Vonage (2011)

Many people are ditching traditional telephone services in favor of mobile phones alone, but not everyone wants to make the leap to mobile-only telephony. Yet the cost of keeping a landline often doesn't seem reasonable these days, especially in contrast with Internet-based calling solutions. Vonage ($79.99 for hardware, plus monthly service from $11.99) is one such option, and while it's very reliable, it's not nearly as competitive in price as the alternatives?unless you make a lot of international calls.

Vonage is a voice over Internet protocol (VoIP) provider, which is to say, it lets you make and receive calls using your Internet connection rather than a telephone line. Vonage's service requires a piece of physical hardware, the Vonage Phone Adapter?a sleek black box with two connection points for phone handsets, an Ethernet port that connects to your Internet service, and another Ethernet (LAN) port that connects to your computer or router. Included in the service price, you also get all the basic phone extras, like voicemail and call waiting. Once the equipment is set up, you can make and receive calls just as you would with a landline.

Set Up
The Vonage adapter measures 1.25 by 5 by 5 inches (HWD), about the same width and length as an average router, although the top surface isn't flat so it doesn't stack well. It's constructed from durable black matte plastic with orange accents and blue lights. The included set-up diagram and instructions are definitely necessary, as you should connect and turn on all the various components in a specific order for Vonage to get started correctly.

Diagrams in the instruction guide label not only what comes in the box, but also the equipment that you need to provide: a modem, router or computer, telephone handset, and an electrical outlet (yep, it's in the diagram). The instructions that came with Ooma Telo ($249, 3 stars) and netTALK DUO ($69.95 including one year of service, 4 stars) were similarly clear, informative, and visually illustrated. The instructions included in magicJack's packaging, however, are so oversimplified that it's impossible to troubleshoot any problems you might encounter because there's no explanation of what's happening or why?and with minimal technical support, you're left to your own guesswork. The magicJack Plus ($49.95 including one year of service, 2.5 stars) had slightly more detailed instructions, but they were still too simplified in my opinion.

You don't have to connect Vonage directly to your computer, although you certainly can if you don't have a router. With magicJack, you have no choice but to connect the device directly to your laptop or desktop, which means if you want to receive unexpected phone calls, your computer has to stay on and connected to the Internet at all times. This is not the case with VoIP devices that connect directly to your router, as Vonage, netTALK DUO, Ooma Telo, and magicJack Plus do. Connecting to a router also typically delivers much better service, which is why all the manufacturers recommended it.

If your Vonage unit arrives in the mail, you'll have received your phone number previously when you made the purchase. If the unit was purchased in a store, you'll need to log in to Vonage's website to set up an account and establish a phone number. If you don't want a new phone number, you have the option to keep your existing phone number.

I didn't have any trouble following the setup instructions, although I did find myself re-reading them a few times to make sure I plugged or unplugged various parts at the right time. Very shortly after I put all the right cables in the right places, I picked up my phone and heard a dial tone.

The Vonage unit I tested came with a phone number already assigned, although I poked around at the online system to see how well the process would work for others. Everything is clearly laid out and I didn't have any questions as I worked through the rather short online form. You can pick a phone number by narrowing down your state, city, and area code, or you can request to have your existing number transferred right on the same page, right where you would expect it to be. It may sound silly to point that out, but in setting up a few other VoIP solutions, I found that what you would expect is not always what you get. Ooma's and netTALK's web portals were fairly self-explanatory, with the URL of each given on the set-up instructions, because having an account is integral to viewing call logs, invoices and billing history, and changing your e911 address. MagicJack and magicJack Plus have online accounts for you, too, but it's not all clear how important it is to set up a Web account based on the instructions on the packaging (there are no separate paper instructions), which simply reads: "Go to my.magicJack.com for features."Clarity is a commodity worth noting.

Can the average person set up Vonage? Yes, although if you don't want to bother, you can hire someone from Vonage to do it for you for about a hundred bucks. But really, save your money and just follow along with the instructions and diagrams. It's not that hard.

Vonage offers technical support online through FAQs, through a toll-free number, and via email forms. Vonage is about as easy to set up as Ooma, although netTALK was a tiny bit simpler than both of them.

Features
Like other VoIP services, Vonage comes with E911, the emergency response system that puts your street address on file alongside the phone number so first responders can identify where help is needed. E911 is now a fairly standard feature.

It also includes, with its price, voicemail, call waiting, free 411 calls, and online access to call logs and billing history.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/ziffdavis/pcmag/~3/sGcthSkcPMw/0,2817,2386331,00.asp

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