[Hidden-tech] Phone Service Alternatives?

Reva Reck reva at revareck.com
Tue Jan 5 17:23:39 EST 2010


I think there's a lot to be said for keeping a true copper landline, 
especially if you live in a remote area. You can get their cheapest plan 
- one where you pay for every call - for very little money, and then use 
something like magicJack or whatever for most of your actual phone 
calls. I think people should think about being without power, possibly 
in a situation where roads are impassable, and having no way to make a 
phone call. For those of us who don't get cell service at our homes, 
that's a prettty scary scenario. Even if you do get cell service at your 
home, will the cell tower you get your signal from be operational if 
there are widespread power outages?

/Reva Reck/

/reva//@//revareck.com/



Robert Heller wrote:
>    ** Be sure to fill out the survey/skills inventory in the member's area.
>    ** If you did, we all thank you.
>
>
> At Tue, 5 Jan 2010 12:08:47 -0500 Frank Aronson <fsaronson at gmail.com> wrote:
>
>   
>> Keep in mind that both MagicJack and Phone Power are both VoIP and are not
>> true landlines.  The great advantage to Phone Power is that it doesn't
>> require a "server" (a computer to run the software) as its all contained in
>> the "free" adapter (a la Vonage).  I assume it also works a bit better than
>> MagicJack and the cost is lower than Vonage (right now you can get a
>> residential line for $8.33/year with a two year commitment).
>>
>> The only *true* landline you're going to find is Verizon.  We have Comcast,
>> but if you lose power, you're pretty much down (yes, there's a battery
>> backup, but it doesn't last forever).  The old copper lines will still
>> provide power to your wired phone even if you can't see the buttons in the
>> dark!
>>     
>
> It should also be noted: Verizon wants to get out of the copper landline
> business.  Verizon is also *barely* maintaining the copper landline
> infrastructure, which in rural areas can be pretty bad (there are people
> who lose phone service when it rains because the phone cables fill up
> with water).  Oh, Verizon charges something like $60/month for service
> that is equivalent to Vonage (eg nationwide long distance, voicemail,
> etc.). Not really the best deal available (probably the *worst* deal
> available). 
>
>   
>> Frank
>>
>>     
>
>   
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
>
> No virus found in this incoming message.
> Checked by AVG - www.avg.com 
> Version: 9.0.725 / Virus Database: 270.14.126/2601 - Release Date: 01/05/10 02:35:00
>
>   
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: http://lists.hidden-tech.net/pipermail/hidden-discuss/attachments/20100105/d7dcc32a/attachment.html 


Google

More information about the Hidden-discuss mailing list