Do You Use Vonage?
I know there are alot of people these days who use Vonage or a similar VOIP telephone system through their broadband connection. I do and it’s been great so far. Cheaper rates, free long distance plus all the bells and whistles that other companies charge an arm and a leg for.
Sure, occasionally the cable goes out and we can’t use the phone, but we also have a cell (which I believe is essential when using VOIP unless you have another landline) so it’s never been a big hassle. But the one thing that has come out over the news lately is the problems VOIP customers have when trying to dial 9-1-1.
Unfortunately, here in Deltona, a family lost their baby when trying to dial 9-1-1 using their Vonage phone line. Now they are suing and trying to shut it down. I know when I signed up I did the 9-1-1 form with my address and everything and hadn’t really thought about it since.
I think I’ll be looking into it a little more now. What do you think?
We used Vonage for about 8 months now. I use VOIP for my work, so it was a natural addition to our home. I love that we only pay $14.99 a month (we rarely use the home phone — most cell phones) and that there aren’t $7 in taxes on top of it. It’s just $14.99.
My internet is rarely out, so we rarely get interruptions. And we have not registered 911 but how tough is it to tell someone your address?? Maybe I’m being short sighted here. Also my cell phone has a GPS chip in it, so if I use that I think I can be tracked that way.
Well, according to the article, they could not even reach a live operator, they kept getting a recording and I believe that is why they are suing.
I personally do not see the point in VOIP as a traditional telephone replacement. That is why I have a cellular telephone and a rather inexpensive plan that allows me to call anywhere in North America for no additional fees.
Call me old fashioned, but if I am going to spend an additional monthly fee on a telephone service above and beyond my mobile, it is going to be on a non-digital and proven technology.
During the hurricanes while the cellular network was thrown back into the 1980’s, I was both able to make and receive telephone calls AND connect via dial-up to my DSL provider for online access.