Need advice: transfering landline to VOIP

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RU482

Lifer
Apr 9, 2000
12,689
3
81
We currently have a landline at our home that we rarely use. We do want to keep the number, because it is registered with our Kids school and parent groups.

Ideally, I would like to find a low cost voicemail box that I can assign this number to. Another more likely alternative would be to get a VOIP line and assign our number to it.

So, does anyone here have any advice on a low cost service like this that is reliable?
 

axelfox

Diamond Member
Oct 13, 1999
6,719
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I've been looking at OOMA through Costco. $220, no monthly/annual fees except prepay for international & 411 calls.

I've used Vonage (OK, but pricey), Sunrocket (out of business), and currently with ViaTalk (satisfactory given the price).
 

dartworth

Lifer
Jul 29, 2001
15,200
10
81
We just have the 500 min plan with ViaTalk as we rarely use the line. If you prepay for 12 or 24 months it gets down to like $10/month...

They do have a great control panel and I get all voice mail messages sent to my cell via email which is nice when I am out of town. Lots of neat feature if that's what you're into;)
 

kalrith

Diamond Member
Aug 22, 2005
6,628
7
81
I posted some info about how I'm going to use voip here. I'm sure you can glean some info from the rest of that thread as well.
 

smittybg

Member
Jul 24, 2001
148
0
71
i switched my landline to a cell phone on my family plan....it only cost me $10 per month and we hardly ever use it except for voicemails.....i use t-mobile....
 

Jacque

Junior Member
Apr 2, 2009
9
0
0
Onesuite has VoIP service for $2.95 monthly with free incoming calls. Outgoing is only 2.5 cents per minute and they can port your number for free.
 

Pepsei

Lifer
Dec 14, 2001
12,895
1
0
my parents just cut their landline and converted the dsl to a dry loop dsl. the dsl price went up by $11, but, they saved $59 on landline bill. win-win
 

Muadib

Lifer
May 30, 2000
18,060
889
126
Originally posted by: axelfox
I've been looking at OOMA through Costco. $220, no monthly/annual fees except prepay for international & 411 calls.

I've used Vonage (OK, but pricey), Sunrocket (out of business), and currently with ViaTalk (satisfactory given the price).

A few here have Ooma, and like it. It's discussed in this thread in THE PHONE FORUM!!!, just in case the OP didn't know we have one here.:p

Here's another thread about VOIP.

Here's one on Vonage. I have them now, and have no complaints. I have been thinking of giving Ooma a shot though, as it would pay for itself if they can survive their money problems.
 

PlatinumGold

Lifer
Aug 11, 2000
23,168
0
71
i use magic jack. just took an old vonage voip router, put different firmware on it, put in magic jack sip info and voila, vonage type service for $19.00 / year.
 

kevnich2

Platinum Member
Apr 10, 2004
2,465
8
76
I personally recommend Vonage. Not the cheapest but you get what you pay for. Had it for 2 years now and not a single issue yet. I highly recommend against magic jack. I do tech support and have seen several issues with magic jack. Again, you get what you pay for. Not to mention magic jack owns the number so if you get it and decide you don't like it or it doesn't work for you, you don't get to keep the number. Also, it is NOT even in the same league of service of say vonage. I tried out 4 different VOIP companies before going with vonage and I'm not dissatisfied at with them.
 

kevnich2

Platinum Member
Apr 10, 2004
2,465
8
76
Originally posted by: RU482
We currently have a landline at our home that we rarely use. We do want to keep the number, because it is registered with our Kids school and parent groups.

Ideally, I would like to find a low cost voicemail box that I can assign this number to. Another more likely alternative would be to get a VOIP line and assign our number to it.

So, does anyone here have any advice on a low cost service like this that is reliable?

If cellular service does work fairly well for you, you could always just add another line of service to your cellular bill for another probably $10/month and port that number to that phone and then just put call forwarding on it to your other phone. Probably the cheapest option there is.
 

Don66

Platinum Member
Jan 5, 2000
2,216
0
76
Originally posted by: PlatinumGold
i use magic jack. just took an old vonage voip router, put different firmware on it, put in magic jack sip info and voila, vonage type service for $19.00 / year.

Word:thumbsup:
 

PlatinumGold

Lifer
Aug 11, 2000
23,168
0
71
Originally posted by: kevnich2
I personally recommend Vonage. Not the cheapest but you get what you pay for. Had it for 2 years now and not a single issue yet. I highly recommend against magic jack. I do tech support and have seen several issues with magic jack. Again, you get what you pay for. Not to mention magic jack owns the number so if you get it and decide you don't like it or it doesn't work for you, you don't get to keep the number. Also, it is NOT even in the same league of service of say vonage. I tried out 4 different VOIP companies before going with vonage and I'm not dissatisfied at with them.

your opinion and you are entitled to it. frankly, half the people i work with used to do tech support for vonage and i've talked to quite a few of them about my project and all of them are looking to do something similar themselves using magic jack. i have vonage in the past and was not overly impressed with the quality of their service, it wasn't bad but it isn't worth the price difference, vonage is about 12x more than magic jack.
 
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