[MMike]

The banner is flashing in my face here for VOnage. A buddy of mine is failry high up in another Voip company too... I was just curious if anyone uses it much (at all?) If so, what do you think?

Seems like a good idea, but I'm not sure I really understand how it works.....

 

[MTB_Rob_NC]

The banner is flashing in my face here for VOnage. A buddy of mine is failry high up in another Voip company too... I was just curious if anyone uses it much (at all?) If so, what do you think?

Seems like a good idea, but I'm not sure I really understand how it works.....

We use it at work (kinda). We have 8 locations within South Florida (50 mile radius) and are on a local (we own it) VOIP network.

 

[firetoole]

heads up on the broadband phone services most if not all of them will not call 911 because local phone companies are the usually ones that fund 911

 

[DRB]

heads up on the broadband phone services most if not all of them will not call 911 because local phone companies are the usually ones that fund 911

I remember reading in an earlier post here that this was bogus...

 

[firetoole]

I remember reading in an earlier post here that this was bogus...

this could be state specific I am not sure

 

[-dustin]

wasn't that in the news not too long ago, someone trying to get 911 using Vonage, but couldn't, and something bad happened? could i be any more vague?

ah yes, here we go (sort of):

http://www.oag.state.tx.us/oagnews/release.php?id=850

http://www.pcworld.com/news/article/0,aid,120141,00.asp

 

[firetoole]

I know for a fact (being in the emergancy response biz) here in Michigan you can't call 911

 

[DRB]

this could be state specific I am not sure

Or it could be people on here talking out their a$$es

I actually found it and apparently you have to register yourself up for the right 911 number so when you call it is routed appropriately.

Help - How is this different from dialing 911 on a regular landline?
Vonage routes your call to a general access line at an emergency response center determined by the physical address you supplied when you configured 911 on your web account. This means your 911 calls go over the regular phone network, not the dedicated emergency calling network. If we do not have the correct address, your call cannot be routed to the corresponding emergency response center for your area. In the event you have not activated 911, your call will be sent to a national emergency call center where a trained agent will summon local help. You will also need to state the nature of your emergency promptly and clearly, including your location and telephone number, as the local emergency response center personnel will not have this information at hand.

 

[Barbaton]

We use it on campus in a test program. I have a colleague with Vonage that he's planning to get rid of because he just uses his cell anyway. I use iChat AV and occasionally Skype to talk to friends in Scotland for $0/minute.

Beware of the fact that the IP network is much newer and less reliable than the old circuit-switched phone network. A certain college in Boston a couple years ago switched their entire phone network to VOIP when they upgraded their network, and subsequently had a network outage that no one could report (no phone or email), students couldn't call police, police couldn't call police, etc. Not a good day for them. I personally like the security of having independant systems so if one dies I can use the other. We still dial into our servers occasionally via modem if the network goes out...

 

[HypNoTic]

I work for a consultant firm in Montreal that is specialized in Cisco VoIP solutions. I do use Cisco phone (both network based and Wifi) on a daily basis. They are great but are freaking expensives.

Regarding the 911 thing. If its the only showstoper for you, then simply keep an old regular phone at home. Even when the "regular" phone line is desactivated, the emergy call still work and get routed properly. Worst case, if your VoIP phone goes nuts, and your house is burning, you can call 911 from any payphone on the street for free. This is a law requirement for all land line in Canada.

Cell phone and VoIP is not yet regulated and things might differ from a company to another. I know for a fact that Videotron have a strong VoIP network around Montreal and long distance fee and history for me

Again, I may not be representative since I run my own setup at home with my Call Manager, routers and switches, phones and 2 Internet link (1 cable and 1 ADSL). Yes, I'm a geek.

The point that Barbaton lifted is very important IMO. The convergence of all the services on a single non-redundant network is suicidal. At least, get VoIP from another provider than your Internet, phone and TV.

Just my .02$ cdn

 

[MMike]

So do you know George at Teliphone?

I work for a consultant firm in Montreal that is specialized in Cisco VoIP solutions. I do use Cisco phone (both network based and Wifi) on a daily basis. They are great but are freaking expensives.

Regarding the 911 thing. If its the only showstoper for you, then simply keep an old regular phone at home. Even when the "regular" phone line is desactivated, the emergy call still work and get routed properly. Worst case, if your VoIP phone goes nuts, and your house is burning, you can call 911 from any payphone on the street for free. This is a law requirement for all land line in Canada.

Cell phone and VoIP is not yet regulated and things might differ from a company to another. I know for a fact that Videotron have a strong VoIP network around Montreal and long distance fee and history for me

Again, I may not be representative since I run my own setup at home with my Call Manager, routers and switches, phones and 2 Internet link (1 cable and 1 ADSL). Yes, I'm a geek.

The point that Barbaton lifted is very important IMO. The convergence of all the services on a single non-redundant network is suicidal. At least, get VoIP from another provider than your Internet, phone and TV.

Just my .02$ cdn

 

[berkshire_rider]

I use Packet 8 at home with Charter broadband. You have to pay an extra $1.50 per month with Packet 8 to get 911 services.

 

[N8 v2.0]

I wouldn't say I'm 'using' VSOP.... but I do enjoy it.

 

[Transcend]

heads up on the broadband phone services most if not all of them will not call 911 because local phone companies are the usually ones that fund 911

That is complete and utter BS.

I do marketing jobs for a local voip provider...In the us ALL voip companies MUST provide 911 access at no charge, and by dialing 911 as of the beginning of last summer.

The same law comes into effect in Canada Jan 1 , 2006.