Need input on home VoIP service

[gbundersea]

I am sick of paying about $100/month for 2 lines from Cox. (2nd line is a fax line). After thoroughly researching the options, I just ordered the switchover/port to Nextiva for my fax line. This will reduce a $25-$30/month expense to $4.95, while giving me LOTS more functionality. Though we seldom use fax, there are times when it's the only way people can get stuff to us.

That leaves my primary phone line, which runs $60-$70 with all the taxes and crap. I'm keeping my Cox Internet, which has been great, but I definitely need a cheaper alternative for the phone.

I've come across Ooma, Vonage, and a lot of others. So far, all seem to have their pros and cons.

Any firsthand experience, good or bad, is MOST appreciated!

 

[chad]

I use Axvoice and am very happy with it. I'm not too familiar with having two lines as I don't use a fax, but I have one line with them and it's great. I pay like $15 a month for unlimited local and long distance.

 

[gbundersea]

I use Axvoice and am very happy with it. I'm not too familiar with having two lines as I don't use a fax, but I have one line with them and it's great. I pay like $15 a month for unlimited local and long distance.

Thanks! I'll have to look them up, and add them to my research.

Actually, I won't have a 2nd line once my fax number is ported to Nextiva. Any fax calling that number will be connected to Nextiva, who receives the fax and immediately emails it to me as a PDF. Plus they send me a text, store the faxes online in a neat system that's accessible anywhere, etc.

I just need to make the best choice possible for replacing the primary service. Cox charges WAY too much!

 

[themcfarland]

Greg, I turned chad onto axvoice and have used them and suggested them for years.. I have probably 60 folks who use them some over 10k min a month..
The only person I had complain was a 90 year old woman, also know as my MIL who did not know how to use all the features..

If you have a robust network , (more than 5) pc's or you stream a lot of video while talking on the phone please setup your router to give the voice the priority or you may see some degradation in the quality but I doubt it.

Give you an example, I can stream over 4 meg inbound of data, all udp like the voice would be and still not hear any issues.. (cox cable )

I have the sip device sitting next to the router, and just plugged in a wireless phone into it, with 3 other extensions in the living areas.. all having their own charger and we never get into the closet.

 

[W1nds0rF0x]

I have a magic jack and it's always worked well, but I don't depend on it for my main line. I also have a oBI box that was $50 and connects to the network and logs into your Google Voice account. It gives you a dial tone on a regular phone and rings it when someone calls your google voice number.

 

[todbnla]

We have att uverse which as I understand it is voip and they just put it in at work, hate it there. The uverse isn't bad, we pay $200 for unlimited phone calls, internet, and tv service...one line and I have some preme channels too.

 

[Xenon]

I use Ooma for a main line, but don't use our phone line very often. It gives me unlimited local and long distance and all I pay is the 911 fee and monthly taxes. Works out to about $3/mo.

I don't have any problems with it, but I don't do much downloading and talking on the phone together.

 

[Knave]

I use obi.

Bought the box for about $80 I think? uses google voice, no monthly fee.

 

[sportsbud]

Have you checked out straight talk home phone? Its nice in that you dont have to have internet in order to use it... To some (me) that is a plus, it os 15 a month for unlimited, and the device is 100 bucks, and the service runs off the verizon cell phone network, also it has a built in battery backup so it can work for at least a little bit after the power goes out... overall its kinda nice...

 

[Bosco]

I tried the old magic jack and it was crap. The software kept crashing on my computer and even the "backdoor hacks" of running it as a service would crash. I sent it back for a refund because there was no customer service.

I used the WalMart $100 cell phone home phone service deal and it worked pretty well for a while. I gave it to my mom who still uses it and it works about 80% of the time. 20% of the time the signal is too poor for it to work so she has to move it around the house to get a decent signal to continue using her phone.

I ended up just dumping a landline and only use my work cell phone now.

 

[W1nds0rF0x]

The MJ software has grown exponentially since the beginning. The Win 7/8 software now is completely stable and with the MJ+ you don't need a computer after the initial set up.

 

[herohog]

I use Phone Power and am VERY happy with it! Check them out...
http://phonepower.com