Mutt

Cable internet networks/connections go down occassionally, sometimes too occassionally - meaning your Vonage service will go down every time your cable Internet connection goes down?

if i go Vonage it would be to be able to tell the phone company to fuck off once and for all. do most people keep old traditonal home residence phone lines when they switch to VoIP service like Vonage?

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After Shock Media

A non cordless land line in your home is always a good idea. Found that out after the last big weather problem we had.

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DateDoc

You can have your vonage set up to forward to your cell phone automatically should you experience an internet outage and can't use your vonage. So yes you can tell the phone company to fuck off.

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BradM

I switched over. But I have noticed twice now the line gets cut randomly because of the cable service. So the person on the other end just ends up saying "hello? HELLO??" I can hear them but they can't hear me.

After Shock Media

Again a non cordless land line with at least local service.
Storm last winter took out the cable access as well as the electricty and cell phones were not getting a signal. Fucking wonderfull thing to have happen when someone that is staying over goes into labor.

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DateDoc

If you lost electric, cable and cell more than likely the phone lines would be down too.

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After Shock Media

We pulled out an old non cordless phone and it made calls just fine.

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MicroChick

I don't know anyone who cuts off their regular phone service without first testing the water with Vonage. If you are getting Vonage or similar coverage just to save a dollar or two, I believe you are wasting your time.

I planned to try Vonage because my phone lines were being hacked by a hacker. By using Vonage, I was told I could make calls in private. However, I have read that hackers can also hack into Vonage lines.

Those I know who are using Vonage seem to be happy, but everyone has a cell phone and other phones while they are using Vonage. I never thought about there being a problem while using Vonage that you cannot dial 911. With the government stepping into the picture, who knows what will happen to online phone service.

Jace

we use vonage, but we also never have any cable internet downtime

so, no compaints here

but yes, when your cable internet goes down, your vonage does too

DateDoc

911 works on Vonage. Has for a while now.

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Barefootsies

Actually, this is incorrect depending on company. If you live in a regional bell company area (SBC, Southern Bell, etc) you will NOT lose service as long as your local landline was with them and not a reseller (Choice One, TDS, etc).

The baby bells have generators in their central offices, and as long as you have a hardline phone (non cordless, or electric powered via plug in) then your service will work when all else goes out.

Problem with resellers like Choice One, TDS, and other's who are facilities based is that they only have a couple of hour battery backup. So depending on how the facilities are done at their central office, with your NON incumbant phone company, you could lose power in a few hours.

If this is a real concern for you (power outage, vonage, loss of service) then you should keep a basic landline, no frills, with your local Baby Bell, or incumbant phone company (or check with your reseller on how they are provisioned). Drop it to the lowest plan, put it in your office w/ an very basic hardline phone on one jack.

If you ever lost power for an extended reason or days, and needed all jacks on that emergency line, go to radio shack, but jumpers, and go to the network interface outside your office/house.

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