I've switched to Comcast's Digital Voice too. The sound quality is excellent but I've had a few problems: 1. Intermittently, the voice on our end cuts out leaving the person on the other end saying 'Are you there? Hello??' for about a minute when it comes back on. It only happens a few times a month. 2. The voice mail system has let me in without any password when checking my voicemail remotely. 3. The interrupted dial tone that indicates you have voicemail doesn't always work. Overall, I like it and I like the savings of no long distance charges. But the savings pretty much end there - if you get phone, web, and tv (at least standard for $30/month) you save just $5 per month. I'd say wait six months or until they fix the above before making the switch. - Jami __________________________ Jami Albro-Fisher Senior Systems Developer Fazzi Associates, Inc. 243 King Street, Suite 246 Northampton, MA 01060 phone: (413) 584-5300 fax: (413) 584-0220 web: www.fazzi.com -----Original Message----- From: hidden-discuss-bounces at lists.hidden-tech.net [mailto:hidden-discuss-bounces at lists.hidden-tech.net] On Behalf Of Will Loving Sent: Thursday, September 08, 2005 7:16 PM To: Hidden-discuss at lists.hidden-tech.net Subject: [Hidden-tech] Recommendations: Inexpensive Fax Solution & ComcastDigital Voice ** Be a Good Dobee and help the group ** Fill out the survey/skills inventory in the member's area. ** Remember you must be counted to post . I'd like to let Hidden-Tec members know about a couple of services that I have begun using recently that I am impressed with. Additional comments, impressions of these services and alternatives are also appreciated. I have no affiliation with either of the services mentioned below. Inexpensive Faxing Receiving: I've struggled for a long time with trying to find an inexpensive and trouble-free way to receive faxes. I can use my fax machine or computer to send faxes out, but since getting broadband (and canceling my modem line) I've not wanted to pay for a separate line just to receive a handful of faxes a month. For the last year, we've paid a few dollars a month to Verizon for a separate number with "Distinctive Ring", a different ring tone which the fax machine can be set to listen for. However I was still getting lots of junk faxes and have recently found something much better, FaxAway.com. For a dollar a month (charged in $10 increments) FaxAway.com gives you a private fax number (in Seattle) and unlimited incoming faxes. The faxes are emailed to you as TIF or JPG files and can be printed, forwarded or trashed as need be. FaxAway is associated with Kall8, an VOIP provider like Vonage, and outgoing faxes are handled very inexpensively. I don't need the outgoing service for the few faxes I send but it's there if you need it. You can upload various document types including Word, etc. and they will fax it for you. FaxAway also includes the option of VoiceMail at no charge though it was a little confusing at first to setup. VoiceMail messages left on the same number are also emailed to you as WAV files. I've been using the service for a couple of months now and have no complaints. Comcast Digital Voice For those of you with Comcast service, I highly recommend their Digital Voice Service. We converted first my business line and last week our house line and are very impressed with the quality of the service. What you will notice immediately once you switch over is the improved quality and volume of the sound. It is SO much better than the traditional Verizon land lines that we had that I can't imagine going back. The technician I spoke with said that most people have to reduce the volume on their phones because of the louder and clearer signal. I've found this to be true in that my headset, normally set between 4 and 5, now does very well between 1 and 2. We have not experienced the "dropouts" and choppiness that is frequently observed with VOIP service and the apparent reason is that while standard VOIP such as Vonage converts voice to packets at the phone and sends them over the internet via your DSL or cable connection, Comcast actually sends the phone signal upstream over the coaxial cable and converts it to IP packets in a more central location. We are very impressed and are saving money in the process. A single line with all features and unlimited local and LD calling costs us $40/month, but we only get internet service not "standard" cable. I think there is an additional discount if you get at least Standard cable TV. The second line is $20/month additional if you want all the features or just $10 a month for unlimited calling but no other features. Will Will Loving, President Dedication Technologies, Inc. -- -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- DEDICATION TECHNOLOGIES, INC. - Developers of StudioSchool Pro - Professional FileMaker Pro Database Development For Non-Profits, Business, and Education ----------------------------------- 7 Coach Lane Amherst, MA 01002-3304 USA Tel:1 413 253-7223 Fax:1 206 202-0476 will at dedicationtechnologies.com http://studioschoolpro.com -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- _______________________________________________ Hidden-discuss mailing list - home page: http://www.hidden-tech.net Hidden-discuss at lists.hidden-tech.net You are receiving this because you are on the Hidden-Tech Discussion list. 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