On Jan 6, 2008, at 4:25 PM, Peter van Hoof wrote:

> Hi all,
>
> I am considering switching from a  landline to a VOIP service
> such as Vonage to reduce cost. I am wondering about experience
> with such service, recommendations of one company or another etc.


Works, and anyone technical can understand the real limitations and  
explain them carefully to their family.  (reliability issues, 911  
issues, etc.)

I wouldn't put only VoIP service in any home where small children who  
aren't old enough to know the address or communicate it to a 911  
dispatcher, or where an elderly person lives, or anyone with serious  
medical issues.  Other than that, for the average home -- it does what  
it does, and seems to be fine for day-to-day phone service.

(Here's a nifty idea for someone to market -- make an emergency box  
that has a reasonably guarded button/switch that plays a loop of a  
recorded message.  Record a message that says an emergency button has  
been pressed by someone at X address and have this box play that to  
the phone line attached.  Market it cheaply to VoIP phone users.


> Do the boxes typically drive  several phones at the same
> time  (ringer equivalent)?


Haven't had any problems, but can't find a RE number on any of the  
ATA's I've used yet.    If you have a house with a real bell ringer in  
every room, I suppose you might have problems with ring working  
reliably but most electronic ringers are using so little power anyway...


--
Nate Duehr
nate@natetech.com



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