VTech IP8300 InfoPhone Cordless Phone Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)This is not a VoIP phone as it states in the product discription. I purchased this phone thinking that it was a VoIP phone and found out that it was an "Info Phone" Neeless to say I was dissapointed to be be misled by the product discription.

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- VTech InfoPhone expandable cordless system with access to online content- DECT 6.0 Digital technology provides the best sound quality, security and range in cordless phones- Expandable up to 5 handsets using only one phone jack- Caller ID/call waiting -- stores 40 calls- High resolution 64K color display- Handset speakerphoneenjoy hands-free conversations- 60 name and number phonebook directory -- easily store and dial frequently called numbers- Conference an outside call between handsets- Intercom between handsetsno more shouting, "Dinner Time!"- Transfer calls between handsetsno more shouting, "It's for you!"- Any key answer- Backlit keypad and display- Comfortable handset size- Handset volume control- Selectable ring tones- Voicemail waiting indicator- PC independentconnect the telephone base to your broadband router for always-on access- Personalized Internet content includes: news headlines, sports scores, horoscopes and weather forecasts on the handset- Yahoo! Local searchfind a plumber or your favorite restaurant from the handset- Access your Yahoo! address book- Real-time IM chat and access to your buddy list- Review and respond to e-mail- Create secure individual profiles for each member of the family- Customize ring tones, wallpaper and color themeVTIP8300

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Ooma Core VoIP Phone System Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I have been a Vonage customer for three years and suffered through all of their growing pains. At $25 a month though for unlimited service I thought I would check to see what other options were available and decided on giving Ooma a try.
The Ooma hardware is well designed, with thoughtful touches like a built in speaker for listening to voicemail and a brightness control so that you can turn down the brightness of the unit in a bedroom. The hardware comes wonderfully packaged like a product from Apple and includes just about any of the cords you might need to get everything connected with your existing service.
Setup was quite easy. You have to get online and activate the Ooma Hub unit by entering the MAC address on the bottom of the unit and telling Ooma what kind of service setup you are doing, such as whether you will use Ooma with an existing line, get a new phone number, etc. They don't even need your credit card and you are activated.
If you are getting a new phone number then you are essentially done at this point. You get a new phone number to use, and you connect the Ooma hub to your home network. Ooma recommends you put the Ooma hub between your Cable or DSL modem and your home router (if you have one). The reason for this is that it allows the Ooma unit to manage your outbound internet traffic and make sure your phone calls are optimized ahead of other traffic, so that phone calls always have priority, sound good and work properly.
If you have a more sophisticated home network router than can do traffic shaping, recognition of IP audio, etc (some of the top of the line D-Link models have these "QoS" features built in) then you can simply plug the Ooma hub into such a router and get good results.
After plugging in the Ooma to your home network you simply connect a home phone to the Ooma unit and you are pretty much ready to go. There is an "ooma music" dial tone you will hear when you make or receive a call. This is one of the ways Ooma lets you and others know you are using their system and is sort of a free advertising that lets people know you are using this service.
You can plug the Ooma hub back in to one of your home wall jacks and then connect the Ooma scout unit in to another jack in the house so that you can use a 2nd phone there. The scout can even be configured to only ring on a 2nd line, have it's own voicemail, etc... this is possible because the Ooma hub has a built in DSL network system in it that allows it to communicate with the scout units over your home phone wiring. This is very sophisticated compared to other VoIP vendor offerings. You can add up to about 20 scouts on the system and keep adding lines, etc, but obviously there are bandwidth and practical limits that you might run into in such a scenario.
If you are porting a number things get a bit more complicated. After indicating I wanted to port my number I was informed on their website that I needed to call them to complete the porting process. The agent I reached was a bit confused and kept insisting I should just use my existing phone service with Ooma. About the 3rd time of telling him I just wanted to get my number ported he got the paperwork started up. They email you some forms a few days after activation that you need to fill out and fax in to get your number ported, which takes a few weeks. In the interim you are assigned a temporary number to use and you can plug your existing line into the Ooma hub and it will take your inbound calls and route them through the Ooma system. There is a $40 charge for porting your existing number but Ooma will waive this fee if you sign up for the $99 premier service that includes a 2nd phone number plus additional features. Ooma advertises that you can keep your original home service as a backup line, so that your phone works even if the Internet is down, but in my experience Internet service is at least as reliable as my old school home phone line. Anyways, it's your choice.
In my case I elected to port my number, but didn't connect my old line to the Ooma Hub (as the agent insisted I do), I simply forwarded the number to the temporary phone number that Ooma assigned to me during the porting process.
Ooma offers a full suite of software features such as "simulring" (ring a cell or 2nd line at the same time your Ooma phone is ringing), magical "2nd phone line" from another phone on the system when the 1st line is busy, etc. You can control your entire Ooma system from the "Ooma Lounge" which is basically a web page you can access from anywhere that lets you control your Ooma system, features, additional numbers, caller ID, etc. You can learn a lot more about these features on Ooma's website so I won't go into them in great detail since this review is long as it is.
Sound quality on the Ooma is very very good. My mom who is used to hearing me talk on my Vonage line immediately noticed how much better the service was. Sound quality should be excellent provided you connect the Ooma equipment properly.
I would strongly recommend this service to anyone with even a basic technical ability. If you simply need the "basics" of phone service such as call waiting, caller ID and voicemail, Ooma will be a one time purchase. Their premium services are also very nice and reasonable at only $99 a year (sure beats paying Vonage $300 a year for similar features).
One question that keeps coming up is how Ooma can make money with this model. The answer is that Ooma makes money when you buy the system hardware and also makes money when you subscribe to the $99 premium service. There's no saying that they won't increase the price of the premium services at some time in the future. Also, I wouldn't be surprised to see Ooma come up with new tempting hardware offers down the road such as better "scout" and "hub" units that offer features such as video calling between Ooma subscribers.
I am a voice over IP engineer and can certainly recommend the Ooma service, it's a great option compared to spending $30-$60 a month for basic phone service with your local phone company. Ooma supports E-911 for emergency calling, and if you are really worried about having a phone line during a power outage simply connect your cable modem, Ooma Hub and cordless phone system to a UPS Battery Back UP and you will have power for at least an hour during a power loss since all those devices will be running on battery.
I highly recommend this product and the model that Ooma are starting to put together to move beyond the "bell head" phone system that we all grew up with.
12/16 update//
I wanted to provide an update to my review and answer a few additional questions. My number port was completed by Ooma almost exactly three weeks after the request which is fantastic. When the porting request is completed you start to log into the Ooma Lounge with your "real" phone number versus the temporary one that Ooma assigns to you.
I had no issues setting up my 2nd line either. Simply select from available numbers in the area code of your choice and tell Ooma how you want the call handled when it comes in (if you want it to ring to a particular hub/scout, have its own voicemail, etc). Now on to a few questions and/or mis-information I have seen about the Ooma system.
1. I have seen a lot of posts comparing Ooma to Magic Jack. There is no comparison. Magic Jack is a USB adapter that requires a PC running 24/7 to handle your phone calls. PC crashes, no phone. Want multiple lines/scouts... too bad. The Magic Jack is a toy compared to Ooma. Additionally Ooma's basic features are far superior to Magic Jack and requires NO FEES! With Magic Jack you do have to pay annual fees for unlimited calling. So Ooma will actually be cheaper in the long run for most users!
2. I have also seen reviews indicating that Ooma works well, but choppy voice is experienced when using the Internet. This is caused by incorrect installation of the Ooma hardware. Ooma hub must be installed BETWEEN your cable modem and your home router or it cannot prioritize your telephone calls for good quality! The only exception is if you have a home router that prioritizes your voice traffic, such as some higher end models. If in doubt you must put the Ooma directly behind your Cable or DSL modem to get the optimum performance!
3. I have also seen people comment that you can't use multiple phones with the Ooma system. This is only partially correct. If you want to use scouts and the features they offer (have a 2nd or 3rd number ring in to a scout, etc) then yes, you would need a scout for each phone you want to use with Ooma. However, if you just want a "shared line" (like regular home telephone service) then you can simply plug your Ooma Hub into your home phone jack and plug in as many other phones as you want. This will prevent some of the advanced features from working, but will basically work like a Vonage system, etc. Obviously many people have multiple handset wireless systems these days so they will just plug their wireless base station into the Ooma Hub and use scouts for other phones.
4. Someone asked me the question if I work for Ooma since I've commented in many reviews. The answer is no, I don't work for Ooma but I am a very satisfied customer and a voice over IP engineer with 13 years of industry experience. Ooma is the best residential voice over IP system I've ever seen and I very much would like them to succeed and offer their superior service for decades to come. The only way this will happen is with strong word of mouth advertising from professionals such as myself!
2/28 update//
There have been numerous questions...Read more›

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In a volatile economy, there's one utility you can save with the aid of VOIP technology - your phone service costs. Smart and stylish, the ooma Hub and ooma Scout partner with your high-speed Internet and your existing home phones to deliver free home phone service. Your one-time purchase eliminates monthly bills for U.S. calling and delivers extremely low rates for international calls. Your one-time purchase of an award-winning ooma Hub device frees your phone service. Call anyone, at any number, anywhere in the U.S. without charge. Think how much you pay the phone company each year. Now imagine what you could do with all the money you save. Ooma is the only company in the history of the telecom industry that lets you own your dialtone. Your one-time ooma purchase eliminates monthly charges for unlimited US calling. Compared to other stand-alone VoIP providers, there are no monthly fees for US calling. Plus, the ooma system has been architected to deliver exceptional voice quality and reliability, giving you the crisp, acoustic performance of a landline, without the associated fees. A number of our customers have reported that ooma delivers "excellent voice quality," "better than landline." Easy-to-read manuals are full of colorful diagrams and simple instructions to make set-up as painless as possible. It takes the average customer less than 20 minutes to activate and install the ooma system. Using the ooma system is even easier! ooma devices have been designed to provide an intuitive out-of-box experience. Ooma can move your number from your current phone provider for a one-time fee of $39.99. To use the ooma Hub device, you need TWO things: 1. A high-speed Internet connection (cable/DSL/fiber-optic); and 2. A home phone. Try out ooma's enhanced calling features with a free trial of ooma Premier, which includes a free second phone line, real-time message screening, one-touch Do Not Disturb and Send to Voicemail, a second personal number with private voicemail, and more.

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Ooma Telo Free Home Phone Service Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)We purchased an Ooma Hub & Scout in April 2009 to replace a Vonage VoIP connection. We are very satisfied with the hub, and therefore purchased an Ooma Telo for a second location. This review describes our Ooma Telo experience so far, and compares it to the Hub/Scout.
The Telo is well designed and sleek. The controls are touch controls and very sensitive. There is a USB port in the back - presumably for future expansion. Like the hub, there are two RJ45 ethernet jacks - one to connect to the "internet", and the second to connect to one's home network. There are also two RJ11 phone jacks. One to connect to your existing landline, should you have one, and decide to integrate the landline and Telo. The other is to connect to your phone.
The setup instructions are simple. While it is recommended that the Telo be connected directly to your cable/dsl/wimax modem (i.e. before your router), it works equally well after the router. We chose to connect the Telo to the router rather than the modem.
We were treated to a red & blue patriotic light show for about 20 minutes when the Telo was first plugged in, while it apparently downloaded firmware/software updates. I was a little puzzled by this, but presumably there have been updates from the release date (October 1) to our purchase date (October 3), or the first set of units were shipped without the latest firmware/software on them. In either event, there has been a second firmware/software update since then, so clearly Ooma are keen to improve Telo as feedback/complaints from early adopters rolls in.
Unlike the Hub, the Telo doesn't support the Scout. But this doesn't mean the Telo cannot provide a dial tone at other phone jacks in your house. For this, simply connect a splitter to the phone jack in the Telo, plug one line into the telephone adjacent to the Telo, and the second into the nearest wall jack. If the phone wiring in your house is intact, you should be able to connect a standard wired phone to any other phone jack. The Ooma Hub also supports this feature, which isn't readily documented in Ooma's product literature.
The Telo and Hub are indistinguishable in every aspect of call quality. Off course the Telo supports up to four DECT 6.0 handsets, and Telo to Telo calls will offer HD voice. The Telo will also support Bluetooth, and cell-phone integration. Although these features will be available in future firmware/software updates.
There are differences in the level and cost of service that I have described below.
For current Ooma Hub owners:
Ooma Core includes 5000 minutes a month, voicemail and caller-id and is free of regulatory fees for the life of the hub.
Ooma Premiere includes a range of additional features, including a second line, 3-way calling, multi-ring, call fowarding and many others. This costs $9.99 a month or $99 a year.
For future Ooma Hub owners:
Ooma Core will include 5000 minutes a month and voicemail. From the second year, it will cost $12/yr to recover regulatory fees.
Ooma Premiere will include enhanced voicemail, and the other premiere features. Ooma Premiere will cost $9.99 a month or $120 a year.
For Ooma Telo:
Ooma core includes 5000 mins/month & voicemail, and $12/yr from the second year on to recover regulatory fees.
Ooma Premiere will include enhanced voicemail, and the other premiere features at $9.99 a month or $120 a year.
For both the Hub and Telo, the cost of Premiere includes either a free handset a year (a $49 value), or a free number port (a $39 value).
This change in pricing strategy has made some claim that Ooma is no longer "free".
Well, it never was, although current Hub owners will not have to spend another dime for the life of their unit.
New Hub & Telo users receive 5000 mins/month and voicemail for the cost of the unit, and have to pay $12/year from the second year onwards to cover regulatory fees.
In my opinion Ooma continues to remain a good value when compared to other VoIP providers, although clearly early Hub adopters received a better deal than Telo users.
I want to note two other things that are common to the Hub and Telo. Our number ports were quick and efficient. And, while customer service can be difficult to reach, there is excellent support available from the Ooma community on Ooma's website forums. The Ooma employees who moderate the forums also provide support in a very timely manner.
Bottom-line, if you have Vonage or Packet8, or have phone bundled in with your cable, strongly consider getting a Telo. You will save money for service that is as good or better. With the Hub, we saw savings with the first six months. With the Telo it will be about 14 months before we start seeing savings.
Quick summary - highly recommended!

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The Ooma Telo is a revolutionary device that allows you to call anywhere in the U.S. for free. Just pay applicable taxes and fees. You can also make international calls for next to nothing. Telo is easy to set up and even easier to use. You simply connect the device to your high-speed Internet and your existing phone, and that's it. You don't need a computer, and you don't need a headset. With the Ooma Telo, you'll be ready to start calling and saving money within minutes.
NOTE: The Ooma Telo requires high-speed Internet and a router (sold separately).



Overview Your one-time purchase of the ooma system delivers:
Free calling within U.S. and low-cost international calls
Caller-ID, call-waiting and 911
Outstanding voice quality and secure, encrypted phone calls
Easy set-up with any telephone; no PC required
Option to keep your current number and landline service
30-day money-back guarantee and extendable 1-year warranty
Free trial of Ooma Premier -- a suite of enhanced features

FeaturesFree Calls in the U.S. and Low International Rates With its sleek design and loaded features, the only thing that's not stunning about the Ooma Telo is the price tag. The Ooma Telo allows you to enjoy free home phone service, free calls within the United States, and exceptionally low international rates. The end result: you'll save hundreds of dollars a year in phone bills. Crisp, Clear Voice Quality with No Dropped Calls The Ooma system has been designed to deliver exceptional voice quality and reliability, giving you the crisp, acoustic performance of a landline. Easy Installation with your Existing Phones The Telo has been designed for an intuitive and easy installation. It connects to your router with the included Ethernet cable, and to your existing telephone with the included telephone cord. Most customers are connected and making calls within about 20 minutes. If you've got any questions, ooma's online support site is loaded with dozens of articles, diagrams, tips, and facts. Port Your Existing Phone Number For a one-time fee of $39.99, Ooma gives you the option of retaining your current telephone number. Or, if you want to change numbers, you can choose a new number in any calling area in the US to use with your Telo unit. Low-Cost Landline Option for Added Flexibility Ooma gives you the option of integrating a low-cost landline as a backup. This way, you'll be able to enjoy the assurance of traditional 911 service and seamless coverage during Internet and power outages. Supports the Ooma Telo Handset Get the most out of your Ooma Telo with the official Ooma Telo Handset. Thanks to DECT 6.0 technology, the handset enhances the already clear, crisp sound quality of ooma. It allows you to take full advantage of Ooma's premium features like Instant Second Line and personal number setting. You don't need a Telo Handset to use Ooma, but it will definitely enhance your experience. Exclusive Web Portal My Ooma is your online destination for the ooma service. You can listen to messages, check your call logs, control your account preferences, prepay for international calling, and even set up voicemail notifications, 24 hours a day. There's also an online phonebook, which can be accessed if you're using the Ooma Telo Handset (sold separately). What's in the Box Ooma Telo, Ethernet cable, phone cable, and AC adapter.


PureVoice
In today's connected home environment with Internet file sharing, video streaming, on-line gaming, Ooma's PureVoice Technology delivers clear audio even if substandard calling conditions exist. Ooma PureVoice Technology is composed of four key components.

Advanced Voice Compression
Ooma uses an advanced voice compression algorithm that reduces bandwidth consumption by 60% over standard VoIP technology. That leaves you with more bandwidth for all other online activities and increases the likelihood that your voice traffic will be delivered properly by your ISP.

Wire-speed QoS
Even though Ooma uses only a fraction of the bandwidth of standard VoIP technology, preserving voice quality requires that those packets arrive on time. The Ooma Telo prioritizes voice packets without slowing down the rest of your network. This way you can enjoy crystal clear calls even as you're uploading your latest video clips.

Adaptive Redundancy
Packet loss is the enemy of VoIP - it can cause voice to sound stuttered or garbled. The Ooma Telo detects packet loss on your Internet connection and automatically sends redundant packets to boost the clarity of your phone call.

Encrypted Calls
Ooma takes your privacy seriously. We use the same encryption technology governments use to protect classified data to protect your conversations. This makes Ooma even more secure than the traditional landline.

Discover Ooma Premier If you want to add a bundle of enhanced calling features that will get your home phone service firing on all cylinders, Ooma Telo includes a free 60-day trial to Ooma Premier, a suite of enhanced calling features. You can also add Ooma Premier to your service for $9.99/month or $119.99/year. If you sign up for a year, you'll have the option of retaining your current telephone number for free ($39.99 value), or receiving a free HD handset ($49.99 value). See the chart below for a full list of Ooma Premier features.Advanced Voicemail Features With Ooma Premier, you'll have access to several first-class voicemail options. You'll be able to enjoy the ultimate convenience of having your voicemails forwarded to e-mail, allowing you to check your phone messages from work. And for added privacy, you'll have the option of making any Ooma device a private extension. Instant Second Line If you share your house with a phone hog, Ooma's Instant Second Line feature presents a solution for you. When the line is already in use, you can simply pick up a second Ooma Handset and get a fresh dial tone. Up to two separate calls can be made simultaneously. Personal Number With an affordable Ooma Premier subscription, you gain access to the Personal Number feature. This feature allows you to create a unique phone number for everyone in the family. Multiple numbers can be mapped to the same handset, but you can make each number ring distinctively so you know who the call is for. Up to nine additional numbers are allowed. Add Unwanted Callers to Your Blacklist Ooma allows you to instantly add unwanted callers to your blocked list. If telemarketers are harassing you, use ooma Lounge to add them to your blacklist. You'll have the option to block future calls completely or send them straight to voicemail. The choice is yours. Community Blacklist Harness the power of the Ooma community and protect yourself from unwanted callers before they've even tried to call you. If enough Ooma users have blocked a certain caller, Ooma will add this caller to the community blacklist. Combine this with Ooma's special spam-detecting algorithms, and you've got the ultimate telemarketer blacklist. Multi-Ring Constantly on the go? Multi-Ring takes call forwarding to the next level. Configure your Ooma number to simultaneously ring your home phone and mobile phone at the same time. Whether you're at home or on the road, you'll never miss a call. Three-way Conference Calls Need to make dinner plans with two of your friends? Ooma's got you covered. Once you're on a call, press the second-line button to make or take a second call. Press down both line buttons at once, and you've got yourself a conference call.

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Phone Power Broadband Telephone Service Combo Pack Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I transferred my Vonage phone service to Phone Power. After about a month of service, I couldn't be happier. The call quality is great compared to Vonage and I no longer have audio problems which constantly plagued us where the audio would only work in one direction. We even tried switching the Vonage adapter and my cable modem and router without any success. Phone Power on the other hand worked immediately, my phone number was transferred on the day that they stated and is staffed and operated in the US, unlike Vonage which outsources tech support overseas.
Another great benefit is the free virtual 2nd line option which allows you to make and receive two calls at once with your primary phone number. The USB phone adapter for your computer is also very handy and you can plug a standard phone into it just like Magic Jack or use a headset and mic. Another little known fact is that you can get a soft phone which support will provide if you ask and you just install the software on your computer (does not require the USB adapter) that allows you to make and receive phone calls with your headset and mic.
Phone Power has a voice mail fax option as well which will send you a fax even if you don't have a physical fax machine and picks up during a voice mail if it hears a fax tone.
So far I highly recommend Phone Power, the service has been excellent and customer service great as well. I am on the two year plan for $199.00, not including taxes and haven't looked back at Vonage and don't miss it at all. Additional lines are reasonable also, unlike Vonage which charges the same price as your primary line.


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The Phone Power "Combo Pack" is a complete home or small business telephone replacement solution. Utilizing high speed internet such as DSL, Cable Internet, FIOS, etc, Phone Power offers top notch phone service at half the price of your current provider. We also offer a wide variety of service options, including: * Month to Month ($19.95 / mo) * 1 yr plan ($16.95 / mo) * 2 yr plan ($14.95 / mo) * 2 yr Pre-Pay ($8.33 / mo)*We also have over 30 features available at no additional cost. Including : * Unlimited calling in the U.S. and Canada * FREE 2nd Line * Keep your number * 60 Min FREE International every month * Voicemail, Caller ID, Call Block, 3 way conference calling, Find Me Follow Me, Voicemail to Email etc...* Fax Catcher* E911 Service - Phone Power stands alone as the clear choice to carry your voice.

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vonage motorola VT2142-VD Phone adapter router Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I lost the plug to my Vonage device in a military move. The seller posted the product to me within 24 hours- even with me making the purchase late friday/early saturday, and it arrived within three days, which is a record for a package being shipped to an APO address! I would definitely use this seller again, as well as recommend Vonage to anyone. It's great living in the UK, having a local USA number to call family, and still be able to call my British phone numbers for free (landlines)!!

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Get ready to start saving money on your phone bill today! The Vonage Phone Adapter is your gateway to Vonage digital phone service.You need to have a Vonage account.

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