| What is it? | | | | 8. Keep your regular phone (you don't need a voip |
| Most people are familiar w/ NetMeeting and other | | | | phone) |
| software that let you talk to others over the internet. | | | | There are some other cool features available for |
| VOIP is similar. However, it also uses your phone - the | | | | extra $ like the softphone which lets you use your |
| interface we're all familiar with. | | | | computer as a phone w/o the modem - this means |
| Instead of connecting your phone to the wall, you | | | | you can take your laptop w/ you wherever and you |
| connect it to a box either the VOIP company provides | | | | have your phone w/ the same phone number |
| or you buy on your own. This is the modem. You need | | | | everywhere too (you can do this w/o the softphone, |
| highspeed/broadband internet for this. Your modem | | | | but you have to take your VOIP modem around w/ |
| plugs into your cable/dsl modem and now it can 'talk' | | | | you - not bad if you're going somewhere for a longer |
| btwn your phone and the internet. | | | | trip). |
| Your phone lines already do pretty much what VOIP | | | | Another really cool thing is the virtual phone numbers. |
| does, just w/ different/older technology (well, some of | | | | You can get extra numbers that ring the same phone, |
| it's new w/ optics and such, but...). | | | | but they are local numbers to any area code you |
| How hard is it to setup? | | | | want. So if I live in Dallas and have family in New York, |
| It's actually very easy. Assuming you have the | | | | I can get a local phone number here and there. That |
| company send you a modem or you buy a kit at the | | | | way my family in New York can call a local number |
| store, you simply plug the modem btwn your current | | | | (free) and talk to me! Vonage charges $4.99/month |
| cable/dsl modem and your computer (e.g., the out from | | | | for that. I'm not sure about the others. |
| your cable modem now goes to the new box and the | | | | And the biggest benefit - IT'S CHEAP! I pay $14.99 |
| out from that to your computer). It also has a phone | | | | plus some tax and such, but not the ump-teen taxes, |
| jack for your regular phone. | | | | charges, fees, etc. like the phone company charges. |
| Once it is on, it will boot up and configure itself. | | | | Also, if you do a little research/reading, you can set it |
| What are the benefits? | | | | up to where every phone jack in your house is wired |
| There are many benefits depending on the company | | | | for VOIP. It's little more than plugging the output of your |
| you go w/, but here are a few I have (all of these are | | | | VOIP modem into the wall jack you already have. |
| free w/ the monthly fee- $14.99 for my setup): | | | | Very little more. |
| 1. Features like caller id, call waiting, call waiting caller id, | | | | Bottom Line |
| call forwarding, etc. | | | | You get lots of good, free features and options for |
| 2. Voicemail | | | | doing/managing a lot more including a lot over the web |
| 3. Email alerts for new voicemail. | | | | and it's SO much cheaper (at least it is for me!). Being |
| 4. Web access to voicemail - you can play your | | | | the 'average guy' I am, I don't really use all the features. |
| messages on your computer. | | | | Fortunately, it's pretty much a 'set it up and forget |
| 5. Auto-forward - if the phone is ever down or isn't | | | | about it' type thing except that I save $40+/month w/ |
| answered, it's auto-routed to another number | | | | it! |
| 6. Online management of all features, settings, account, | | | | I use Vonage b/c that's what I was told about first and |
| etc. | | | | it was one of the first. There are others and I'm sure |
| 7. Computer dialing - highlight any number on your | | | | they have their strengths, but Vonage has the |
| computer, hit F6 and it sets up the call from your | | | | cheapest base option at the time I did my research. |
| phone to theirs - very convinient! | | | | |