Substitutes for Traditional Phone Service Besides Vonage
April 13th, 2007 (6:16am) Sabra Aaron 10 CommentsTweet This
Most web workers rely heavily on their phones to get things done. Whether you need a local number to provide to far-flung colleagues and clients, want the predictability of a flat-rate pricing plan, or just have the desire to try something different and more web-savvy, you can take many paths to a dial tone.
The most obvious choice is voice over IP (VoIP). Most services offer perks like the ability to pay for a year’s worth of service at a predictable price, calling anywhere you like for that one rate, and assorted features like multiple phone numbers, an 800-number, forwarding your number to ring wherever you may be, and so on. In addition, most of the VoIP services allow you to use a regular old telephone to connect, giving you the feeling of an old fashioned phone service and all the space age mumbo-jumbo hidden behind the scenes.
We all know about certain providers who are currently embroiled in major league legal wrangles, but in addition to the big players, there are plenty of other options in the VOIP market. Packet8 and SunRocket are better known competitors to Vonage, and you can find a bewildering array of other providers in both the U.S. and Canada, and world-wide.
In addition to the independent VoIP companies, most broadband providers also offer digital telephone services. You’ll need to check with your local provider to see if they can offer you an area code outside the local calling area or the other services that the independent providers can give you, but consolidating your services into one big DSL or digital cable bill could be a streamlined way to handle things. For either an independent or a broadband service, you need to have broadband anyway, so you can kill two birds with one stone.
Depending on your needs, PC-to-PC may be a viable choice for you. While you do have to be near your computer to use these services, you’re probably attached to your computer pretty consistently while you’re working anyway. All of the free IM providers allow you to call other users of the service — just offer up your computer’s internal mic or the web cam mic to your IM client and soon you’ll be yakking away. Of course, your clients and colleagues a) need to be on the same IM client, and b) need to be equipped with headsets or similar microphone/audio hardware, and this may be a barrier.
PC-to-phone is another solid path to inexpensive audio communication. You can Skype out, Yahoo Phone Out, and so on. These services are low-cost and offer decent quality, but you’ll want to make sure about the pricing arrangements before you go overboard with the conversation. You will need to be wedded to your computer, the person on the receiving end of your calls need not be. While these may be good options for phoning out, your clients and colleagues my not be able to call you quite as easily.
Of course, there’s the old standby: the cell phone. Depending on where you are relative to your carrier’s cell towers, the quality and reliability can meet or exceed that offered by VoIP or other services. You can acquire a number in your colleagues’ or customer’s area code for the illusion of access and intimacy, and having a reliable number that always gets you whether you’re in your office or at the coffee shop can be a major asset. Plus it allows you to write off your acquisition of the latest and greatest phone, or at least to feel more justified in that acquisition.
What service to pick? It all depends on your requirements, where your clients are, and how accessible you really want or need to be.
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I have found that Skype does an awesome job and is only about $30 per year for unlimited long distance.
Just install an Asterisk server and then sign up with one of the 500+ service providers in the USA and be done with it http://www.voip-info.org/wiki/view/VOIP+Service+Providers+Business+North+America
You’ll find not being tied to a physical location allows you far more functionality.
Cheers,
Dean
http://www.Collins.net.pr/blog
You wrote: “Plus it allows you to write off your acquisition of the latest and greatest phone, or at least to feel more justified in that acquisition.” I’m absolutely no tax expert (except I pay them!), but my understanding is that if you own only one cell phone and cell phone number, you cannot deduct the expense from your taxes. Ask your tax person/accountant, but the rules changed in 2004 or 2005.
I’ve used Gizmo (www.gizmoproject.com) and Skype. I had trouble using a debit card to buy callout minutes for Skype while Gizmo didn’t have a problem. That was about the only difference I could tell between them! Skype is good and so is Gizmo.
ps. I was also worried about becomeing a Skype supernode until later finding out that being behind a hardware firewall keeps this from happening.
Steve
I have been using Lingo (www.lingo.com) for the past 2+ years. It is pretty good and cheap too.
Another thumbs-up for Lingo here. I’ve used them for several years. Tried Broadvoice briefly and went back to Lingo. They’re supposedly introducing a soft phone client soon (hopefully one for Mac too).
I use a combination of Lingo, Skype and Grand Central, actually. Since I like being able to use my headset, I have Grand Central ring my Lingo line and my dedicated Skype In number, so if I want, I can answer on my computer. If I’m at my desk, I typically use Skype Out to place calls.
If Lingo’s soft phone turns out to be any good, I suppose I’ll stop using Skype in this way.
Chalk another one up for Lingo. I’ve used them for several years. They’re cheap and good and I can call internationally too!
So, the phone sits in my home office, but simultaneously rings on on my cell phone no matter where I may be.
I’ve just started playing with Skype and Lingo’s soft phone offering could be tempting. I like Skype’s integration with Outlook and phone numbers on web links – I want to click on something on my computer and have the call get made on my phone!
I use Skype Out ($15/yr) for outgoing and AIM Phoneline (free) for incoming calls, voicemail and SMS. So I went from paying 800/yr in cell phone charges to $15 and I couldn’t be happier.
I’ve been a SunRocket user since last summer and have nothing but great things to say. For $199 (no taxes, fees, applications, etc.) I got 2 years of unlimited local and long distance plus more calling features than I knew existed (well over a dozen).
Broadvoice is extremely flexible and friendly to softphone users. Choose byod (bring your own device) and it’s much more affordable than other service providers.