To VOIP, or not to VOIP? That is the Question.
Last weekend we joined the VOIP movement. That is Voice Over Internet Protocol for you non-techies. Not that I'm a techy...but I'm more techy than most. So basically we are trying a new phone service. We went with Iristel because our WISP(Wireless Internet Service Provider), Broadband Surfer Canada worked to get a Quality Of Service agreement with them. We now have an Edmonton based number which allows us to call pretty much anyone around Edmonton as a local call instead of the long distance call we have to make now. We can also call anyone within our area code as "not" long distance. There are better packages out there but quality was our main concern. Oh...and price. Plus the long distance charges are very low if we did make a long distance call. 3.9 cents/minute in Canada. 4.5 cents/minute for Australia. Its not like we make a lot of long distance calls around Canada anyway. We should save around $50/month should we decide to cancel our Telus land line and go with Iristel as our phone company.
Some of the things we have noticed. The Quality is not as good as a land line. It sounds more like a cell phone call. It is livable so far...especially after our WISP did something on his end. It was pretty bad before that happened. Another thing that concerns me is that they don't have E911 set up. VOIP does not connect to the regular 911 service. E911 is an emergency calling system that identifies your physical address with your telephone number. It is being worked on but until then I would have to find out the numbers to where ever the Fire Department, Ambulance, Police, etc. and program them into my phone and train the kids. Doable...but not ideal.
So I ask you...do you know of anyone who has gone the VOIP route and dumped their land line? If so, how have they liked the service?
PS: Telus called me tonight. They noticed that I don't use the full 800 minutes of the package that I pay for. They have one the fits my needs and instead of $18/month it would cost $4.95/month, plus my regular phone charge. I wonder if they noticed that I am forwarding all my calls from their number to my VOIP number.....
6 comments:
I dunno but I would say NOt To VOIP....But I'm a lil' twisted up right now and my tinker isn't functioning quite back at normal level yet...
Maybe, hmmmmm?
I know of 2 families that went VOIP a couple years ago and they still have it and like it. What are you paying for VOIP?
Everything is going wireless. My neighbour is somewhat of an entrepreneur. He's working on getting cable TV to the remoter villages here in Tactic, Guatemala using antennas rather than cable. People basically don't use land phone lines anymore here because the cost is so much. So, cell phones are everywhere because the infrastructure is so cheap in comparison. I know Africa is the same way with cell phones and satellite internet and everything wireless. Telus is gonna lose out if it doesn't get it's nose into the wireless biz. Frankly I hope it goes under - bunch of lazy crooks (yeah, inflamatory, but I mean it). I say go VOIP just to avoid Telus.
I know of a family (they live in that new subdivision kiddy corner to us). I think that they've been switched over for about a year, and are happy with it.
Keep us posted on how it's going - it's something we've been considering as well.
hey good question, I went to VOIP but the quality sounds horrible calling to my grandparents in Alberta
Don't know anyone that has gone VOIP yet. But try it out and report back with further findings..
Now I wish I would have paid more attention when David Rutherford (630 Ched) had a whole hour on this subject on his show one time. It seems to me it was very new and so he wanted people to call in and tell him what they thought of it, plus he had someone from the company on to explain it. Well darn. But as always, word of mouth is the best advertising so I'm interested to know how you make out with it.
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