[Hidden-tech] best phone service?

[Andy Klapper]

I have Comcast and I would love to use drop the traditional phone line,
but . I have a security system that connects to the monitoring service via
the POTS.  Can I do that through Comcast Digital Voice?  (or Vonage or other
service?).

How do these things hook up?  The cable enters the house in the same place
the POTS does.  The optimal solution would be to hook the existing POTS
patch panel up to a blinking box, which attaches to the cable.  Same old
phones, new phone service.  I have a sinking feeling that it's not that
easy.  (I'm thinking a special box plugged into a coax with a single phone
jack, which at best means I have to buy a multi-handset phone system and
chuck my existing phones - all six of them).  (Hint to Crocker and any other
telecom lurkers out there, if you want this service to go beyond geeks/early
adopters this is the way you are going to have to go eventually).


Andy.

-----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, January 19, 2006 11:11 PM
To: Hidden-Tech Listserv
Subject: Re: [Hidden-tech] best phone service?

Comcast Digital Voice is not similar to Vonage. Vonage and other VOIP
services encode the voice to IP packets and send them out directly through
your router over the internet. That's why such services are more subject to
dropouts if you are doing a lot of network and internet activity. Comcast
Digital Voice sends the voice signal up the Coaxial cable to the central
office before converting to IP packets. The result - in my experience of the
last year - is superb sound  quality and no drop out. The sound is clearer
and stronger than my original Verizon POTS connection. I used to set my
headset volume at 4 to 5, now I keep it between 1-1/2 and 2-1/2.

There are occasional annoying problems, but I'm completely sold on the
Comcast service. We've converted both our business and house lines to it and
have no standard phone lines at all. I pay $50 a month for two lines with
unlimited US calling and all the bells and whistles, plus better sound than
a standard phone line.

Will

Will Loving, President
Dedication Technologies, Inc.




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