, we're using our internet to get our phone service!

I just switched to Vonage from Qwest and frankly, wish I'd have done it a LONG time ago!

AMAZING quality of sound and unlimited calling anywhere in the US and Canada for 24 bucks a month!

I'm apologizing in advance also with this message because... Vonage has a referral system where if I put someone's email addy in and they switch to Vonage, I get referal credit...

Soooooo... if you get an email from Vonage.. twas me... soooo SOORRY if it annoyed you!!



It is a good deal tho!! As long as you have broadband, might as well put it to good use!

[Apteryx]

Re: Off Topic Vonage Phone

...Vonage has a referral system where if I put someone's email addy in and they switch to Vonage, I get referal credit...

Is'nt it how Amway got started...

[TOMW]

Re: Off Topic Vonage Phone

I'm real close to making the switch, but I have one concern. I have DirectTv, and all of thier literature states that you must stay conected to a landline. Does anyone have any input on this. My modem and router are downstairs, so hooking up the DVR presents a problem. I'm tired of paying SBC every month 3 to 4 times what Vonage would run.

[AAFO_WSagar]

Re: Off Topic Vonage Phone

I'm real close to making the switch, but I have one concern. I have DirectTv, and all of thier literature states that you must stay conected to a landline. Does anyone have any input on this. My modem and router are downstairs, so hooking up the DVR presents a problem. I'm tired of paying SBC every month 3 to 4 times what Vonage would run.

Humm... Just googled and found this..

Anyway, I recently moved and at my new residence I got Directv w/ Tivo. Now, in case you don't know, your Tivo is supposed to be hooked up to a phone because it makes a local call every few days to basically tell Directv what you have been watching. And you need it to order Pay Per View with your remote.

When I ordered my Tivo, I made it crystal clear I had no landline and no intention of getting one. They told me that was OK, I would just lose the ability to order PPV via my remote. No biggie.

Well, the Tivo installer came out, installed my dish, got everything going as far as they had to, and left. Great, now I have to go through the Tivo setup wizard on my TV. Well guess what? It won't let you set it up without it making a phone call over a landline. Great.

Well I talk to a few different people in technical support who don't know jack. Then one says, I'm going to have so-and-so call you, he's the smartest guy in tech support.

So a little later I get the call, and the guy is like, I'm not supposed to tell you this, but your Tivo only needs to make the call one time. Then you'll get an error message every few days saying "your Tivo has not made a call in X days" but it won't affect the functionality. Then he says, "How well do you know your neighbors?"

To make a long story short I convinced one of my new neighbors to let me connect a really long phone cord from my Tivo to their phone jack for one phone call. Everything has worked great since. I get an error message every couple days, but it's been almost 200 days and the Tivo works fine.

So add that to another drawback of not having a landline. But you can work around it, you just need friendly neighbors and lots of phone cord.

Seems like maybe you'd lose being able to do PPV via remote but maybe not much else...

Do you have your highspeed access via SBC also? If so, they are going to make you keep a land line in order to service the DSL (assuming that's what you have)

So in reality, it would seem that Vonage is really only an option for those who have their high speed via a cable provider...

Wayne

[TOMW]

Re: Off Topic Vonage Phone

Wayne,
Just got the email from Vonage, Thanks!!( I'll take the free month!)
My service is via cable, DSL did not work for me, too far from the hub. Thanks for the info, I think I'm going to give it a try.

[AAFO_WSagar]

Re: Off Topic Vonage Phone

Wayne,
Just got the email from Vonage, Thanks!!( I'll take the free month!)
My service is via cable, DSL did not work for me, too far from the hub. Thanks for the info, I think I'm going to give it a try.

Cool Tom.... my first referral!

I went with the wireless router phone adaptor combo... pretty slick and only 29 bucks after the rebate.

I'm moving in a month or so and my current wireless router is a modem/router combo that belongs to Comcast. Where I'm moving is serviced by Charter so I'll need the wireless.. it's going to work out really well and I love the idea that I can just take it with me on trips and if I have access in a hotel, plug in and have my home number with me!

Very cool system!

Can't wait to see your name turn up on the referral list!

Thanks!
Wayne

[Danno]

Re: Off Topic Vonage Phone

I'm real close to making the switch, but I have one concern. I have DirectTv, and all of thier literature states that you must stay conected to a landline. Does anyone have any input on this. My modem and router are downstairs, so hooking up the DVR presents a problem. I'm tired of paying SBC every month 3 to 4 times what Vonage would run.

Tom,

I don't know if this would help your problem, but what I did when I got Vonage, is when the phone company was finally shut off, I unplugged the main phone line outside, and then plugged the phone line of the Vonage router into any phone plug receptacle on the wall. I then had my 'landline' available from any receptacle in the house just like when I was hooked up to the phone company. It works great!

Wayne,

You're going to love Vonage! I especially like getting voice-mails e-mailed to me as a .wav attachment. That way, when the President calls and leaves a message, I can save the file!

Enjoy!

Dan

[AAFO_WSagar]

Re: Off Topic Vonage Phone

what I did when I got Vonage, is when the phone company was finally shut off, I unplugged the main phone line outside, and then plugged the phone line of the Vonage router into any phone plug receptacle on the wall. I then had my 'landline' available from any receptacle in the house just like when I was hooked up to the phone company. It works great

Dan, THANKS for that! I wondered why it could not be done, obviously, it CAN!!!!!!

Wonder why Vonage doesn't suggest it?? (maybe legal issues for them)

I'm moving into a condo, so I *should* be able to access the box to disconnect the line... I think I remember seeing it right outside the front door!!

COOL!

[chrisp51man]

Re: Off Topic Vonage Phone

I have direct tv and Tivo, i do not have it hooked up to the phone system mainly cause i do not have a jack close enough , yes you loose the ability to order via remote but you can order all the ppv and such on their website so you lose nothing! just the conveince of doing it while sitting on your couch