I’m curious about something. I’m wondering how many people still use their regular phone company service and how many are using VOIP now? We made the switch awhile ago after we realized that a local company was offering a three-bundle package where we could have VOIP, high speed internet, and cable for the same cost as our phone was costing us. I was a little concerned at first because I had heard that sometimes VOIP results in dropped calls and lower quality, but I’m starting to think those are rumors started by the phone companies who don’t want you to leave because we’ve had no trouble with our new phone service at all.
I must admit that I enjoy sticking it to the phone company; I don’t know what it’s like in other places around the world but Bell Canada took a little too much enjoyment in charging high prices with minimal service just because it used to be a monopoly. Now it’s not anymore and you know, I’ve gotten a postcard from Bell and three telephone calls trying to “win” me back. Forget it. They charge SO much for the basic phone and then practically ask for your kidney if you want the extras. Our much more affordable phone service (we use Videotron) comes with a voice mail free of charge and we pay a “whopping” two bucks for call waiting and caller ID.
There’s no way in hell that I’m dropping the VOIP experience to go back to Bell.
I don’t use either. My husband and I have only our cell phones. Whenever we move, we’ll probably set up VOIP or something similar though. I hate regular phone companies.
Yeah Bell is a rip.
I joined up with Primus switched to Rogers for my high speed and used Primus as my main phone line. I save over $600.00 in a year. Primus’ support is not great though. I’d still recommend them though. Service was consistent. I had a few problems with connectivity but I did get someone on the line who helped me out…eventually.
We have VOIP. And yes, sticking it to the phone company is great, ‘cept that the cable company isn’t much better. We use Vonage for our VOIP, but Time Warner for our cable & cable modem. Either way, when the cable goes down, everything is down. And we get very poor cell phone reception in our apartment. It’s great when it works, but a nightmare when it doesn’t.
Even though I used to write about how wonderful VoIP is (man, that was like 5 or 6 years ago!) we don’t use it and don’t plan on it. I still feel it’s unreliable and the 911 thing makes me nervous. (I know service proivders are changing this, but at least a year ago, if you called 911 it didn’t necessarily go to your local 911 center — it went to a regional center and then your call had to be rerouted. Our neighbors across the street had VoIP for their phone until a transformer caught on fire in their yard, setting a tree on fire on a very windy night, and it took at least 30 min. for the fired dept. to respond due to all the routing that had to be done.) I wish I could just live without a phone period!