Vonage Users: v-phone "$15"

[davidtu]

Hmmmm will I get busted for a non-woodworking thread? I know some of you have Vonage, so I thought I'd take the chance.

I went to Best Buy the other day and picked up a Vonage V-phone which is a pretty nifty little item; it is sized (and functions) like a USB flash memory stick and it's also a Vonage phone. Use it on any PC and w/o software install it becomes a phone. I'm planning to use it on my upcoming trip. As I said, it's also a flash memory card and has 256MB memory on it too.

Anyway... you can get it FREE if you are a new subscriber. But for folks like me, it costs $39.99 -- but when I got mine at BestBuy, they gave me a $25 BestBuy giftcard, which made the effective cost $15 (assuming I need to buy something at BestBuy... and you know the answer to that!)

[sweensdv]

.......Use it on any PC and w/o software install it becomes a phone. )

Wow, you mean I can turn my PC 333 ROS into a phone. Will a coarser grit paper help my reception if I'm roaming?

[Jeffrey Schronce]

How does this work? The gizmo plugs into the USB port of the computer but does the gizmo have a jack for a phone or headset or something?

[RagerXS]

Pretty Slick

I think the writer of this review does a good job, but he may be a little on the cynical side. I think it is pretty slick at $15, though if you don't already have the Vonage service you have to factor that in before you buy.

~ Fred

[Jeffrey Schronce]

I think the writer of this review does a good job, but he may be a little on the cynical side.

What review?

[davidtu]

Jeffrey... it comes w/ small earphones and mic (on the cord) ... much like the cheapo cell phone handsfree setups.

I think the writer of this review does a good job, but he may be a little on the cynical side. I think it is pretty slick at $15, though if you don't already have the Vonage service you have to factor that in before you buy.

~ Fred

Fred: a) what review? b) if you are new to the service, it is free (i.e. they give you a rebate for one device... if you choose this device it is free... but you might want a better one for your main device).

Btw, I should caution that the $25 gift card was a complete surprise to me. I'd check that deal is on before you buy.

[RagerXS]

Duh

I read the review and mentioned it but forgot to post the link...

http://www.time.com/time/business/ar...213097,00.html

So let me get this straight -- if I buy this, I can get it for only $15 AND the Vonage service is completely free? No monthly fees? The article led me to believe it was cheap but not free.

~ Fred

[buddyroo]

I have Vonage service at home. It is reliable, but the voice quality, while acceptable, is not as good as a conventional land line. I also have a conventional line as well, and use Vonage for my outgoing calls. The total cost for Vonage with all taxes here in Illinois is about $30. My conventional phone line costs $26. So my total cost, for two lines with unlimited calling on Vonage is $56.

Before switching to Vonage my conventional bill for two lines was around $80. I estimate that I was spending around $10 for long distance on my Sam's calling card. So my net savings are around $34 per month, and I don't have to screw around with a calling card for long distance, I have two lines which each have call waiting, and if one of them goes out there is a possibility that the other one might still be working. YMMV

[Otto]

Calling plans for the V-Phone are identical to their traditional service offerings. It costs $15 per month for 500 minutes, $25 for unlimited residential service and $35 for business use. The V-Phone isn't a replacement for a traditional Vonage phone line. In fact, if you are currently a Vonage customer with an existing Vonage number, you have to order a separate Vonage phone number for the V-Phone. Vonage doesn't offer the ability to have a single phone number married to both.

[davidtu]

So let me get this straight -- if I buy this, I can get it for only $15 AND the Vonage service is completely free? No monthly fees? The article led me to believe it was cheap but not free.

~ Fred

Fred, no. I see my writing was sloppy. To be clear: Vonage is a pay service (as someone else has outlined above). It costs $25/mo plus taxes for unlimited calling in US, Canada, Puetro Rico and now Italy, France, UK, Ireland, and Spain. Other international rates are very good (e.g. Germany is around $.05/min). What I meant was that the device (i.e. the phone adapter) is free. You need to have the following: a) broadband internet b) phone adapter. The latter allows any regular phone to work on Vonage.

The V-phone is a special phone that is useful as a secondary device. It is both a phone and a phone adapter. As I said, it requires a Windows PC w/ USB to plug it into and comes w/ headphones & mic on a wire (you can also use PC's speakers or other mic). V-phone is mainly good for someone who otherwise uses Vonage & travels.

When you sign up for Vonage, if you get the adapter from them, it is free. So making Vonage work w/ your existing phones is free... but the service itself is not. Also, since the V-phone is an adapter and a phone, you can opt to have that be your free Vonage phone adapter when you sign up with the service. If your intent is to use the PC as your phone, that would work. Otherwise, and more likely, you'd want to get a standard phone adapter (which btw can double as a network router for your computers) and pick up the V-phone separately for use when traveling.

The V-Phone isn't a replacement for a traditional Vonage phone line. In fact, if you are currently a Vonage customer with an existing Vonage number, you have to order a separate Vonage phone number for the V-Phone. Vonage doesn't offer the ability to have a single phone number married to both.

Otto, you are partly correct. I would not recommend the V-phone as a sole adapter for a Vonage line. (Vonage, like traditional phone companies, has a concept of a phone line... and you can have more than one.) Each phone adapter is associated with a phone line; it has a MAC address and when you are called or make a call, this is how Vonage routes the call to/from your adapter. In order for the V-phone to receive calls, you do have to register it's MAC address w/ Vonage (i.e. associate a "phone line" with it). However, you can change what adapter is registered for a given phone line. All you have to do is go to their website and enter the MAC address of the adapter you wish to associate with your phone line and it will virtually instantaneously become the active phone adapter.

All that said, if you want to use the V-phone for travel, you go to the website (from home or on the road) and associate the V-phone w/ your phone line (meaning that it becomes your phone... your phone at home attached to a traditional Vonage phone adapter/router will not ring or operate as it is no longer associated w/ the phone line.) When you are done, you can set it back. OR you can sign up for a second phone line for a full 2nd monthly fee. (I believe it's full price b/c of the flexible nature of Vonage allowing your adapter to work on any PC/internet connection... otherwise people would "sublet" additional discounted phone lines to friends).

And finally... if you want to travel w/ your regular phone adapter (think network router) you can. Its just bulky. The V-phone is a better option.

Enough said??

NO? Well, check out their website for all the info... www.vonage.com.

PS: If you want free internet calling from your PC, check out www.skype.com

[thallikar]

Fred, no. I see my writing was sloppy. To be clear: Vonage is a pay service (as someone else has outlined above). It costs $25/mo plus taxes for unlimited calling in US, Canada, Puetro Rico and now Italy, France, UK, Ireland, and Spain. Other international rates are very good (e.g. Germany is around $.05/min). What I meant was that the device (i.e. the phone adapter) is free. You need to have the following: a) broadband internet b) phone adapter. The latter allows any regular phone to work on Vonage.

The V-phone is a special phone that is useful as a secondary device. It is both a phone and a phone adapter. As I said, it requires a Windows PC w/ USB to plug it into and comes w/ headphones & mic on a wire (you can also use PC's speakers or other mic). V-phone is mainly good for someone who otherwise uses Vonage & travels.

When you sign up for Vonage, if you get the adapter from them, it is free. So making Vonage work w/ your existing phones is free... but the service itself is not. Also, since the V-phone is an adapter and a phone, you can opt to have that be your free Vonage phone adapter when you sign up with the service. If your intent is to use the PC as your phone, that would work. Otherwise, and more likely, you'd want to get a standard phone adapter (which btw can double as a network router for your computers) and pick up the V-phone separately for use when traveling.



Otto, you are partly correct. I would not recommend the V-phone as a sole adapter for a Vonage line. (Vonage, like traditional phone companies, has a concept of a phone line... and you can have more than one.) Each phone adapter is associated with a phone line; it has a MAC address and when you are called or make a call, this is how Vonage routes the call to/from your adapter. In order for the V-phone to receive calls, you do have to register it's MAC address w/ Vonage (i.e. associate a "phone line" with it). However, you can change what adapter is registered for a given phone line. All you have to do is go to their website and enter the MAC address of the adapter you wish to associate with your phone line and it will virtually instantaneously become the active phone adapter.

All that said, if you want to use the V-phone for travel, you go to the website (from home or on the road) and associate the V-phone w/ your phone line (meaning that it becomes your phone... your phone at home attached to a traditional Vonage phone adapter/router will not ring or operate as it is no longer associated w/ the phone line.) When you are done, you can set it back. OR you can sign up for a second phone line for a full 2nd monthly fee. (I believe it's full price b/c of the flexible nature of Vonage allowing your adapter to work on any PC/internet connection... otherwise people would "sublet" additional discounted phone lines to friends).

And finally... if you want to travel w/ your regular phone adapter (think network router) you can. Its just bulky. The V-phone is a better option.

Enough said??

NO? Well, check out their website for all the info... www.vonage.com.

PS: If you want free internet calling from your PC, check out www.skype.com

I have sunrocket now after I had vonage for 2 years. I got a great deal with sunrocket - 199$ for 2 years unlimited talk time. Once in a while they have that deal- 199$ for 1 year with one year free. I like the service. Now, back to real woodworking stuff...

[dccase]

Going off-topic from an off-topic topic...

If you'd like to make almost-free calls without any special equipment, try here:
http://www.voipstunt.com

You enter your phone number and the number you want to call on a web page.
Pick up your phone when it rings, and wait for the other person to pick up.

[davidtu]

Going off-topic from an off-topic topic...

You enter your phone number and the number you want to call on a web page.
Pick up your phone when it rings, and wait for the other person to pick up.

Hmmmmm.... voipstunt, eh? Isn't that run by the NSA?