I am planning on getting cable internet within the next month, and I noticed my last phone bill, $60!!! I always see the Vonage commercials on the TV, but I don't know if it is the best for me. I'm hoping that someone out there has VoIP service, so they can help me. I just have a couple questions that their websites do not answer. 1. If I'm playing a multiplayer game over the internet, and my phone rings, or someone makes a call, will I notice a large drop in connection speed? 2. Would it be possible to use a fax machine over the connection? Thanks!

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    [/tab]I can't comment on your particular broadband service - but the line I use (1Meg ADSL - TOT, Thailand) handles both phone and internet without any hassle. Of course, the phone company has to come and installed thicker high-grade copper-core cables for this service.

[tab]The phone line and internet run independent of each other through the same cable without any kind of interference whatsoever. Phone calls come through all fine without hampering the internet connection speed in any way - the process is extremely transparent. Only additional device you might have to install is a Noise Filter for your phone line (usually comes prepackaged with many broadband routers). Without this noise filter you might encounter nasty static on the phone line. Fax too, works without a hitch, as it employs only the carrier of the phone line - the adsl carrier operates at a different frequency and as said earlier - doesn't let you feel anything. It's as if - your internet and phone are two disjoint lines running parallely.

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Maybe you can try the quality and speed by downloading and using Skype, which is a piece of software which allows you to make calls over your broadband connection using the same voIP technology. Note that the free software is definitely nowhere as good as a paid service.

http://www.skype.com

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There are many VoIP providers on the market - Skype is one of the most popular, though not the cheapest for landline calls.

VoIPBuster offers free 1 minute calls to Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, China, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, The Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, the United Kingdom and the United States. It used to be free for as long as you want, but it was abused so now you have to pay €1 for unlimited free calls. The service is in beta and may go commercial.

As for gaming, it will reduce your speed, but if it is noticable or not depends on your connection.

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kevlar557,

I have Comcast Cable internet... and AT&T's CallVantage VOIP phone service.

Lets see if I can answer your questions before any comments about the VOIP service by me 1st....

1. Will you notice a big drop in speed when someone calls you?
NO!!!! Your Cable service is probably going to be nearly 4Meg speed... of that, your VOIP phone will use about a 9K bandwidth. You will hardly even notice!!!!

2. Can you use a Fax machine?
They claim you can... and on the VOIP TA-Box (Telephone Adapter Box) that I have, it even has a connection for a Fax Machine. I haven't used one on my service... but for all purposes, it acts just like a normal "Land-Line" from my end... so I dont see where it should be any problem what so ever for you to use your Fax Machine.

Now... onto my comments about the VOIP service.

ITS SWEET!!!!!! My phone bill was like yours... upwards of $60 a month... and that didn't include even Long Distance. My better-half insisting on Caller ID... Call Waiting, and a ton of those darn "Add-Ons" was just killin me!

From my understanding, both Vonage and AT&T CallVantage's service is identical. Voice quality outstanding. Service Outstanding! Vonage is $5 cheaper a month.

Why, you may ask yourself, if Vonage is $5 cheaper, didn't I go with them for my service?

I have 3 daughters. Doing research into the VOIP world... I find there is a discrepancy in the 911 service. Weather you dial 911, and they KNOW its you... or you get some semi-local help desk... that will require you to give them your home address... then forward you to the nearest service... IF they are even working the hours you happened to need to make that emergency call.

Well... in my area... the AT&T service (I believe since they are a phone company 1st...) that problem with the 911 emergency calls isn't any problem. Goes thru to your local 911 emergency opperators, and they have listed your address. For me, the added $5 was worth it to know if my daughters ran into any problems... and picked up the phone to dial 911... they would be helped!

All that ranting... just means... check into your area, and see how both services handle their emergency calls. Its best to know ahead of time.

 

 

 

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