VoIP Review

VoIP Review: Vonage And AT&T

VoIP which stands for Voice over Internet Protocol is a phone service connection that uses the internet in order to connect two calling parties. To use it, a VoIP adapter and internet connection is a must. However, since almost all homes and establishment are already connected to the internet, making use of this wired connection is the backbone why VoIP calls have lower rates when compared to traditional telephones.

In the US today, many telephone and internet providers are competing with each other in getting as many homes equipped with VoIP as possible. Most of these companies offer bundle packages where internet connection and VoIP telephone connection are given for a very small fee. The top two competing companies in the US today are Vonage and AT&T. Let’s talk about the differences and similarities of what these two companies are offering in this VoIP review.

*Monthly Subscription*
Vonage offers a monthly subscription fee of $14.99 for the first 6months of signing up. Then the rate will increase to the regular fee of $25.99 a month. AT&T U-verse Voice offers their service for a monthly fee of $35. This is higher than Vonage but because of the greater service. AT&T U-verse Voice also caters mostly to small business and enterprise VoIP client.

*Minutes of Free Local and International Calls*
Vonage offers unlimited local and long distance calls to over 60 countries. AT&T U-verse Voice offers the same unlimited local and long distance call rates, but limited only to US, Canada and Puerto Rico. If the $35 per month subscription is too much for you, AT&T U-verse Voice also offers a lower rate of $25 for 250minutes long distance call to the countries mentioned above.

*Clarity of lines*
Both Vonage and AT&T U-verse Voice offers clear and quality lines for your local and international calls.

*Added Service*
Added service like call waiting, voice mails and call forwarding are included on subscriptions to either of the two companies.

*Bundle Rates*
Vonage and AT&T U-verse Voice both offer bundle rates, wherein special telephone features can be added to your VoIP line for a very minimal fee. For the complete bundle rates check out Vonage’s site and AT&T U-verse Voice.

*Value for Money*
If you have friends or relatives living in Asia or Europe, it is best to get Vonage VoIP subscription as they offer free calls to these areas. But if most of your calls are within North America and is thinking of putting up a small business, AT&T U-verse Voice is the best for you.

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Related posts

VoIP Pros And Cons

As we know, VOIP is the abbreviated form of Voice Over Internet Protocol, which is the latest technology by which an user can make the phone calls via internet instead of using traditional land line based phone calling. Since this is an accepted technology and is being used worldwide, so for sure, it has got its own advantages but at the same time there are some disadvantages also in conjunction with these advantages. So, for sure before completing reverting to this latest technology of telecommunication, which has taken the world by storm, it is advisable for the customer to have a quick glance at the pros and cons with which this latest revolution in telecommunications comes to you. So, let us take a glance at both pros and cons in successive paragraphs.

PROS OF VOIP:
1. The very first and most important advantage of VOIP is that it costs much less in comparison to traditional phone calls as it has a flat rate charge for calling long distances whereas in traditional way, your call cost is always proportional to the distance between the caller and the receiver.
2. With VOIP, you can communicate with multiple people at anytime you want but with traditional way of telecommunication, you are limited to one call one person.
3. As VOIP incorporates both data and voice communication. So, instead of just being able to talk with the other person, you can exchange more ideas with them like sending graphics, videos etc, which again is a limitation with the traditional system of telecommunications.
4. As VoIP is internet-enabled service, so even if you change location, you do not need to change the existing number, which you have to, in case you are using the traditional system.
5. Wherever internet access is available, VOIP services can be utilized but same stand restricted in case of traditional system.

CONS OF VOIP:
1. As VOIP is internet-enabled service, every time the internet connection cuts down, the VOIP system becomes inaccessible. So, if that is the only way of your telecommunication, in that case, it would prove dangerous in case of emergency.
2. VOIP services depends mainly on the quality of internet connection in your area as well as the power availability. So, in case the quality of internet is poor, it will led to poor VoIP conversation.
3. Since the VOIP is portable, so calls cannot be traced properly as to from where they are made.
4. Eavesdropping is another limitation of VOIP as it does not comes with conversational privacy and your calls can be overheard by somebody else.
5. Though caller ID is a built-in feature of VOIP package, but when we make calls using our VOIP connection, our number is not screened on their caller ID and is displayed as “Unknown.” So, the receiver might not be willing to attend our call.

Having said both the pros and cons of this great technology, none of us can undermine its importance in the current scenario where internet has certainly become a part and parcel of our everyday life. Check out several companies and do a thorough VoIP review before signing up. So, let us hope that soon all its disadvantages can be completely removed or at least minimized to an extent that majority of the world population can use this fascinating technological innovation.

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Related posts

VoIP Review: Vonage

VoIP Review: Vonage
I have used Vonage for a little over two years now and must say it has been a pleasant experience. Their basic rate is $25, but I pay an additional $10 for a second number on the same line. Two major things tend to stand out to me when I consider my experience with this VoIP provider.

The first point relates to sound quality. When I first got the service I thought the sound quality was comparable to “ma bell”, except when I was using the internet intensely (using file-sharing while watching YouTube) in which case the other party reported I sounded garbled. This may have actually been an issue with my router, though, because I changed routers ten months ago and haven’t had issues in about a year. What some people may not notice, though, is when you call someone else with Vonage. I honestly believe the quality to be crystal clear in such cases. There’s less distortion than on phone lines. When you hear a TV or talking in the background, the voices remain distinct. Another case I have for better sound quality is when calling my friends abroad. They no longer sound a mile away due to signal loss. I almost never get a bad connection now and I would say that in those rare occasions I would have to blamed it on the Egyptian telecommunications, because what few times I do get static it’s usually during the afternoon in Cairo. If you have pen-pals abroad, this service is a must-have. The other issue or lack there of would be regarding usage charges.

Though I only just started getting free calling globally (and still at the same low price which I’ve paid without a rate hike for twenty-six months), I’ve experienced significant international savings throughout my history with Vonage. My former phone provider, MCI, could charge me as much as $80 a month for the limited calling I placed to my old college friends in Egypt and Ireland. As soon as I got my first Vonage bill, I noticed the huge difference, at all times paying less than a dollar a minute for international calling, even to rural places that most providers charge an arm and leg to call. Now, I can call for hours without a worry or care. I haven’t had to worry about long distance charges since even before Vonage, but, with MCI, I was paying nearly $75 for unlimited long distance.

I would definitely recommend anyone looking into VoIP to give Vonage a try.

Tags: , , , , , , ,

Related posts

keep looking »