Telephone long distance

I do all my long distance calling on my AT&T cell phone plan. No additional charges for all calls to the states.

Yep, I am also leaning towards using cell phone for regular phone service - but connection quality tends to vary.

It'd be really nice to get a regular POTS service to get some use out of those copper wires, but not at the rates listed on Innovative site. It's 2009 and paying 10c/minute to call a regular phone in US seems somewhat out of date 🙂

Years ago before I got a cell phone, I used AT&T long distance on my land line. I don't remember the rates.

Yep, I am also leaning towards using cell phone for regular phone service - but connection quality tends to vary.

It'd be really nice to get a regular POTS service to get some use out of those copper wires, but not at the rates listed on Innovative site. It's 2009 and paying 10c/minute to call a regular phone in US seems somewhat out of date 🙂

Get used to the "somewhat out of date" part, many of our services/utilities/everything else are quite antiquated to say the least!

br1k,
Before I switched to just cell phone long distance, I used Sprint long distance (can't remember the name of it) which costs around $5.95 a month. I was going to reconnect but had trouble with the internet site and never got back around to it. It was a good plan and I rarely got a bill for anything more than the $5.95.
Also, the phone cards that are sold at the convenience stores are really great, just read the fine print on the back for hidden fees. We use them for overseas calls to England and Australia and always have TONS of time on them. Most will expire though after six months of activation. Good luck!

I have a land line. You don't have to use innovative, but I'm sorry I don't really know the choices because I have change it since we got it a long long time ago. I use dsl and like the land line for when the cells go out because of storms. Although here you never know if innovative will go out as well, it usually doesn't though, at least where I live.

We live east of C'sted and our land line goes out everytime it rains. It has been out since TS Bill came by a couple of weeks ago. Of course Innovative says they will be out "Wednesday" but never showed, then "Friday" but never showed...I give up - but I'm sure not paying the bill!

I gave up on innovative. $30 per month with nothing but annoyance. My service was out more than on. Repair waits boarder on the ridiculous. Maybe the new owner will get it together, I think not. I bet they sell within a couple of years. The system is bubblegum and bailing wire. So now I rely on VOIP and cell (AT&T). The phone cards seem to be the best LD rate for landlines East end STX.

who provides the dsl if you have voip?

billd

Connection quality really varies with land lines, too. I am not sure of all the long distance options, but I think we have TLD on our land line, but use it less and less frequently.

I use magic jack for voip, it's easy to use, $20 per year. no problem with clarity, I have Skype as well but MJ is easier for the SO to use.

I am using Skype for free on most Long Distance, with and without video. Very easy to load and use. skype.com

How's the privacy factor on Skype? Don't know much about it...

Skype is great. Used it when I lived in the Czech Republic. You can set your settings to avoid strangers from contacting you. It's a great option, IMHO.

who provides the dsl if you have voip?

billd

Good question, as you`ll need a line for DSL, or some kind of Internet connection for VOIP/Skype/magic jack.

What about Dish network?
Can you get Satellite Internet with it?
I`d really like to do away with Innovative and their crappy phone lines all together!
It is also my understanding they have a charge that is for cable wire inside your dwelling?
I think I`ll have my rabbit eat the insulation & have it all replaced!
At the moment, I have digital cable, DSL & landlines from Innovative & are considered a "Preferred Customer"
Apparently, they prefer to treat their preferred customers in such a way that leaves my back side sore.:-o

For VOIP what do you use as an internet connection?

I gave up on innovative. $30 per month with nothing but annoyance. My service was out more than on. Repair waits boarder on the ridiculous. Maybe the new owner will get it together, I think not. I bet they sell within a couple of years. The system is bubblegum and bailing wire. So now I rely on VOIP and cell (AT&T). The phone cards seem to be the best LD rate for landlines East end STX.

What about Dish network?
Can you get Satellite Internet with it?

Satellite internet connections do not work very well for streaming data (like youtube 🙂 ), and work particularly badly for VoIP, due to high connection latency.

I am looking for a rental right now and a place with relatively decent wiring (i.e. DSL stays on "most of the time") is one of the criteria for a search. It seems from what I've read here that it's hit or miss, so I'll just make sure it's a "hit" where I am going 🙂

For VOIP what do you use as an internet connection?

As I'm on the east end of stx my ISP choices are limited. Innovative DSL is not available, the choice wireless is slow and spotty so my only option is VI Broadband. $100 install fee and $50 per month. The initial installation was a hack job and the speed sucked but after several calls to customer service and tech visits I have the advertised speeds. One annoying feature of VIBB is the bursts. When you download a file the 1st 90% is really fast and the last 10% can be excruciatingly slow depending on time of day and traffic. All in all VIBB is ok but I'm spoiled as I have a T-1 connection at work.

 

A T1 is only about 1.5Mbit. At the higher end speed for Broadband.vi (1Mbit) the difference should not be huge (or even noticeable) if they work as promised, especially if a few people share your connection at work. Makes me wonder how well the wireless thing works.

How is the quality of VoIP over the wireless connection?

the VOIP sound quality is actually better than Innovative. STX to Maine and Hawaii sound like next door.

There is some stimulus $ coming to improve access to Broadband but who knows if it will trickle down to the consumer.

The Quality of service can be location dependent but if you live near an access point as I do then BBVI is good. They ususally come out and test the signal.

the VOIP sound quality is actually better than Innovative. STX to Maine and Hawaii sound like next door.

There is some stimulus $ coming to improve access to Broadband but who knows if it will trickle down to the consumer.

The Quality of service can be location dependent but if you live near an access point as I do then BBVI is good. They ususally come out and test the signal.

I will need these services fairly soon - don't think those stimulus $$ will have a chance to trickle down quite yet 🙂 Well, hopefully between a wireless and DSL options (or, probably, both) I'll be able to work it out. Thanks for the info!