which home phone service?

[gychang]

I am hopeful this is the right forum.

I have a generic phone system with digital answering capability (Panasonic) with 4 other extension from Costco. I need to have a phone connection (likely using internet) since I have a cable modem/wireless router. I have skype but it means turning the PC on all the time...

I need to be able to make free phone calls to Korea. Checked vonage and unfortunately South Korea is not covered. Anyone aware of any particular phone system/device that will allow for phone calls to any where in US and Korea with minimal cost?

[radhak]

You might want to research OOMA. They sell a box for around $200 (shop around, bargains abound), and the service is free within the US and calls costs a pittance for international (like 3 cents a minute).

I don't have it, but friends are very happy with it.

I have the landline VOIP service from TMobile, my cellphone carrier : $10 per month. Unfortunately they have discontinued the service and I am just grandfathered in. If they kill it, I might move to ooma.

[dbhost]

We have family with Ooma. Not sure about international to eastern countries, but if I recall right, calls from the U.S. to Spain, Mexico, and Germany are no cost... Aside from taxes that is. Each of those countries applies taxes to the calls...

[Cochese]

The cost of having your computer on is probably less than buying or subscribing to a standalone service.

If you have a smartphone, there's Skype there as well.

[Cubsfan]

I have no experience with these, but if Skype will work but you just don't want to leave your phone on, you could try something like one of these:

http://www.google.com/search?sourcei...w=1111&bih=727

[gychang]

I have no experience with these, but if Skype will work but you just don't want to leave your phone on, you could try something like one of these:

http://www.google.com/search?sourcei...w=1111&bih=727

thanks for the link, interesting. We are looking for solution using our home phone system rather than buying other hardware though.

[gychang]

You might want to research OOMA. They sell a box for around $200 (shop around, bargains abound), and the service is free within the US and calls costs a pittance for international (like 3 cents a minute).

I don't have it, but friends are very happy with it.

that's an excellent suggestion, will have to explore to see if the calls to South Korea will be covered, will plan on sending an email to OOma.

[thrytis]

Check out the obi100 (about $40) by Obihai which provides a standard VoIP FXS. Your existing phone just plugs into a jack in the back. You can use it with Google voice which is currently free calling in the US and Canada (not sure what the rates to Korea are), and i think free for google voice to google voice customer. You can also use the obitalk service to talk to other people using the obitalk service (software solutions are available so they don't have to have one of these boxes). It also supports standard VOIP protocols so you have the option of many other providers if you don't like GV or obitalk.

[gychang]

Check out the obi100 (about $40) by Obihai which provides a standard VoIP FXS. Your existing phone just plugs into a jack in the back. You can use it with Google voice which is currently free calling in the US and Canada (not sure what the rates to Korea are), and i think free for google voice to google voice customer. You can also use the obitalk service to talk to other people using the obitalk service (software solutions are available so they don't have to have one of these boxes). It also supports standard VOIP protocols so you have the option of many other providers if you don't like GV or obitalk.

more I look into this indeed obi100 seems to be the solution. Calls to Korea is relatively cheap depending on whether calling cellular or landline.

do u by any chance know the difference of obi100 to obi110?, not clear to me at this time.

[thrytis]

The obi110 includes an FXO port in addition to the FXO port, which can connect to a regular phone line. This would let you do stuff like use one phone both for regular calls and for google voice calls (based on how you dial the number) or have all 911 calls go out via the regular phone line rather than use VOIP service. Using their software you can also allow people to remotely place calls through your traditional phone service.

[LCHIEN]

cost of computer running

The cost of having your computer on is probably less than buying or subscribing to a standalone service.

If you have a smartphone, there's Skype there as well.

Just for evaluation purposes, what is the monthly cost to run a computer 24/7?

Assume:
Screen is in power savings mode
Computer is in full power mode at 100W
Power cost is $0.12 per KWH
Wear and tear on the computer is negligible, i.e. it won't wear out from being left running.

for a 30-day month (720 hours) the usage is 72 KWH and the net cost is $8.64

You can scale that up for power cost, i.e. if you cost is 15 cents per KWH, divide by 12 and multiply by 15. AT 20 cents per KWH, your monthly cost is $14.40
I haven't checked recently but 100W is about what a desktop runs power-wise, if i recall correctly.

I leave my desktop on at home all the time... for $8 bucks a month its nice to tap a couple of keys and instantly see my e-mail or get an answer to a question - i check mine frequently and would be loathe to wait for bootup each time. So adding phone service thru the computer would not add to my electricity bill.

[gychang]

The obi110 includes an FXO port in addition to the FXO port, which can connect to a regular phone line. This would let you do stuff like use one phone both for regular calls and for google voice calls (based on how you dial the number) or have all 911 calls go out via the regular phone line rather than use VOIP service. Using their software you can also allow people to remotely place calls through your traditional phone service.

so if I just want obi100, I can use my existing generic phone system (panasonic from costco) main unit connects to phone, and 4 extensions with just AC plug. I will have no additional phone lines (no 911 is OK since we have separate cellular phone available thru ATT).

I just need obi100 right?, not obi110.

[thrytis]

so if I just want obi100, I can use my existing generic phone system (panasonic from costco) main unit connects to phone, and 4 extensions with just AC plug. I will have no additional phone lines (no 911 is OK since we have separate cellular phone available thru ATT).

I just need obi100 right?, not obi110.

Correct. You would just need the obi100.

[atgcpaul]

There's a refurb Ooma for sale on woot.com today for $140

[gychang]

I received my obi100 from amazon today, and will it up. Will share my experience soon.