Help picking VOIP service/provider (Ooma, Magicjack, G. Voice, whatever else)

[Caiyuo]

So I was looking to cancel my house landline with AT&T since with long distance included it's over $50 a month, but I wasn't sure which services or providers are recommended or dependable. I've seen a lot of articles and guides about setting up your google voice number through an OBi handset for no cost, but given this is a phoneline for a house and not just a single person with a cellphone anyhow, I'm not sure how dependable that is. Do you guys have any experience with any services or providers that you liked or disliked?

Also, can anyone recommend a number-forwarding service? I'm hoping to keep the number from AT&T and I've seen a few services that are cheap, but hoping to get more ideas and options. I saw Ooma had something along those lines, but as I recall it was both monthly and sort of costly compared to what else I've seen.

[Vandole]

i have ooma at my home(my dad's decision) and they give you one phone number for free.

Pros: it works

Cons: IT EATS YOUR FUCKING BANDWIDTH IF THE PHONE RINGS. I HAVE A 20 MB/S DOWN CONNECTION AND IT WILL SLOW DOWN TO 24K WHEN THE PHONE RINGS.

my advice? Time to turn your cell phone into your home phone #.

[xerodok]

I'm with Vandole. Having a home phone is pretty much useless.

[Caiyuo]

Like I said, it's a home phone for multiple people so it's not really an option not to. We've talked about it before, but most everyone wants a singular home phone. Hadn't really thought about the bandwidth usage, but I'm surprised it's so high given when I see requirements they're usually just DSL speeds.

[Cheerios]

My mom uses Magicjack and it works just fine for use as a home phone. I don't think it allows you to use a previous phone number, but I haven't researched it enough. I just plugged it in, registered, and it was good to go with a cordless or wired phone.

I use Skype for my own home phone, but only because I can use it on my Android phone as well since I only have unlimited data, not unlimited talk. I realize I could use Google Voice, but it seems to cut out too much for me compared to Skype.

[Mafai]

Add a new phone to your wireless plan and leave it in the house?

[octopus]

Eh? I have Ooma and I don't really have any bandwidth problems when taking a call.

[Caiyuo]

My mom uses Magicjack and it works just fine for use as a home phone. I don't think it allows you to use a previous phone number, but I haven't researched it enough. I just plugged it in, registered, and it was good to go with a cordless or wired phone.

I use Skype for my own home phone, but only because I can use it on my Android phone as well since I only have unlimited data, not unlimited talk. I realize I could use Google Voice, but it seems to cut out too much for me compared to Skype.

Thanks, and I know with magic jack and probably with most of the others, the only way to get your previous number is to use a number-forwarding service that just routes all your calls from whatever your old # was to your new #, which I'm also looking for advice on. I also saw magicjack is coming out with something called magickjack plus, but I don't know any details on it.

Skype or G.Voice would be ideal if it were just my own phone because I'd be fine with any lost conveniences, but aside from from that none of us have smartphones or data plans either so I'm not even sure if that's even an option.

Add a new phone to your wireless plan and leave it in the house?

from what I can tell, without unlimited plans which we don't have (AT&T), it'd be more expensive and potentially break our minutes compared to having a cheap VOIP solution for things like lengthy calls to long-distance relatives which is a large part of the cost of our current landline plan.

Eh? I have Ooma and I don't really have any bandwidth problems when taking a call.

Do you like it? Any problems or annoyances so far? And if you don't mind, did you get the hub or something else?

[Dranio]

I use magic jack for a home phone. I don't use the phone much so the only cell I have is prepaid, and it only has money on it about 1/3 of the year. Magicjack is paid up through November of 2015 so I don't have to worry about that. I don't have issues with it myself, but then again, like I said before, I don't use the phone much at all.

I know when you get it you can simply choose from a list of numbers or you can get a personalized number for a bit extra. I elected just to get one from the Montana list of numbers (as I'm in, Montana).

[octopus]

Do you like it? Any problems or annoyances so far? And if you don't mind, did you get the hub or something else?

I like it. I have the Ooma Telo. The service is good. You only pay taxes every month and additional for long distance. The only slightly annoying thing about it is that I don't see anywhere in their web interface to track how many international minutes you have used so far (I have the $10 a month for 1000 minutes plan).

Also, I will have to say that OBi voip bridge costs a lot less ($50 on amazon vs $200 for ooma) and it's still free using Google voice. I have never used it though so I don't know how good (or bad) it is.

Magic Jack as far as I know requires a direct connection to a computer (hooks into the computer's internet connection). I don't like that personally... Ooma is basically its own device that hooks into your router.

[Dranio]

Magic Jack as far as I know requires a direct connection to a computer (hooks into the computer's internet connection). I don't like that personally... Ooma is basically its own device that hooks into your router.

Yeah. It plugs into a USB port then you plug your phone into that. It's personal preference really. I have my old computer setup specifically for the magic jack. would've sold the computer otherwise, it's the only use I have for it at this point. Between my laptop for school/web browsing and my gaming rig, the old computer just sits there, so I made it useful.

[Caiyuo]

I know when you get it you can simply choose from a list of numbers or you can get a personalized number for a bit extra. I elected just to get one from the Montana list of numbers (as I'm in, Montana).

Do you know if it incurs long distance for other people to call you if you can't get a local number?

I like it. I have the Ooma Telo. The service is good. You only pay taxes every month and additional for long distance. The only slightly annoying thing about it is that I don't see anywhere in their web interface to track how many international minutes you have used so far (I have the $10 a month for 1000 minutes plan).

Also, I will have to say that OBi voip bridge costs a lot less ($50 on amazon vs $200 for ooma) and it's still free using Google voice. I have never used it though so I don't know how good (or bad) it is.

Magic Jack as far as I know requires a direct connection to a computer (hooks into the computer's internet connection). I don't like that personally... Ooma is basically its own device that hooks into your router.

Seems like kind of a rip to pay for long distance for VOIP when Magicjack is just a superlow yearly bill. Still considering it though given not needing to have a computer running at all times would be a plus.

re: OBi: I guess I'm just hesitant about what will happen when Google Voice is no longer free and if we'll be able to get a number forwarded again afterwards if we have to change services. It wouldn't be bad considering I both have a Google Voice number and never use it, I'll just have to look up more about it I guess.

[octopus]

Seems like kind of a rip to pay for long distance for VOIP when Magicjack is just a superlow yearly bill. Still considering it though given not needing to have a computer running at all times would be a plus.

I meant *international* long distance... For ooma you can call all of US for free (well not really, you pay like $3 a month for taxes). I doubt international is free for Magicjack.

[Caiyuo]

Oh okay, lol International's not an issue so I think I can clear that from any of my considerations.

Also from looking it seems like it'd be about $40 to get an existing number transferred to G. Voice which might be worth it for the 4 or so months of a guarantee not to have any bills, plus whatever happens in 2012 with it. The nettalk duo isn't looking bad either as well as the magicjack plus I just found that on release will be a computer-free solution like the others. Still unsure of which direction to go in, but it's pretty exciting to see all these options popping up to kill landline costs.

[Dranio]

Do you know if it incurs long distance for other people to call you if you can't get a local number?

It depends. If your asking if the people calling you would incur fees, it depends on their phone service. Magicjack itself wouldn't incur long distance fees in the US and Canada to my knowledge. At least, I haven't incured any from people calling me (mostly family from down in georgia and up in washington).

International minutes, assuming you call internationally, you can purchase seperately. I don't call outside the US so I haven't paid too much attention to that side of it though.

[Caiyuo]

It's a singular concern in that we have a cousin that's a senior on a fixed income who calls long distance, non-internationally, but I guess we could just call her back if that were the case.

[octopus]

I'm not too sure about it, but I think you can simply get a google voice number in that area code that rings your real number, then he can call the number in his area code to call you... If that makes sense.

[ChyrillStucker]

I suggest you to go for a hosted VOIP provider. The provider will be be able to divert the calls on Phones/ Landline but require ATA configuration which supports it. You are not required to unsubscribe AT&T number. I am using similar kind of services for my business from therealpbx.com. I rate their prices affordable for me. But I would say you should not rush into the things and check with them, whether they would be able to satisfy you.

[Caiyuo]

ended up going with obihai + google voice by porting the house number to a t-mobile prepaid SIM and then to g. voice, paying $0/month, am great

[Darus Grey]

ended up going with obihai + google voice by porting the house number to a t-mobile prepaid SIM and then to g. voice, paying $0/month, am great

I was actually going to suggest that, it's what I use for my business.