computer phone service??

[pampam]

What are the pros and cons of getting rid of my land line and getting a computer phone service? I'm computer illiterate, so I don't want anything too technical. I don't even know the correct name of this. Someone from ACN was talking to my husband about it. It's supposed to save us a lot of money, but I think there may be problems with this idea he wasn't sharing with my husband.

 

[maryliz]

I think the term is "VOIP" - Voice over IP. We have friends from Toledo that are currently living in China for 2 years. They got a VOIP line in Toledo, all they needed was a phone that plugged into their computer modem ... they have taken the service with them to China, so when we call them, we just dial the Toledo number. And since I have so many minutes of free calling within North America per month, my calls to China are free.

A power outage could possibly be a problem.

 

[Mrs. M. Mouse]

the downfall of not having a land line is the no direct contact with 911. instead your 911 calls go through the VOIP service centre and can delay you getting immediate attention when needed. One little boy here in calgary died due to the voip service sending 911 call to the old toronto address even after they had switched their address to calgary, recieved bills here etc. This is one reason I will always have a land line!

 

[Illini_Jeff]

I have used Vonage for a few years now and am impressed with its reliability and quality. Just the other day I signed up for Skype, which is more flexible and much cheaper than the other VoIP options. I don't know if Vonage is available in Canada or not, but I recommend it as a land-line alternative. As for Skype, I've tried a few calls. The quality is very good and as I mentioned, you have a few options on how you use it - either attached to your computer or via a wireless connection to your home network. Assuming you already have a router at home, Skype is very easy to set up and I am almost certain that it is available in Canada.

For less than 100 USD a year, Skype gives you pre-paid telephone line with unlimited calling to the US and Canada - a remarkable savings over traditional service.

As someone else mentioned, one downside is the lack of 911 support. While some companies offer some kind of alternative, Skype has none. The other disadvantage is that if you lose power or your Internet connection at home, you won't be able to use your phone until those services are restored.

Cell phones help balance out those negatives however. If your cell carrier has local 911 service, then you're good to go!

 

[sunshinemummy]

We looked into Vonage and almost did it and decided against it because of the 911 service and for the fact that our alarm system is also not compatible with VOIP...2 important features in a home with children that I will not mess with.