Product Description

Feature-rich telephone service through your Internet connection! The Linksys Phone Adapter enables high-quality feature-rich telephone service through your cable or DSL Internet connection. Just plug it into your home Router or Gateway and use the two standard telephone jacks to connect your existing phones or fax machines. Each phone jack operates independently, with separate phone service and phone numbers -- like having two phone lines. With an appropriate Internet telephone service provider, you'll get clear telephone reception and reliable fax connections, even while using the Internet at the same time for normal data operations. With Internet telephony, along with low domestic and international phone rates, an impressive array of special phone features are available. Choose your preferred free local dialing US area code, regardless of where you live. Or add a virtual phone number in any area code, forwarded to your Internet phone. You can even add a toll-free number. The Linksys Phone Adapter is compatible with these and all of the other special telephone features that are available from your telephone service provider, such as Caller ID, Call Waiting, Voicemail, Call Forwarding, Distinctive Ring, etc. ... Read more

Features

• 2 ports for analog phones or fax, so you could have 2 separate phone numbers
• Unlimited calling to the U.S. and Canada only $24.99 per month, other plans as low as $14.99
• All plans include call waiting, caller ID, voicemail, call forwarding, and many more features
• Voicemail can be checked online or by phone or forwarded via email
• Use your current phone; keep your existing phone number or choose a new one

Reviews (40)

Very poor documentation and service
The Cons (which outweigh the pros):

* No manual included or published anywhere. It only comes with a quick start guide with no explanation on the configuration options. The Sipura 2000 manual may be a substitute, but it's a lousy excuse for the failure of Linksys to provide one.

* No firmware upgrades offered.

* Linksys technical support refuses to support users, giving the blanket response that support issues are to be directed to the VOIP provider (this includes support questions unrelated to the VOIP providers role).

* Vonage and Linksys have teamed up to deceive customers, hiding the fact that the PAP2 model is locked.They are being sued for this.Read about it here: http://forum.sipphone.com/viewtopic.php?t=598

The Pros:

* The box is small, and has two analog ports.

* It uses a switching power supply - as opposed to a transformer / brick.

I will probably be returning this Linksys junk, and buying the Sipura 2000 instead (which is rumored to be the same hardware).

i tried vonage and switched to Packet8
i tried vonage for 5 months and than gave up.vonage dropped many calls suddenly and it was not easy to get a dial tone when i wanted to make a call.i switched to packet8 and recommend packet8.com

Pretty GOOD
My experience with Vonage has been pretty good!I'm in the Chicago area.Occasionally on a phone call the other party will drop out for 2 seconds then come back.But that small annoyance isn't a big deal considering I pay such a small price for unlimited anywhere in the U.S. and Canada plus all the features I get.Customer service wait time is quite ridiculous right now....but what do you expect of a company that's growing tremendously fast!I'm confident that the custmer service will get better.I have emailed customer service before.It took 3 days to get a response back which is too long, but i'm still happy.

SHOULD BE VONAGE PHONE ADAPTOR
Very disapointed that it is not clearly stated by Amazon that this product is to be used only by Vonage (very expensive compared to other providers like Inphonex which is now my provider).I bought two routers RT31P2 and two PAP2 phone adapters all with Phone ports hoping I would be able to connect all my family (spread around the world).I got a Huge surprise when I noticed that they are locked only for use with Vonage.It says there is a Mail in Rebate worth 50 bucks, anyway it will only last less than two months.Other providers don't even charge monthly fees.

I had already sent all the units to various countries and after finding out that they are to be used EXCLUSIVELY with Vonage I just had to let them die where they were sent.It is not worth the shipping to bring them back.

As disappointing as this, was that I supposed this was going to happen so I contacted customer support from Amazon and asked them (before buying) if they were a "with Vonage telephony system" or if they were a "exclusively for Vonage telephony system".They didn't know so I just assumed they wouldn't be so distracted to not mention this.Specially for starters like us it may have been the most important thing to advertise:EXCLUSIVELY FOR VONAGE

I have always been a fan of Linksys products, my house is full of their products and never had trouble with the hardware.For sure I will continue to buy Linksys products, for sure I will never use vonage (eventhough I am sure it provides excellent clear voice communication; don't get cofussed, there are others that will give you more for a lot less go to yahoo and spend 30 seconds making a quick search and you will see), and for sure I had to tell other people what they are doing so nobody else will loose the money I lost, and what is most valuable, my time.

Make sure that when you buy a PAP2 it says:Model PAP2-NA

Conclussion:I just lost 260 bucks plus shipping and handling (internationally)

Vonage - Very Poor Customer Services and Billing
We signed up for vonage servicve with number transfer from verizon. Within over 20 days phone number was not transferred. I faxed authorization form and verizon phone bill 3 times to Vonage. I believe, they purposely delay so trial period is over and then you have to pay cancellation fee if you want to cancel. I figured it out when I cancelled my service after 20 days, I was on hold for over 30 minutes though. I was charged $87.73 plus $1.29 plus $43.59 cancellation (even the equipment was shipped day after cancellation and I have proof USPS tracking they received it within 3 days) plus setup fee. Their office is in Edison NJ and I am in North Brunswick, NJ. I was on promotion for 1st month free but this trial for 20 days cost me about $140 even I did not use phone that much (1 or 2 local calls only for test purpose) so I cannot say anything about the quality of their phone service. I have been calling them and CS tranfer me to billing which automatically disconnects me after 8-10 minutes of waiting, it happend 4 times. No reply of any emails it has been over a month now.

Their equipment installation was easy and temp number was up as soon as I plugged it it after activation. So if you are not transferring a number, do not need their customer support and want to stay with then for a long time then it might be good for you.

After this horrible experience, I sgined up for AT&T Callvantage, though a little expensive but I am very happy. They tanferred my number within 10 days and excellant customer service.
... Read more

Product Description

8x8 offers an array of Packet8 broadband telephone service plans delivered over high speed internet connection ssuch as cable or DSL to meet the most pressing needs of residential, business telephone and video users. Programs include unlimited residential voice and video calling plans to US, Canada, Europe, Asia and more. Business plans for extremely high round-the-clock continuous telephone communications, even hosted PBX services. 2 months Free, Free Activation. ... Read more

Features

• Caller ID, call waiting, personalized voicemail, 3-way calling, online management
• Unlimited calls in the U.S. and Canada for a low monthly fee
• Unlimited worldwide calling to other Packet8 subscribers at no extra charge
• Compatible with any high-speed DSL or cable modem with Ethernet
• Adapter connects easily to any regular corded or cordless phone

Reviews (58)

Worst customer service experience
The service itself is a little below expectation. Esp when
making int'l calls, often broken up, or need to call couple
times in order to connect. The customer service is really
bad. The CSR is so rude that I can't even finish describing
the issue. And when requested to talk to a supervisor, he's
basically won't do it. After I insist and another long hold,
only then able to talk to a not-so-helpful supervisor. And they
actually delete your account from their system when you cancel
the service. Now they need to charge me
for the disconnect fee, but since they have deleted the account,
they cannot charge my credit card (they only tell me AFTER taking
my credit card information!). And now they need me to send in a
check. And no detail on what to write on the check, what
should be the payable to, what number to write etc, nothing.
A very bad business model, plus not-so-good technology, and
very bad customer service. I should sell my 8x8 stock.

It works.
(...)

Packet8

Plan: Freedom Unlimited

Features included:

Unlimited Minutes
FAX
Local Number Porting
Personalized Voicemail
Caller ID (Number only)
Caller ID Blocking
Call Waiting
Call Waiting ID
Call Forwarding
3-way Conferencing
Call Return
Online Management & Billing
Choose Your Own Area Code
Call Waiting Disable
Do Not Disturb
Anonymous Call Blocking
Distinctive Ringing for Virtual Numbers

Intro:

Packet8 is one of the leading VOIP companies. They have one of the largest selections of rate centers, and were among the first to offer E911. They offer a phone number in whatever area code you would like, provided that it is available, and offer additional"virtual numbers" in other area codes, for $5 a month. The features included with this plan are very similar to other offers, but Packet8's price is still cheaper than the rest.

My Experience:

When a member of my family had to move to another state for months, I realized that the phone bill was going to go up. I started looking at alternative options, I decided I either could use calling cards, at a few cents a minute, or I could run up my phone bill. I decided that neither was a good option, so I was going to have to be content with speaking to them a few times a week. When I was browsing some broadband forums, I stumbled accross VOIP forums, and after a little bit of reasreach, I found that I could get unlimited long distance and all of the feautures I had never had for only $20.00 a month! I think this is an exceptional deal.

I placed my order for the DTA from Amazon.com on a Friday evening, and it arrived Tuesday. Ordering from them gave two months free, and a $60 rebate, which will reduce the cost of my DTA to -$4.00. The DTA arrived in a well decorated box, that protected the DTA well. (...)

Once the main box is opened, there is smaller box inside, with all of the components wrapped in bubble wrap. (Not pictured, as these pictures were taken a few days after I had unpacked the equipment)

The items in the box included the DTA, a phone cord, power cord, power adapter, ethernet cable, startup note, tips sheet, and an invoice.

After I took the DTA out of the box, and plugged in the power, the power light immediately turned on. I next plugged the ethernet cable into a free port of my router, and the Link light tuned on .I then connected a phone, and picked up, to find a dial tone. When a number was dialed, a packet8 recording telling you the URL to activate your service was heard. I went to the web address supplied in the recording, which matched the instructions on the sheet, and was told to enter my MAC address that was found on the bottom of the DTA. When I entered my MAC address, it returned an error which is shown below.

I tried three times, and each time the same error came up. I then placed a call to packet8 support, who answered after a few rings. I had no hold time at all. They confirmed my MAC address, and changed something in their system. I then tried again, and was put through. The problem, so far as I can tell, was caused by me buying it through Amazon, and the DTA must not have been registered properly in their system. After I had filled out the required billing information, I paid an activation fee, and printed my account details. I then picked up the phone, and placed a long distance call with perfect quality. I felt that the quality was almost as good as my land line, if not better. I did not have to configure anything special on my router, the DTA was truly "plug and play". The phone light turns on steady when the phone is in use, and flashes while it is ringing.

After making several calls over a few days, I am almost satisfied with the Packet8 service. There are however some issues. One day, I placed a long distance call, and suffered horrible quality, and lost the call. When I checked the call log, I had 12% packet loss. However this was not Packet8's fault, as it was my internet connection. After a quick reboot of modem and router, everything was working perfectly again. In normal calls, I lose about .2% packets, but this may or may not have something to do with Packet8. This does not cause any quality problems though. The voicemail works reasonably well, except for the timestamp is sometimes off. I do wish we had the name on the Caller-ID, as we currently only have the number. After I was satisfied with the service, I went outside and unplugged my land line from the box, and marked it clearly. (Well, clearly as the 10 year old child I let do it could)

Then I connected my DTA to the wall outlet, and all phones were powered. I am able to hear people clearly with four phones up, which is all I have use for at this time. As for the quality, long distance calls sound much better, and local calls are loud and clear, people say they notice an increase in quality. The quality is much better than cellphones, and I can confirm it sounds better than my old landline.

My only real problems with the service, so far, is the fact that 911 will not work perfect, and if I lose power, or my internet breaks, I will not have phone service to call and have it fixed. Out of the 7,000 min. I have used so far, less than 50 have had a problem, which is equal to less than 1 percent. I love that the billing is done online, and they just bill my credit card each month. When a visitor used the phone, and forgot to dial one, it was billed as an international call, but when I called Packet8, they credited my account quickly. I haven't had any major outage problems as of yet, just waiting to see when new featues are coming out.

The picture below shows you the Packet8 billing interface, which lets you view your bills for each month, and what you have ordered in the past.

Below is a shot of the call log. Very handy to see who called where, when, and for how long.

Next we have a picture of the settings that you can change in our account.

(...)

AWFUL!!!
I signed up for Packet 8 after reviewing the services online and finding pretty good reviews for this service and the price.I also liked that they had the enhanced 911 service.What a mistake!After I activated my account the company sent me an email to tell me that E911 was NOT available in my area after they said it was when I checked online.3 days after I activated I still didn't have service.Family and friends were calling on my cell phone to tell me that the message said I had a disconnected phone.When it was working, the service would drop out in themiddle of conversation.I do NOT recommend this service.When I called the cancel, I waited about 10 mins and got a rep.He was very nice and helpful and didn't make me feel bad for canceling.I have now signed up with Optimum Voice and love it!It's worth every extra penny.

Packet8 might just have the worlds worst customer service...
OK- so on April 20th- we trotted out & bought the packet8 set up.We followed the set up step by step... and waited.And waited.It's nice that they gave us 2 free months of service - because our local number STILL hasn't been set up.They haven't contacted us- or returned our email(s) to them.When I check out account on their site- all I see is "Pending" for the number porting...

Today I contacted them & was told there is some form they need-and the set up process *should* have prompted us to complete it.SO I was annoyed- but wait for it.....this form is nowhere to be found on their site.They couldn't find - I couldn't find it.It was like some kind of joke.And the whole time all I got from their customer support is " I understand"NO- you DONT!I am still paying for my home phone and in a couple of weeks- will be paying for theirs as well!

When I mentioned that we had emailed 3 weeks ago & hadn't gotten a response- my thinking here was this could have been resolved 3 weeks ago.. she couldn't find any email... and said to me " Well, I'm not saying you're lying.. but we don't have this email..."Uhhh-YEAH-I think you ARE saying I'm lying- despite having a printed out copy of the email in my hand!

And this is just to get us set up- just to give them our business!I can't imagine when we have a real problem with the phone- god help us!

ANYWAY-If you are prepared for headache after headache- have at it.If I had been more aware of their heinous customer service- I would have thought twice!

You've been warned... ;)

POOREST TECH AND CUSTOMER SERVICE EVER!
Tech service reps diplay little or no technical knowledge and seem to rely totally on a script. If the question asked isn't on the script, even simplistic questions, the answer is unavailable. Email questions are unanswered. ... Read more

Amazon.com Product Description

With Vonage, you can make phone calls over the Internet, potentially save on long-distance charges, and access a rich assortment of calling features. Plans start as low as $14.99 per month, and the Premium Unlimited plan offers unlimited calling to the U.S. and Canada for only $24.99. And it's easy to use--for making and receiving calls, Vonage works just like traditional phone service, with no special access codes or account numbers required.

Easy Hardware Connections

All Vonage plans let you enjoy the call features you've become accustomed to: call waiting, caller ID, voice mail, call forwarding, three-way calling, call return, repeat dialing, and reliable long distance... plus other features that may be new to you.For example, you can receive your voice mail as an e-mail attachment, and you'll have a phone number that travels with you.Visit www.vonage.com/amazon to see which plan is best suited to your lifestyle and budget. The low monthly rates are quite reasonably priced, in our opinion, and with them you may save considerably compared to traditional phone service. International calls are available for additional low fees, with one economical exception: calls from the U.S. to Canada are treatedas domestic long-distance calls, rather than international ones.Vonage also supports short-form emergency 911 service, where available. (Dialing 911 requires activation and operates differently than traditional 911. See Vonage's website for details.)

The starter kit comes with a Vonage-certified Linksys RT31P2 router, avoiding the need for a separate phone adapter.All you need is a high-speed Internet connection (cable or DSL) and a touchtone phone. After setting up your Vonage account, you'll have instant access to two lines, each with a separate phone number--you can even assign them different area codes, subject to availability.You'll still be able to surf the Web while talking on the phone or receiving faxes.

The router allows you to connect up to three PCs and two telephones or fax machines, and they'll all share a single Internet connection through which you can smoothly transfer data of all kinds. While talking on the phone, you can still share a printer, make backups, or simply move your latest presentation notes over to your laptop. With easy Web-based configuration, all these options are available at the click of a mouse.Linksys backs the router with a generous three-year warranty.

What's in the Box
The Linksys RT31P2 broadband router with two phone ports and three switched Ethernet ports, a power adapter, a setup CD with user's guide, a network cable, Vonage plan and support information, a Quick Installation card, and a registration card

... Read more

Features

• Advanced Linksys router with 3 10/100 switched Ethernet ports, 2 RJ11 voice ports
• Unlimited calling to the U.S. and Canada only $24.99 per month, other plans as low as $14.99
• All plans include call waiting, caller ID, voicemail, call forwarding, and many more features
• Voicemail can be checked online or by phone or forwarded via email
• Use your current phone; keep your existing phone number or choose a new one

Reviews (22)

Laurels for Vonage, the hero of consumers everywhere
Just this Spring, I was hit with $1600 of cell phone bills from Cingular. This included billing errors, and their customer service leaves a great deal to be desired, to put it mildly. (In fact, that is the understatement of the century. I am trying very hard to be nice here.)

After a surprise $400 bill for April, I immediately paid Cingular to get out of their horrible contract, then shopped for a new phone service.

A friend of mine happened to be using Vonage with no problems, so after investigating what all it offered, I took the plunge by buying direct from Vonage.com, which I note with some regret, as I notice there is a $50 rebate offered here. But that is small potatoes. This is the real beans: for $25 a month, I call anywhere in the USA or Canada, anytime. This has a great deal of money-saving potential if you think about it for about five seconds.

I received the same LinkSys model as offered here and my review is of both Vonage and the LinkSys router, which has given no problems.

Some reviewers here claim the voice quality isn't good. I have noticed no difference whatsoever. You do have to have decent and reliable broadband service to consider something like this. I get internet via a broadband cable modem.

Just take the plunge, disconnect all other phone services, and rely solely upon vonage. That's what I did, and no problems thus far. No telemarketers, I get all the "expensive" "deluxe" phone services like Caller ID, I manage the account via the internet, no long distance charges, and all for $25/mo. from what I understand.

The only cautionary note I have to say about Vonage, but which really applies to any VoIP service is, you need to be mindful that your phone service will be disrupted during either power failures (unless you buy an uninterrupted power supply) OR internet blackouts. So this is NOT a total solution for people in bad health, or pregnant women, who are likely to have a sudden need to contact emergency services. For those people, I recommend having a backup line in addition to Vonage and just using Vonage for their second line.

You get to pick your own phone number with the area code you desire. Presto, suddenly your pals in New York can call you for free.

International calling such as to Australia is about a nickle a minute and dirt cheap everywhere except Afghanistan. There are many other features and advantages, and you will be pleasantly surprised at the possibilities when you read their literature.

Despite the recent media brouhaha, there is 911 support. The Bell companies which lobby the government are trying to make a big deal over 911 support, but if you simply follow the instructions and register for it then you do have access to emergency services.

The hardware arrived at my doorstep in less than three days. It took me about an hour to install on my PC, which includes opening the box and unwrapping the contents and positioning the equipment just the way I wanted. The only reason it took me that long was that my set-up happens to be a little more complicated than what is typical. I will not go into the details,but to summarize, I found setup rather easy. Vonage is compatible with any old phone. I chose remote phones so that I can use it anywhere in the home.

The time has come to get rid of the monopolistic stranglehold that the old corrupt phone companies have on America, and let innovative, progressive new companies compete for our communications dollars. I am sick of paying fifty, seventy, or even a hundred dollars plus per month for a stupid phone. When will other consumers wake up and smell the coffee. The phone companies are really hammering the American consumer, charging $10 extra per month for little things like call waiting, call forwarding, or ring back, all of which are free with Vonage.

Let's be honest. If Vonage took ten hours to setup, and required you to pay a technician $500 for installation, it would still be a super deal. But neither of those two scenarios is the case. This thing has matured enough to where it makes sense.

I recommend telling your old, inefficient and probably corrupt phone company BYE - BYE !

Oh, I got a letter from BellSouth the other day offering me $100 and no setup fee if I came back to them. That letter went into the garbage can along with Cingular's offer of $200 off if I would come back to them. I may make a mistake once in a while, but I certainly do learn from previous experiences and don't get taken advantage of twice by the same company.

I am awarding five stars because I like my Vonage service and am grateful there is a "Goodly Knight" out there to do righteous battle against the evil overlords, Cingular and Bellsouth.

Vonage???
I had to try it out. I hear so much advertising and hype about Vonage. So, I went down to the local computer store and bought it took it home to set it up and problems right off the back. I have a 3mb DSL connection that is great. I used the temp number and started to make calls, the quality was poor. There was a echo and a delay that was very annoying, I would often talk over people. I tried it for the trial period and then returned it. I called their support and if I have to wait 20 miniutes forget it! I tried 3 times and they lost a customer.
I looked at other companies and found a smaller VoIP provider that is working great for me OurDigitalVoice. I called their tech support a 2 min wait and the people are friendly and informed. Vonage is just too big for their britches if you ask me!

Shoud be called VONAGE PHONE ADAPTOR WITH ROUTER
Very disapointed that it is not clearly stated by Amazon that this product is to be used only by Vonage (very expensive compared to other providers like Inphonex which is now my provider).I bought two routers RT31P2 and two PAP2 phone adapters all with Phone ports hoping I would be able to connect all my family (spread around the world).I got a Huge surprise when I noticed that they are locked only for use with Vonage.It says there is a Mail in Rebate worth 50 bucks, anyway it will only last less than two months.Other providers don't even charge monthly fees.

I had already sent all the units to various countries and after finding out that they are to be used EXCLUSIVELY with Vonage I just had to let them die where they were sent.It is not worth the shipping to bring them back.

As disappointing as this, was that I supposed this was going to happen so I contacted customer support from Amazon and asked them (before buying) if they were a "with Vonage telephony system" or if they were a "exclusively for Vonage telephony system".They didn't know so I just assumed they wouldn't be so distracted to not mention this.Specially for starters like us it may have been the most important thing to advertise:EXCLUSIVELY FOR VONAGE

I have always been a fan of Linksys products, my house is full of their products and never had trouble with the hardware.For sure I will continue to buy Linksys products, for sure I will never use vonage (eventhough I am sure it provides excellent clear voice communication; don't get cofussed, there are others that will give you more for a lot less go to yahoo and spend 30 seconds making a quick search and you will see), and for sure I had to tell other people what they are doing so nobody else will loose the money I lost, and what is most valuable, my time.

Make sure that when you buy a PAP2 it says:Model PAP2-NA

Conclussion:I just lost 260 bucks plus shipping and handling (internationally)

Vonage - Very Poor Customer Services and Billing
Vonage - Very Poor Customer Services and Billing

We signed up for vonage servicve with number transfer from verizon. Within over 20 days phone number was not transferred. I faxed authorization form and verizon phone bill 3 times to Vonage. I believe, they purposely delay so trial period is over and then you have to pay cancellation fee if you want to cancel. I figured it out when I cancelled my service after 20 days, I was on hold for over 30 minutes though. I was charged $87.73 plus $1.29 plus $43.59 cancellation (even the equipment was shipped day after cancellation and I have proof USPS tracking they received it within 3 days) plus setup fee. Their office is in Edison NJ and I am in North Brunswick, NJ. I was on promotion for 1st month free but this trial for 20 days cost me about $140 even I did not use phone that much (1 or 2 local calls only for test purpose) so I cannot say anything about the quality of their phone service. I have been calling them and CS tranfer me to billing which automatically disconnects me after 8-10 minutes of waiting, it happend 4 times. No reply of any emails it has been over a month now.

Their equipment installation was easy and temp number was up as soon as I plugged it in after activation. So if you are not transferring a number, do not need their customer support and want to stay with them for a long time then it might be a good provider for you, you may want to consider AT&T Callvantage.

After this horrible experience with Vonage, I sgined up for AT&T Callvantage, though a little expensive but I am very happy. They tanferred my number within 10 days and excellant customer service. Phone dialtone is exactly as land-phone and no background noise. I made international calls also and have not any problem with AT&T Callvantage so far.

could not make it work with my Vonage
I purchased this to combine a router and phone adapter (to get rid of the Motorola PA that I got when I signed up for Vonage in July 2004). I wrestled with getting it set up correctly and went through the usual HEL* with Vonage support (their support is horrible, horrible, and more horrible). After 3 weeks I got the case escalated to their tier 3 team (the only ones who know anything at all) and with careful troubleshooting he saw that the MTU size is what was causing me to not be able to connect outgoing calls. (I could receive calls, not not place calls - dial tone was ok). After wrestling with my ISP thinking it was their fault, we re-registered my old phone adapter with Vonage, removed this router and all was working again. ... Read more

Product Description

8X8 Inc. (DV326) Broadband Video Phone ... Read more

Features

• Speakerphone, caller ID/call waiting, 3-way calling, 100-number directory
• Unlimited calls in the U.S. and Canada for a low monthly fee
• Unlimited worldwide calling to other Packet8 subscribers at no extra charge
• VoIP-ready videophone, compatible with any high-speed DSL or cable modem with Ethernet
• 352 x 288 maximum resolution, 30 frames per second video quality

Reviews (1)

Packet8 customer for almost 2 years
Hi,I have been a packet8 customer for almost 2 years now.I love the service from Packet8, ... and I have tried the other providers as well.I have had voice for a while and love it, and decided to purchase the video phone since Grandma/Grandpa want to see there new grandkids.We love it!I also used Packet8 coupon code "gateshare" from http://www.gateshare.com to save $20.The site has a lot of useful information.I will never go back to the Plain old telephone system. ... Read more

Amazon.com Product Description

AT&T CallVantage^sm Service from AT&T is a Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) telephone service that utilizes the latest in Internet technology to deliver features that are beyond the means of traditional phone companies. With VoIP, calls are transmitted over the Internet, allowing you to communicate nationwide for a single monthly fee. You pay additional charges only for international calls, which are billed at competitive prices. (AT&T CallVantage Service treats calls to Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and Canada as domestic calls.) Plus, AT&T's Advanced Quality of Service (QoS) provides high voice quality.

AT&T CallVantage Service offers easy 1-2-3 hardware setup: 1. Plug phone cord and computer cable into adapter. 2. Plug adapter into broadband modem. 3. Log onto Personal Call Manager and open your account.

AT&T CallVantage Service is easy to set up. To establish an account, just follow the instructions on the welcome letter, included in the box. Setting up the hardware is also very simple: just plug the telephone adapter into your existing phone and plug the other end into your cable or DSL modem. All DSL and cable modems with an Ethernet port and at least 90 Kbps upstream and downstream speed are supported, as well as both Windows computers and Macs.

In addition to the standard features you expect from your traditional phone company, like caller ID, call waiting, three-way calling, and call forwarding, AT&T CallVantage Service provides a number of features made possible only by use of Internet Protocol technology. You can have voice mail forwarded to your e-mail inbox as an attachment, and then forward that attachment to relevant third parties. You can take your home area code with you when you travel, so your family or work can reach you without paying long-distance rates. And, with an elaborate variation of call forwarding known as "Locate Me," you can maintain a list of places you'll be visiting; when you're out, AT&T CallVantage Service will ring them in sequence (or all at once) until it finds you.

Accessible either by phone or the Internet, the Phone Feature Manager provides access to a phone directory that can store up to 250 numbers, to call logs (incoming and outgoing for the last 60 days), and to many of your other phone settings. A reverse lookup feature lets you access the name and address information of an incoming caller, while the add-to-Phone Book feature lets you move any number from your call log to your Phone Book with the touch of a single button. A display-and-dial feature lets you easily call any number displayed in either your call log or Phone Book, and you can set up to nine speed dial entries. Taken together, that's a lot for a phone service to do. With all the features that AT&T's CallVantage Service makes possible, you can simplify and organize your communications like never before.

What's in the Box
A telephone adapter for use with AT&T CallVantage Service, a 12-volt, 1-amp DC power adapter, a telephone line cord, an Ethernet cable, manuals, and service and promotional information

Terms and Conditions
Buying this item signifies your intention to sign up for AT&T CallVantage Service and to pay a monthly subscription fee. For details about how the Service works and for complete terms and conditions, visit www.att.com/amazon.

... Read more

Features

• Competitive international rates, web-based directory assistance, reverse lookup
• Unlimited local and nationwide calls, including, Canada, Puerto Rico and U.S. Virgin Islands; low monthly rate
• Caller ID, call waiting, 3-way calling
• 250-number phone directory, 9 speed dials
• Talking voicemail-to-email call forwarding; 60-day call log

Reviews (14)

Does not work well with others!
My initial experience was very good, until I added a wireless internet video camera to my HOME LAN.Evidently, remote access to your HOME LAN is impossible with the D-Link DVG-1120M connected between your Cable/DSL modem and your router.
Despite the information obtained from the AT&T Call Vantage Support Web site(see "Full Installation Guide" identifying an option for connecting the D-Link DVG-1120M off of a router connected to your cable modem), you will get no support.My request to activate the AT&T CallVantage D-Link DVG-1120M T/A in this configuration was refused, since it is "not supported" by AT&T CallVantage.
If you have no additional plans to take advantage of the many applications available for broadband internet access, then this should work fine.Otherwise, go with Linksys.

Comment on routers and the telephone adapter
Just a couple of quick note about using the Telephone Adapter (TA) with routers.This is going to be of more interest to people who do advanced configuration with their network setup.If you just want to plug it in and go, then everything will work just fine with the instructions in the box.

1.I have seen some comments here about not being able to put the telephone adapter behind a router.It is true that AT&T strongly recommends you put the adapter in front of the router (between your router and your cable/DSL modem), so it can reserve the bandwidth it needs for phone calls.But, at least with the model that they sent me, you CAN put it behind a router if you'd rather do so.You're just risking lesser sound quality if you try to do heavy internet access while using the phone.

2.The telephone adapter has NAT functionality, but is not as configurable as most dedicated routers.If you are already using a router and don't want to yield that kind of control to another device, then you can still hook up the TA as AT&T recommends (in front of the router), because it allows you to set up your router as a DMZ client.That means all traffic gets forwarded to the router just like it always did.You won't have to worry about copying your port forwarding settings to the TA or anything like that.This stuff is only of concern to people who have done advanced configuration on their router, but for those people it is quite important so I thought it worth mentioning.

I've only had the service for a few days now, so I can't comment on the quality other than to say it's working well so far.

Giving 4 out of 5 stars because there does not seem to be a software interface to make phone calls at this time.I sure hope they add one.

Out of the box and working in 30 minutes
VoIP is "voice over internet protocol", where your phone service is piggybacked on top of your broadband internet connection. You have to have a cable or dsl modem with an ethernet connection.

I hate the local phone company, I just can't stand paying near $50 for phone service when the cellphone bill is $35. I had to cut all the options on the phone service to get it under $50... but must have the "Area Choice" plan or I pay long-distance fees to call 10 miles to work. So the very best I could do was around $47 a month.

What really set this in motion was the new cordless phone my daughter got for Christmas. She wanted Caller ID and I figured, sure, why not pay $2 a month to make her happy? Geez - That's another $8.95 a month just for Caller ID!!


So I went looking.... Finally an alternative!

There's Vonage which is $5 cheaper, but I chose AT&T's CallVantage plan. For $29.99 a month you get unlimited local & long-distance calls and the feature set is awesome. Caller ID, 3-way calling, Locate me, it goes on and on. I can manage everything from a computer on the internet, 60-day call log, voicemail can be played on computer or forwarded to up to 10 email addys, it is unreal!

I got it hooked up and working within 30 minutes. The telephone adapter sits in between the cable modem and the router.

After I disconnected the phone plug in the box on the side of the house - to separate the house from the phone company - I plugged the telephone adapter into a wall jack. This "backfeeds" the house telephone jacks and allows every phone jack in the house to be serviced.

The quality of the connection is noticably better than the old Bellsouth phone service, gone are the clicks and buzzing noise.


I have noticed a decrease in my internet bandwidth when someone is on the phone, but I feel comfortable with the tradeoff.

There are port-forwarding issues with the current telephone adapter (a nice D-Link product) that may affect those of you that run ftp servers, but it is said they will be resolved with future products. Also, there is a Linksys wireless router with integrated CallVantage support that may resolve it.

BTW, they can usually port your existing phone number over, but that didn't work for me. I had to get a new number. Small price to pay. I'm saving $20 a month and getting unlimited long distance with every possible phone feature. Sweet!

Enjoy The Future of Telephony Today
As someone who was a cellular-only telephony customer for several years, my primary reasons for obtaining CallVantage was to have 1) a portable land-line and 2) a 212 area code before moving to New York. While both goals were achieved immediately, I was pleasantly surprised with the superior functionality and sound quality.

Given that I work as a consultant in emerging telecommunications, I have been tracking VoIP services for a while. In fact, I was using the [previously] free Dialpad.com service since 1999. While the sound quality of these older VoIP services was generally good, there was a annoying delay that disrupted the flow of a conversations. To its credit, Dialpad has corrected the problem as of 2005.

In short, the quality of CallVantage is excellent. There is no delay, no static, no fading. The service is so robust, one has to wonder if the traditional switched phone service providers (ILEC's) will become extinct faster than analysts have predicted.

Similar to how other online services such as electronic banking that have trumped their traditional counterparts, CallVantage offers a number of features unavailable with traditional ILEC's. In fact, the advanced features are even beyond what the cellular companies offer, which is probably going to spur further advanced features in the mobile market.

The additional features are numerous with varying degrees of utility. The web-based voicemail retrieval is especially nice. Email notification is also helpful, especially when you forward these messages to a Blackberry or mobile phone. There are other capabilities like call logs and, for an additional fee, call filtering. The call forwarding capability called "Locate Me" offers a number of features, such as having multiple numbers to seek, unavailable on conventional switched telephone services.

Since I obtained the service in mid-2004, I have used it on RCN's cable modem service and Time Warner's cable modem service. Both have been very reliable, so I have not had an issue with any extended interruption. There have been a few glitches with CallVantage, which I will discuss.

One initial problem experienced was that the D-Link MTA (telephone adapter) choked off most of the data bandwidth during the call. Basically, the phone worked fine, but my Internet connection was slower than dial-up. Fortunately, customer service was able to remotely alter the bandwidth shaping setting.

There was a recent glitch in January '05 where the service was not working for an hour or so. More disturbing, however, was that callers received an enigmatic message "I'm sorry, but that customer is NOT accepting calls, message 24G385." After waiting on hold for 45 minutes, I finally reached a customer service representative who was perplexed at my description of the problem and error message. While I have to applaud ATT for using state-side CSR's, they seem to be overstaffed and a bit under-trained.

There are some limitations that advanced users should be aware. The MTA must be placed between the cable modem and router and not after the router. This will pose a problem for small independents who want to work in a shared office setting or who have a combined gateway/router where the coax screws right into a single box. While each MTA supports up to two phone lines, three or more lines requires the user to daisy chain more than one MTA - before the router.

At this juncture, ATT does not provide a softphone client like Dialpad, Skype, or even Vonage. This would be especially helpful if a user would like to make low cost phone calls on the road.

ATT CallVantange service is a robust VoIP offering that has superior features to both switched telephony and mobile phone offerings. The Pros and Cons can be summed up fairly succinctly:

Pros
Excellent Sound Quality
Great Feature Set
Portability
Fixed pricing
Voicemail Message Management From a Web Interface.

Cons
No Softphone
Some Limitations on Connecting with Routers

Given the cost saving and increased functionality, I would recommend this service to anyone who needs a landline and already has a broadband connection.

It really does work!
I became convinced that VoIP was ready for prime-time after usinga sophisticated Cisco VoIP phone at work with excellent voice quality and a whole range of features. AT&T CallVantage sent me a slick advertisement listing all of their features and the savings was substantial (and no FCC taxes!). Since I have worked with computers and networks for a number of years, I was willing to take the risk.

I had some initialization problems with the D-Link VoIP Gateway, but fortunately, when I called customer service a very knowledgable professional spent a lot of patient time helping me re-initialize the gateway. He was friendly and very courteous.

I also had some minor voice quality issues, but I called customer service and they changed my configuration to provide a higher quality of service. I haven't really noticed any problems since.

One feature I really like, not mentioned by other reviewers, is that I get an email sent to my work account whenever a voice message arrives.I can click on the link in the email to quickly bring up the CallVantage web site and click on the link to the voice mail to hear the voice mail message played through my computer, using headphones for privacy. The email lists the caller ID as well, so I know who I need to call back right away.

Another basic point that potential customers should realize is that all your existing phones will work with this telephone adapter, since it hooks into the telephone wiring already in your house.

I had another complication because my alarm system uses the phoneline to dial a central office.The CallVantage installation guide states that this adapter will not work with alarm systems. However, I called my alarm company and they came out to make some minor wiring changes and now the adapter and alarm system work well together.

Customers should also be aware that AT&T is beginning to support an SIP router, which is supposed to be more sophisticated and reliable. However, after several calls, I haven't been able to get them to ship me one yet, probably because they are back-ordered. ... Read more

Product Description

The computer's ringing, could someone answer that? This slick little VoiceStick inserts into the USB port on your computer and lets you make calls to any phone in the world. Receive incoming calls too. By connecting to the i2 Telecom network you get an inexpensive alternative to traditional and cellular carriers. Take the highly portable device with you and call people from anywhere there's an Internet connection. Comes with a Plantronics M60 headset and microphone with volume control. Free technical support included. Compatible with Windows 2000 and XP. Imported. ... Read more

Features

• Compatible with Windows 2000 and XP; 5-year warranty, free technical support
• Place and receive calls anywhere in the world; convenient low-cost calling plans
• Simple USB connectivity: insert, connect, and talk
• Plantronics M60 headset and microphone with volume controls
• Unlimited free calling to all other i2Telecom subscribers

Reviews (5)

Simple and Convenient
This is the easiest internet (VoIP) phone to set up and carry anywhere.Many features, including a cellular bridge.No commitment contract and it's currently free with a rebate and a 30 day money back guarantee on service plan.

Replaces my Packet 8, which I loved also.
If I didn't travel so much, I would have never been looking for a replacement for my packet 8, which I loved. But I hate to lug the router around, and I read about the voice stick on forbes.com, so I tried it. A week later, I upgraded the service to the unlimited.

Much easier to use than vonage, att, or packet 8; better quality than net 2 phone, and you can use it in other computers without giving away your information - and - for those of us who stay in hotels a lot, YOU CAN USE THIS WIRELESSLY!!! So, if your hotel wants to ding you $15 to use the internet, you can go down to the local coffee house, check your email (voice messages left on the voice stick come over email - easier for the traveler, because they are uploaded onto your hard drive - and make follow up calls if need be.Amazing that no one else thought of this first (although a couple of VOIP companies let you download a dialer).

I've tried a lot of VOIP phones and companies, and so far I like this the best.

i2 Telecom's VoiceStick beats any other VoIP device
This small, portable, easy-to-use, cost effective and all-in-one VoIP phone device has changed the way I communicate with clients and family while traveling on business. I love the convenience of plugging this compact Internet phone device into my laptop, anywhere there's a WiFi connection, and getting instant VoIP service. I've called all around the country using the VoiceStick, and the price has been unbeatable and the connection consistently crystal clear. No more expensive phone calls from my hotel room! And 12 Telecom's support team knows the meaning customer care. I had one question regarding setting up voice mail, and i2 Telecom support responded quickly, courteously and with efficiency, and even followed up the next day to make sure everything was working properly. What a marvelous invention -- the cutting edge of VoIP technology!

Absolutely Amazing
I honestly cant believe that there are people who dont have this and/or dont even know about it yet.It is indispensable for business, and for personal stuff its always a conversation piece.The portability is obvious, but it is convenient even for just having an extra line at home that i can use while im doing work on my computer.Lastly, the price is ridiculously fair.Its really a no brainer.

I'd Been Lost Without It
I started out thinking this was a geeky little device, but it actually saved be several clients.I was starting a 5 country, 11 day review of business units in Europe for a client.Day one in Barcelona, I am sitting in a cafe and I get a call on my cell phone.I finish the call, place it on the table and a 10 year boy comes up and "borrows" it leaving me with no way to manage my business while on the trip. Lucky, I had just gotten the Voicestick. For the next 10 days it was my primary communication device.The most critical feature it has is you get an inbound number for people to call you.I was in Europe and my clients were calling a 404 area code never knowing I was not in Atlanta. Amazing product that anyone who travels has to have. ... Read more

Product Description

The Prestige 2000W VoIP Wi-Fi phone, compatible with IEEE 802.11b wireless standard, is a perfect solution for Voice over IP applications. It allows users to make or receive phone calls as long as they are in the coverage of IEEE 802.11b or 11g wireless Access Points. By using the Prestige 2000W, users no longer have to pay expensive communication fees and can enjoy the convenience of wireless mobility. The brand new application is developed to support open standard SIP (Session Initiation Protocol), which interoperates with major SIP-based call servers, IP-PBXs and various VoIP client devices. It is not only an ideal alternative for ITSPs (IP Telephony Service Providers) to deploy their VoIP services; it can also be the wireless handset, which is applied in corporate IP-PBX centric VoIP environment. The Prestige 2000W is very easy to use and configure. It allows users to configure with LCD screen menu or web browser. Meanwhile, with the smart auto-provisioning mechanism, ITSPs can easily deploy and manage the VoIP services. Easy-to-use and convenient, the Prestige 2000W delivers high quality voice functionality in a cost-effective way. ... Read more

Features

• Headset compatible; 2-year warranty
• IEEE 802.11b wireless standard; 2.4 GHz signal
• Site Survey; 64/128-bit WEP encryption
• Caller ID/call waiting compatible, display and dial
• Redial, hold; speaker volume control

Reviews (4)

Solid Proof of Concept
Being one of the first Wi-Fi VoIP (SIP) phones on the market, ZyXEL Prestige 2000W is a solid proof of concept that is deemed by many to see explosive growth. With this unit, ZyXEL seems to be targeting two markets - a cordless phone for corporate SIP environments and residential broadband VoIP services (like Vonage). The unit gets 3 stars for actually working in one deployment scenario, but lacking many required features.

We have received several units from ZyXEL in October to investigate a deployment scenario with Asterisk PBX as a SIP server. The phone picked up a signal of our internal 802.11b/g wireless network with no problems. However, the initial attempt to register with Asterisk server was unsuccessful. Upgrading firmware to version 'f' solved the registration problem and now we could successfully move on to evalute phone's functionality.

Positive impressions:
1. Reception of Wi-Fi signal is good and is on par with other wireless devices (we compared to notebooks with WiFi cards).
2. Sound quality is very good and is comparable to your average cellphone.
3. Battery life is decent and will handle several hours of talktime. Standby mode is not as effective as with your modern cellphone, therefore the phone has to be charged every night.
4. Unit is fairly compact and lightweight (about the size of an older Nokia cellphone).

Unfortunateluly, this is where the positive impressions end. To give ZyXEL some credit, core technology seems be in good shape and the unit lacks any serious drawbacks. However, many important features one would expect in a cordless communication device are underimplemented or not implemented at all:
1. Phone looks and feels old, like one of the cellphones from the 90's. Screen is tiny and only has four lines.
2. Handsfree - both speakerphone and headset ports exist, but are not functional.
3. Battery compartment is very hard to open. Not that one should have to take out the battery that often, but this is the only way to reboot the phone when it occasionally locks up.
4. Only one incoming line is implemented.
5. Phone registers to a SIP server only upon bootup. Therefore, if the connection to the server is lost during normal operation, the phone will have to be rebooted.
6. Hold, transfer, and conference buttons are not implemented. As is the MWI (Message Waiting Indicator).
7. Wireless security is underimplemented. On paper, WEP up to 128 bits is possible, in reality that means you will have to punch in the keys manually (use the web interface for that) and quality of sound will deteriorate. WEP keys are easy to break anyways, so that leaves you with MAC Address filtering - wait, that's easy to spoof also. So do not bother yourself with security on this phone.
8. You have to know your SSID to access the wireless AP. No autodiscovery and no ability to store several SSIDs and to connect to whichever one is found first.
9. The lists for missed and dialed calls exist, but are out of order (at least chronological one). Plus, no details are offered.
10. Ringtones are godawful and cannot be changed.

In summary:
1. Corporate clients will be turned off by the lack of multiple lines, transfer and hold functionality, and lack of security.
2. Service providers, like Vonage, seem to prefer analog adapters to end devices that talk native VoIP protocols. In the case of Vonage, one may be able use Prestige 2000W on their network using credentials issued for the SoftPhone service. But given the extra charge for the service as well as the premium price of Prestige 2000W itself, the economics are against such scenario. It is much more economical for residential customer to purchase an analog or digital cordless phone in 900Mhz or 5.8Ghz spectrum and use it through VoIP provider's telephone adapter.

Unless you have an extra $250 laying around and like your technology raw, patience will be rewarded. New and improved WiFi SIP Phones are starting to show up. For example, Hitachi Cable's IP-5000 looks more modern and supports advanced security features like WPA and EAP-TLS (there are reports, however, of poor firmware design and incompatibility). Cisco 7920 seems to be dominant in the large corporate sector and may capture small and medium-business markets if they finally release SIP firmware and work on lowering the $500+ price-tag.
Motorola is releasing a CN620, which as a hybrid GSM/WiFi SIP phone for the corporate market.

There is a lot of development in this area and kudos to ZyXEL for braving the turbulent waters. Hopefully, they can improve on hardware design, add more firmware features and turn the ugly duckling that Prestige 2000W is into a beatiful swan.

(...)

Great Product if you select the right service
4 stars for having an ugly design and a high price but no alternative (as of know). I have no opinion on battery life. I shall see.

I ordered the product from Amazon yesterday with Ground UPS, and received it today. There goes an applause to Amazon!

About the product: It is very simple, but seems to serve the purpose: send and receive calls. the sound quality is excellent. entering the information to access the service provider took approximately one minute. After you have a connection between the phone and the router, you then need to enter the rest of the information by accessing the phone's settings from your computer's browser.

I live in a Manhattan apartment building where I share a wireless connection. The router is located on the 6th floor. I live on the 8th floor. The quality is not exactly the same as using the phone next to the wifi router, but still acceptable. I will solve that problem by adding a signal booster to the router.

I signed up with BroadVoice, which only offers SIP based VOIP services. This phone only works on SIP based systems. Major VOIP providers provide SIP as an additional service that costs you more over your regular VOIP service fee, and comes with limited minutes. There are many other companies that are out there offering SIP, just google "sip providers" and you will find a lot.

I could use a free software phone to access these servers, but I really appreaciated talking on a real phone and hear the difference in quality of sound, instead of having to wear a headset and stare at the computer screen. Believe me, it makes a way lot of difference.

I'm originally from Turkey, currently living in the US. It costs me to call Turkey around 45 cents a minute from my cell. These services cost you from 10 cents to 20 cents, depending on whether you call a landline or a cell number. Although the phone is pricey, I will be saving a lot in a few months by lowering my cellphone plan and using the 2000W for national and international calls. I still get call waiting, rejecting a blocked number, voice mail and so forth. I was even able to get a (212) area code number, which has become a rarity. I will pay about $21 for calling unlimited national and 21 international countries (no Turkey is not one of them, useless for now, but you never know).

Initial charge to signup with the service cost $32.04 including that $21.00. So there is no reason to complain, even the service fails once in a while (not yet happened). Let me be ridiculous and assume that I call turkey 20 hours a month. It would cost me $540 with cell carrier, and $120 with this one.

If you ask, why didn't you go for one of the major VOIP providers, my answer will be, I do not want to see any more bulky devices on the floor. Also, I would be required to install a converter in order to be able to use a regular phone. In addition to all of these issues, I would have to buy a high end cordless phone to have a clear sound upstairs. At the end the cost would be much higher.

I think this product is really good for a starter. I am pretty sure that many others will enter the market in the near future, as Vonage is planning on releasing their own wifi phones.

I can also take this phone with me whereever there is a wireless hotspot available. The only problem is that some places such as Starbucks use TMobile hotspot, which requires you to download a piece of software that connects you to their network. In that circumstance I do not think that this phone will be usable. But, since there are a lot of people who do not secure their wifi connections, I am sure you will find a place in your area to enjoy this phone and call your friends and family as if you are calling them from your cellphone.

This is real phone
Forthose who may be confused about Voice over IP services, this is real phone that can dial and receive calls with any other real phone in the Word unlike PC to PC voice connections that can only be placed between PC clients. And as for any VoIP connection, it requires service provider to provide connection with phone networks. Vonagesoft phone plan cost about $12 per month with free local calls and cheap international calls, and for that price you get full phone service just like you would get from cell phone or land line company. And the best part - you can use the same service (and the same number) from any wireless internet Access Point in the world. Imagine that you live in NY and can make and receive the same free unlimited local calls with your NY number while traveling to London, Paris or Beijing from any Wi-Fi internet connection.
That is the theory anyway, in reality customization of the pone and understanding of IP networking may be required to set up the phone for different locations.

This is NOT free phone service
Originally I thought this was a phone that would let me use VoIP technology to make free phone calls to anywhere in the world.Wrong!As the italic fineprint on Amazon points out, you must subscribe to a VoIP service plan (e.g., Vonage).These plans are usually quite expensive, and have restrictions as well.Plus the phone itself is so expensive.If you are looking for a free VoIP solution, this is absolutely NOT it.

For now, I guess you should stick to a PC VoIP program like Skype or MSN Messenger. ... Read more

Product Description

Range of up to 100 feet, Make free PC to PC calls , Use DingoTel's pre-paid +Dial, Quickly and easily place calls ... Read more

Product Description

Get ready for the next wave of high-speed telecommunications with QuickPort RJ-45 connectors designed not only to meet, but exceed the proposed specifications for Category 6 cable -- soon to be the most powerful structured wiring available! These powerful connectors have been tested out to 350MHz -- providing more than 13.5dB of bandwidth over the proposed specifications of 250MHz. By using these connectors with Cat. 6-rated panels and cables, you'll be prepared to handle data transfer applications at speeds beyond 1000Base-T. These 8-conductor connectors are equipped with gold plated connectors and use 110-style punch-down terminals. They're permanently laser-engraved with "CAT 6" and are available in 9 colors for easy identification and distinction from other connectors. The connectors snap into any Leviton QuickPort plates, jacks, boxes or wiring panels. ... Read more

Features

• Easily build a whole-house media network
• Connectors not only meet Cat. 6 standards, they exceed them
• Handle data transfer applications at speeds beyond 1000BaseT

Amazon.com Review

Enjoy the world's only end-to-end voice-over-Internet service that uses traditional phones to make and complete calls. The Vonage DigitalVoice Service package contains everything you need to quickly and easily install a phone line in your home. In a matter of minutes, your Vonage DigitalVoice phone can be up and running, and you can be talking over your broadband connection to your friends, business associates, and faraway relatives. It's easy: just plug the included phone adapter into your high-speed Internet connection and plug your telephone into the included Motorola VT1005v dual-port voice terminal adapter.

Enjoy the conveniences of standard telephone service with none of the hassles. With Vonage DigitalVoice, you can talk all you want to anyone in the country for one flat monthly subscription fee. Plus, you can make international calls at a low per-minute rate. Another bonus is that a U.S. call to Canada is treated like a domestic long-distance call, rather than an international one. Vonage also supports short-form emergency 911 services, where available. (Dialing 911 requires activation and operates differently than traditional 911. See Vonage's website for details.)

Unlike other Internet telephone service providers, Vonage does not require access numbers, account numbers, or PINs to make a simple phone call. Instead, you just dial your party's phone number on an ordinary telephone keypad. Switching your current local phone service to Vonage is a snap. You can even choose any area code you want, subject to availability.

Motorola's VT1005v dual-port voice terminal adapter and router fully supports Vonage's VoIP service (voice over Internet Protocol) and lets you connect up to two phones. The adapter works by converting your voice from analog to digital, which is then recognized as data and transmitted over the Internet. The VT1005v will work with any cable or DSL modem and operates seamlessly with any PC, Mac, or UNIX-based computer, so you can talk and surf at the same time.

What's in the Box
Motorola VT1005v Voice Terminal Adapter, AC power adapter and line cord, Ethernet cable, VT1000v series Voice Terminal CD-ROM; Vonage DigitalVoice plan, support information, and promotional offers.

But How Does It Work?

Use Vonage like you use any telephone
With Vonage, you pick up the phone, listen for the dial tone, and dial the number of your choice. There are no extra numbers to dial and no special routines to follow. It's that simple. You don't have to be an engineer to use the service and can be up and running within minutes of receiving your Vonage package. They send you everything you need to get Vonage phone service, right down to the extra cable wire. Best of all, there's no technician, no wiring in the walls, and no technical experience needed! Setup usually takes less than 5 minutes.

Easy installation
Plug the analog-to-digital phone adapter Vonage sends you for free into your high-speed Internet connection. Then take any standard telephone and plug it into the phone adapter.

Surfing the Web
If you'd like to surf the Web and use your Vonage service at the same time, the phone adapter can share your Internet connection with your computer. Talk on the phone and surf the Net with ease. (Depending on your home network setup, this may require additional equipment.)

How this lets your call travel
Vonage works just like the telephone you have in your home today. You pick up the phone, dial the number, and it connects to wherever you're calling.In more technical terms, Vonage uses the phone adapter they send you for free to convert your voice from an analog signal to a digital signal. The digital signal then can be sent over your high-speed Internet connection because it is recognized as data. When someone calls you, they dial your number. Behind the scenes, your number looks very much like an e-mail address. This number instructs the call to travel over the Internet and through Vonage's network to the phone adapter, your phone rings, and all you have to do is pick up and answer it.

Visit www.vonage.com/amazon to see which plan is best suited to your lifestyle and budget. ... Read more

Features

• Great international rates; calls to Canada are treated like U.S. long distance
• Works with Vonage DigitalVoice service
• Permits local and long-distance calls using broadband Internet; supports 1 or 2 standard telephones
• Unlimited nationwide and local calling for a low monthly fee
• Free caller ID block, voicemail, repeat dialing; free call waiting, forwarding, and transfer

Reviews (34)

A Dark Cloud Hangs Over This Product
Two things you should know before buying this product:
1) The CEO of this company, Jeff Citron, was fined 22.5 million dollars for stock manipulation (source: Time Magazine, August 23, 2004).IMO, it would be a questionable decision to go into business with this man.
2) If you have a family or you would *ever* need to rely on your land-line phone service in an emergency, you should visit the following site before purchasing Vonage: http://www.911petition.com/default.htm

That being said -- and before learning of the issues above -- I have tried Vonage and found that...
1) It is much cheaper than phone service from the Bell companies.Especially for those who make a lot of long distance calls or use a lot of features.
2) It's somewhat impractical because it isn't designed to work with the house phone wiring (Vonage recommends a cordless phone "system" -- well, today, I have five phones in my house, a cordless phone system with that many phones can run to three or four hundred dollars)
3) Unlike the phone service from the Bell companies, Vonage doesn't work during a power outage
4) Though at times the service is cystal clear (argueably clearer sounding than regular phone service), there are times when the sound quality is frustratingly poor.There have also been some lengthy outages of the service do to Vonage infrastrucure or process issues
5) Vonage does not include all those confusing fees and surcharges on the bill that the Bell companies do
6) If you have a home security system, Vonage is not for you (at the very least, call your home security provider before even thinking about ordering Vonage)

Net/net: There are a lot of low cost VOIP options (Packet 8, AT&T Call Vantage, Verizon's VoiceWing -- all, IMO, reputable companies), but they are all 2nd line solutions (i.e., you should keep you existing service for emergencies).So if you need to save money on phone service, and are willing to risk some of the issues listed above, go with a company other than Vonage.

Excellent Product
Vonage is an excellent product to make phone calls. I just love it.

Stay away!
I feel the need to tell how very unhappy I am with Vonage's lack of customer service and policies. Because of them they lost a potential new customer, permanently. My husband and I spent two weeks reseraching the feasibility of voip for our home to replace our current phone service which is costing us nearly $50 a month. Vonage looks great "on paper" (or rather, on the computer screen), and we decided to give them a try over others such as Packet8 and AT&T CallVantage. However, I was sorely disappointed when I finally did call to try to speak with someone about the few remaining questions I had. Answered through their site or other sources were questions about fees and charges and reliability of service. A stumbling block still, in all of that, was the overwhelming number of people who report a problem with the phone adapter and the lack of support. But, we figured we'd risk it since we have a good broadband connection, and we would cancel if we felt the service was bad. My remaining questions to customer service were: did they have any numbers in our area, and could we use a fax machine once or twice a year on our line, and NOT have to pay an additional $10/month for the privilege?

The Vonage customer service agent was about as clueless as they come. First he wants all my information up front before he will even TALK to me about ANYTHING, then he tries his first attempt to sign me up without answering my questions. He then tells me that no numbers are available in our area, only numbers which would be long distance for our friends and relatives to call. This wasn't acceptable, so I asked about porting of our current number. This wasn't an option we had wanted to pursue, because of the nightmare wait time. It wasn't acceptable for us to have to hold on to our current phone service at $50 a month for the privilege of keeping our number. We didn't want to pay it, but they had nothing else available. He said they could port the number, but there was no way to speed up the process, and we'd have to keep paying our current phone bill for as long as they decided to take to port the number. At $50 a month, no way! And by the way, AT&T CallVantage only takes 8-10 days to port a number. What's the deal with Vonage's horrendous wait times???

And so, after that one question was answered to HIS satisfaction, not mine, he decided to try to sign me up again. NO! Hello? I told you I had another question, and I'm not too happy with you right now. So I asked about the fax option. We have a fax machine that we use only a couple of times a year at most, and I asked if we could use it on our regular phone line. Then the customer service agent was downright rude with me. He said no, absolutely not, if we did not pay for an additional line we would not be allowed to use our fax machine, don't even try it. Wow! Why did he have to be so rude? Then he tries to sign me up again, this time with an additional line. I said that this was absurd, we only used it a couple of times a year, and no, I didn't want another line. He then gets snotty and tells me that if we only use it that much we should go to the local copy store instead. Well, that was it for me. He tries a third time to sign me up, and I said I was no longer interested. He askes why, and I laugh as I tell him back the two issues we just talked about. He acts like he doesn't even remember them! Then he puts me on hold for I don't know what reason. Probably to put us into some database, I'm sure. At this time I am REALLY sorry I ever bothered with Vonage. Then he comes back, tries to sign me up again, I said no, and hung up.

If this is what Vonage calls customer service, it's a joke. By the end of it I felt like I was talking to a brick wall. Every time the customer service agent didn't want to respond to a question I was met with silence, then another attempt to sign me up, like he hoped that if he didn't acknowledge my question it would just go away and I would magically change my mind. After this, if we ever decide to think about voip again, it WON'T be Vonage we call.

And, but the way, I wouldn't even bother with AT&T either. Though their customer service agent was better informed and nicer that Vonage's, she was really, really pushy about signing me up. I don't like agent who won't take no for an answer. It's our policy in our family that we don't make split-second decisions, we talk to one another before making a final decision. And so, when I called AT&T for information only, she tried to sign me up, I said no, we went through this three times, then she asks me if I need permission from my husband. That was very insulting. Why I even bothered to stay on the
phone with her after that I'm not sure, but I DID give her a piece of my mind about that particular comment.

The bottom line for us is we've decided not to bother with any of them. Between questionable quality of service, nonexistent customer service, and very pushy business practices, I'm staying FAR, FAR AWAY.

Great Quality, Low Price, and fortunately no bugs...
I've been up and running with Vonage for a little over a month with my Cox cable internet, and use my phone QUITE often.I'm VERY pleased with the results.I've not run into any of the problems that some people stated they had last year.If it's because of improvements, let me state what DOES work now;

1.) Touch Tone menu features work now, no matter where you call.VoIP clarity is not only digital, but high quality with Vonage, so your tones aren't garbled.

2.) Vonage now has E911 service, which will direct 911 straight to the addressed registered with your Vonage account.Keep in mind, you MUST activate the service (it's free) on the Vonage website.It's easy to do.You just have to enter in the address, and click "Activate E911 service".

So far, I've been able to receive all my calls, voicemail, etc, never had any dropped calls or cutting out, no problems with caller-id, etc.It's worked flawlessly, and my phone adapter/router peacefully co-exists at the end of the line of two other routers without any change in packet prioritization.I tested it by downloading a 1GB file at 500KB/s, and making a long distance call from California to New York, and it was perfectly fine.Contrary to popular believe, regular phone voice quality requires no more than 56KB/s bit rate.If your running cable at least, that should NOT be a problem at all.

Like any service, your going to have a small minority that it won't work for, due to either technical prerequisites that aren't up to par (inside or outside of their control.

Great Service, Great Price
This is the best phone service I have ever experienced in my life (okay, at least in this country).

You do need it to give it plenty of bandwidth - so dont bother if you have a crappy cable internet or DSL. And, yes, that quality option to reduce bandwidth utilization is a sham. Just leave it on the highest bandwidth and you will do great.

I take it with me all the time when I travel all over thew world (allows me to keep my landline number mobile) and only once I had issues when hotel restricted per room bandwidth to 128kbps - dont you just hate marriotts !!

I have had two friends who are using vonage who end up complaining about voice quality - when I asked them in detail one of them confessed reducing the bandwidth utlization setting to be less than "higest quality" and other hand bad cable wiring in the house which kept dropping the connection. So, do make sure you have plenty of bandwidth and your cable connection is rock solid (I dont know of any DSL connections that are rock solid !!)

People who say it does not have 911 service do not know what they are talking of. You have to register everytime you change location and it does not go to your local 911 center but that does not mean - no 911.

People who say it is not reliable also do not know what they are talking of. I am using it for 10 months now and I have recommended it to friends (hey, vonage to vonage calls are free - without paying anything extra !!) but never heard of this complaint.

OTHER GOOD POINTS:
* great prices
* they include all the "extra" features in that price
* cool utilities like getting voicemail on email, or ringing my cellphone and landline together (allowing me to take call from any) and server call back (i can dial any number from my computer...... without having my computer connect to my vonage phone line)
* excellent support and help forums
* mobility to take my phone anywhere


SOME COMPLAINTS:

Their international call service is crappy (at least to India) but cheap so dont bother taking it if you are only going to use it for international calls.

I also could not get my tivos modem to dial over it. When I asked their suppor they said i need to get a fax line which is $10/month extra. Since who uses fax in these internet days of efax. I decided to use wireless card to bring my Tivo online but word of caution is that you may not be able to use your Dish Settop box, Security System or some such modem-dependant service. I have heard friends who have been able to use so may be its a connection-specific issue. What I know is that I cannot get to use my TiVo and Vonage does not support it officially if you dont have a fax line.

Have a good day !! ... Read more