Now is the Time to Try Vonage!
Written: May 18 '09 (Updated May 19 '09)
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We needed a home phone but just couldn't budget the cost of traditional land line service. We really don't use the phone much in comparison to the internet, but it was needed to get return calls for doctor's offices that never seem to answer when we call them or the time the water pipes burst and we needed the water company to come shut off the main line. A phone was necessary, even though not of too much use.
Then I saw a commercial on television for Vonage. The commercial was bright and bouncey and the price sounded incredible. Less than $10 a month for the first 3 months of service was quite a deal. So what comes after the 3 month trial? Phone service after the 3 months is only $24.95 per month.
So what exactly do you get for $24.95 per month from Vonage? Unlimited calling locally and long distance!
Caller ID!
Call Forwarding!
Voice Mail!
Voice Mail Notifications sent to e-mail!
How much would all of that cost you through your local land line provider?
So, I see the commercial and think about it, but am still not sold. Then I check my e-mail and MSN has an ad for Vonage, again boasting the low prices and all of the features. At that point I decided to go to http://www.vonage.com and look more into the deal.
I knew I would have to have a Vonage Router to hook to my computer in order to use the service and wasn't sure what that was going to cost. Upon browsing the site, I found that Vonage sold reconditioned adapters that weren't as pricey as some of the $40 and more adapters. The reconditioned adapter was FREE!
I worked out an order and prepared to check-out through the Vonage online checkout and braced myself for an unreal shipping fee for the adapter. It, too, was FREE! I placed my order for the service and received free shipping and a free adapter!
Vonage had local phone numbers available. My friends and family would not have to call me via long distance service like some other VOIP services. In fact, Vonage seemed to have local numbers for an unbelievable amount of localities.
Within two days, my Vonage adapter arrived along with all necessary documentation, cables, and pieces. My Vonage service was already activated and I had it all hooked up to my old PC (it is about 10 years old and the adapter works well on it!) I was able to make calls from my PC immediately.
The Vonage service seems to work great. Perhaps my only complaint is that the phone is "broken up" if we try to use it while downloading. Also, the downloads obviously do not go as quickly while the adapter is hooked up. Bandwidth sharing is an issue, at least for us.
The call forwarding feature of the service is great. From the Vonage Digital Dashboard at http://www.vonage.com I can set my calls to go to my cell phone or any other phone immediately or I can have them go after a delay to allow for answering at home. The Digital Dashboard also shows detailed logs of both incoming and outgoing calls as well as their resolution status (if forwarded to another phone). I can manage my account via the Digital Dashboard 24/7. Vonage makes account set-up and maintenance a breeze.
Vonage completed my order accurately, quickly, and with great service. I've contacted them once with a question about bandwidth and they spoke to me like I was an important customer, which is hard to find out of any company these days. I have had no problems with either the adapter or the service otherwise and I recommend it to anyone who needs a phone but doesn't want to pay $70 a month for it.
Perhaps my biggest selling point for Vonage is that I live in a rural area where VOIP doesn't always work. I've tried many VOIP services and none of them have worked properly in my area other than Vonage. I have heard that there are better and cheaper services out there but none of them work for me. Use your best judgement based upon your location and decide for yourself. For me, Vonage is the greatest.
Recommended:
Yes
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About the Author
Member: Becky Robinson
Location: Charleston, WV
Reviews written: 7
Trusted by: 0 members
About Me: 32 yr old married mom of 1 and grandma of 1.
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