We have many people using VOIP (internet phones) successfully, including people using the big name services, and services provided by their employer. If phone is mission critical for your job though, I’d still advise having a backup service of some kind. I’d estimate about 95% of people using VOIP are satisfied with it, though VOIP is never quite as good as a land line.

We have found three services that work especially well:

• Magic Jack – at the amazing price of $20 for a year’s service. You can buy the device for $40 (which includes the first year of service) from Walmart, Best Buy, Walgreens, Radio Shack and many other retail outlets. The device plugs into your computer and provides a phone jack that you can then plug in any standard phone equipment into. The computer must be on to use the phone and recieve calls.
• T-Mobile’s Hot Spot @ Home – where you get a cell phone with the ability to connect to your router. Keep in mind you must have T-Mobile as your cell phone carrier.
• Skype – which costs about $60/year. Skype can work like Magic Jack, or use WIFI phones are available at almost any retailer that allow you to have a cordless phone around the house. With this set up, you don’t have to leave your computer on.

The traditional VOIP providers like Vonage. We have not found these to work quite as well as the ones listed above, but many people are using them happily. They are simpler to set up, but cost almost as much as a regular phone line, and are more likely to get choppy.

We find these services work with our Broadband service the best, some of our customers have and limited success with it on our ECONO service as well. Our older radios don’t work as well with VOIP. New customers since late 2007 have mostly been connected on the new equipment. Most older customers can upgrade for a one time fee.

Test your connection to see if it might support VOIP well. Try repeatedly at various times when you might want to use VOIP.

Java Required
When you first connect, you may see a message telling you you need to install Java. To do this follow the link presented or go to java.com and follow the instructions. Once installed you should be able to access the system.

NOTE: As a courtesy, we provide information about, and how to use certain third-party products, but we do not endorse or directly support third-party products and we are not responsible for the functions or reliability of such products.