Computer telephone

[Oldfart]

I just bought a telephone which hooks into a computer's USB port.

It runs a VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) called Skype.

This, like MSMessenger, allows voice calls free of charge to other VoIP users.

The damage starts when you call landlines.

Do we have users of this magic?

[PantyFanatic]

We are about to. ;)






I do know of a few Pixies that are using VoIP (one whom you have met) and another that is working specifically with Skype. (that you have not met :) )

[Oldfart]

"working specifically with"

Sounds complicated.

[PantyFanatic]

Not according to her. :)

[maddy]

We use VoIP at work. It alleges is saving us a lot of money. I just know it means less digits on the phone for me to press and new prefixes to memorize. Sometimes I think the line isn't as clear as the landlines... but that could be my imagination too.

[scotzoidman]

I've been wanting to look into getting Comcast's VoIP service myself, hoping to reduce the big phone bill I get from the new AT&T each month...the drawback being I have a pretty good idea what comcrap is gonna do to me when the introductory offer ends :buttsex:

[Neige]

I use Skype every day to talk to my parents while I am away from home. We had been using MSN Messenger til a few weeks ago when I learned about Skype, and I wish we had tried Skype sooner because it works much better than MSN! MSN seemed to always drop the calls, and not once has a Skype convo been interrupted for us yet.

[PantyFanatic]

See ^^^ :D






;)

[Booger]

I've been wanting to look into getting Comcast's VoIP service myself, hoping to reduce the big phone bill I get from the new AT&T each month...the drawback being I have a pretty good idea what comcrap is gonna do to me when the introductory offer ends :buttsex:



scotz you might want to look into Vonage I pay $30 a month for unlimted calling. This includes long distance in the US, Canada, Puerto Rico, and parts of Europe.

[scotzoidman]

scotz you might want to look into Vonage I pay $30 a month for unlimted calling. This includes long distance in the US, Canada, Puerto Rico, and parts of Europe.
All well & good, except that I hear Vonage has just lost a major patent infringement suit, & may be going down the tubes sooner or later...

Actually, I did look into it last year, & was scared off by the fact that if the power goes out, & you don't have a battery backup, you lose all phone service...not something I wanna deal with in case of fire and/or storm damage...

[Oldfart]

Scotz,

If my power goes out, normally my phone's gone as well and have to depend on my cell.

[scotzoidman]

As would our primary phones, but I also have one of the old unnaturally durable relics of the old Big Phone Company days that would function without electricity...& it's down in the basement where the whole family would be if storm damage is imminent...

[Oldfart]

Underground lines?

[scotzoidman]

Well, no...but anything that takes the phone lines down would have the potential to take out cell towers as well...we get lousy cell service down here in the gully anyway, so I wouldn't wanna be having to depend on that either...

Did my reseach on Comcast Digital phone service, they do include a battery backup with their service, as does my home security system (which automatically dials out to the control center over the phone lines ICE)...which is something else I wouldn't want to be out of commission in case of the all-too-frequent power outages we have here...

[wyndhy]

we had voip with the battery back up and all that jazz, but there were times when i picked up the phone and didn't get a dial tone, or got the dial tone, dialed and then waited for nothing to happen. without little ones in the abode, i wouldn't worry so much about not having a phone but if i ever needed 911 at one of those toneless times, then we'd have been screwed.
but what really made me cancel was the last time i called comcast to report the issue and the manager (whom i only got to speak with after going through the hoops of customer service push button hell) told me "it's not an exact science" so i said "well, since you seem to be *exacting* payment from me, and cashing my checks *exactly* when you get them, for the *exact* amount they are made out for, i'm certain some other phone company who relies on an *exact* science, and treats customers with *exacting* consideration, deserves my money. and just so we're clear on what it is i'm saying - *exactly* - i'm canceling all services we have with you as of *exactly* now.




over the top?
well...i was pissed. :p

[Oldfart]

I was not planning total replacement of my phone services, but a free option to talk to family and Pixies.

[scotzoidman]

we had voip with the battery back up and all that jazz, but there were times when i picked up the phone and didn't get a dial tone, or got the dial tone, dialed and then waited for nothing to happen. without little ones in the abode, i wouldn't worry so much about not having a phone but if i ever needed 911 at one of those toneless times, then we'd have been screwed.
but what really made me cancel was the last time i called comcast to report the issue and the manager (whom i only got to speak with after going through the hoops of customer service push button hell) told me "it's not an exact science" so i said "well, since you seem to be *exacting* payment from me, and cashing my checks *exactly* when you get them, for the *exact* amount they are made out for, i'm certain some other phone company who relies on an *exact* science, and treats customers with *exacting* consideration, deserves my money. and just so we're clear on what it is i'm saying - *exactly* - i'm canceling all services we have with you as of *exactly* now.




over the top?
well...i was pissed. :pI guess that answers my question of whether to go with comcrap's digital phone "service"...it's already been nagging at me, what with their occasional (but all too frequent) loss of internet service, that I'm not quite ready to put all my eggs in their basket...don't get me wrong, when they're working properly, they're still the best game in town, but it seems that all our telecommunication systems are about overrunning their headlights...

[LixyChick]

*blink, blink...stare...blink, blink*

Oh...um...I'm just taking notes and learning *giggle*