Phone on the computer cable? Any one doing this?

[cudaken]

 I just got my phone bill, $108.00 and $12.00 to call Neil in Canada. Seen ads about using you compter as a phone, is any one doing it?

I have a cable modem by Charter.

Will a it replaces your phone company?

Can you use the normal phone, or do you have to use the Keyboard Thingie? I know there would be some wiring with the normal phones.

Can you keep your phone number?

Any tips, do's and don'ts?

                           Cuda Ken

[derailed]

Ken i have Vonage. Its about 27 a month after taxes and thats unlimited everything with all the bs features as well and Canada. You use your regular phone and its easy to hook up, just disconnect the phone wire at the interface box outside the house and your cable wire goes into a router and then into any phone jack. Disadvantages are if power goes out, no phone and every now and then i have a call drop out but not often. If i need to call 911 it puts me through to the local sherrifs dept. kept my same number as well. Its not perfect but for what it cost im happy with it. Check out www.vonage.com

[ChargerBill]

From what I hear Vonage is the way to go. I will be going that way as soon as DSL is available in my area.

[Troy]

My parents have their high speed internet access/phone/cable all-in-one through the cable company and they seem to like it. The bill is much less than thr three separated but if the cable goes out you can't call or email the company to report it. They kept their original phone number as well.

Troy

[Charger_Fan]

I have DSL at home & it works great for my needs. $41.75 per month.
It sure is nice being able to talk on the phone while you're on the internet.

[73dodge]

Right now in a new sub-division in Florida they are running Fiber optic cableing to the houses that replaces everything, Phone, internet and cable TV. Pretty soon all your communications will be run through a fiber optic cable to your house and you won't have a copper line at all anymore. I currently install a phone system that runs on the internet for companies and they can do it all though it.

Video communications, IM chats, call  confrencing and document colaboration we are selling the system to the phone carriers now so they will be offering a phone system to home that can do video calls and all the other bells and whistles too. It runs on IP and will replace your current phone system with a IP phone and a soft phone you can load onto your PC to make calls.

I see in 5-10 years you will not have any copper phone lines running to your house anymore it will be all Fiber optic cableing

[Silver R/T]

why not just chat..its free worldwide

[Crazy440]

I had an I-Phone, for a few years, until they started to charge for the service.  Now I use NetMeeting.  It usually comes on every PC, under "accesseries/Iinternet tools  I can talk and see the person, if they have a web cam, hooked up.  The problem with this is, that you have to call people, at set times, so they know you are calling.  We usually email to set up a time.  The plus is, that it's a free call.  I talk to friends, family, and Bros, all over the world.  Just walked a Bro, in Germany, through a tune up on the S&S carb, on his Harley, last week.  Took over an hour and it was free, with live vid.

[Charger4404spd]

Several years ago, you could go to dialpad.com and use their internet phone to call anywhere in the world for free. All you needed of course was a mic. Wasnt long after that they started charging fees.

[cudaken]

 Thanks for the answer's. I did a little checking and looks like Charter also as a phone serives. Will see which is better for me.

Of the top's of your heads, can you have more than one phone line? I have my own number out in the garage, then there is house number. My wife stayes glued to it, need to be able to have my Mopar friends call me.

                               Cuda Ken

                                                           

[tin_soldier]

Vonage is great.  One flat fee with alot of great options.  Can not beat it.  QOS is a 8 out of 10.  They are still working out some bugs but for the most part I would never go back to a bell.

[Old Moparz]

 

[cudaken]

 Hummm, Beer Phones, Hummmmm. You are using Bell Miller OLD?

                                      Cuda Ken

[dodgecharger-fan]

Right now in a new sub-division in Florida they are running Fiber optic cableing to the houses that replaces everything, Phone, internet and cable TV. Pretty soon all your communications will be run through a fiber optic cable to your house and you won't have a copper line at all anymore. I currently install a phone system that runs on the internet for companies and they can do it all though it.

Video communications, IM chats, call   confrencing and document colaboration we are selling the system to the phone carriers now so they will be offering a phone system to home that can do video calls and all the other bells and whistles too. It runs on IP and will replace your current phone system with a IP phone and a soft phone you can load onto your PC to make calls.

I see in 5-10 years you will not have any copper phone lines running to your house anymore it will be all Fiber optic cableing

Sounds interesting. Who makes it?  

[Charger4404spd]

Thanks for the answer's. I did a little checking and looks like Charter also as a phone serives. Will see which is better for me.

Of the top's of your heads, can you have more than one phone line? I have my own number out in the garage, then there is house number. My wife stayes glued to it, need to be able to have my Mopar friends call me.

                               Cuda Ken

                                                           

My g/f has had Charter phone service for 2 weeks now. The first week, the techs were there 3 times to fix problems with it. No problems this week! The ONLY phone I have is my cell thru Verizon. Unless you call out of the country, you can get a decent deal there.