VOIP is the Future

Up to this point, I have avoided the plethora of Vonage ads as I surf the internet. I must admit, residential "Voice Over IP" (Internet) telephone service has always interested me, but I never really took it seriously. When I did click on an advertisement, Vonage didn't have a local telephone number in my area code. That wouldn't do me much good, I thought. How can I force my friends and family to dial a long distance number just so I can reap the benefits of unlimited nationwide "internet" calling?

Then I discovered Packet 8.

It was our blog's statistics page that lead me to discover this new VOIP provider. To my surprise, they had numbers in my local area code. I couldn't transfer my existing phone number to the new service but decided to give it a try anyways. I placed the order for their $19.99/month unlimited toll-free calling. Within a matter of days, my package had arrived and I quickly plugged it into my wireless router at home. Just like that, I was up and running with a new phone number, voicemail, caller id, and a bunch of other cool tricks (like getting voicemails via email). A few changes to my phone wiring, and all of the lines in my house were converted to the new VOIP system. I was impressed.

A week later, I remain impressed. We were able to cut our phone bill in half, and actually increase the features available. Not to mention I can call my mother-in-law in Arizona all I want! :) The quality is nearly the same as our regular line, with only a slight fade or garble in communication every few calls. As an added safeguard, they will even re-route your calls to a cell phone if your internet connection is down. How slick, they really have thought of everything. If you're like the growing population with a cable or DSL connection at home, you might want to take note of this new technology. I know I'm hooked!