RSSVonage Testing New Style-Conscious Gateway
By Ed Oswald | Published August 3, 2007, 3:01 PM
Many Vonage customers choose to hide their sometimes-bulky VOIP gateways under their desk. The company is hoping to change that.
A new gateway device produced by Ambit is now being beta tested by the company, described by the company as "cool and sleek, yet simplistic and approachable." Vonage is also hoping to gain some visibility for their service by making it more pleasant to look at.
The thinking appears to be this: if it looks nice, customers will place it on their desks. That way, the customer's friends and family would see it, and Vonage would gain promotion for their VOIP service and possibly a new customer as a result.
Ambit's device includes an LCD screen on the device where the user can view caller ID information as well as see if they have voicemail. It supports two VOIP lines, voice-over-data prioritization, and T.38 Fax support, among other features.
Beta testers receive an additional phone number independent of their current service to use the product. They are subscribed to the Premium Unlimited Plan for that number, although they receive a $29.99 credit on their bill to offset the cost.
Their original Vonage service continues as normal, according to an e-mail sent to testers. Those that may have not been invited to the test can also apply through the Vonage website.
I really don't mind the blinking green lights on the Vonage device. It matches my cable modem green blinking lights. Both sitting in the same place giving me a little light show.
The voice quality I get with Vonage is far better from any service that I've tried.
My Cable internet company offers VOIP service, but it's much higher priced than Vonage & the free calling areas are no match to the Vonage service. If Vonage feels it's device needs a change in looks, I say go for it & why not & more power to you.
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|And much more relevantly, you can't take it (Cablebox) with you. I've gone on a number of business trips, some outside the US, where I've just carried my Vonage box with me and plugged it into a router at my destination at which point my US phone number is instantly available!
--->My Cable internet company offers VOIP service, but it's much higher priced than Vonage & the free calling areas are no match to the Vonage service.
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|IF you add up the cost of Skype features to equal the Vonage features Vonage is cheaper. And Vonage still has more features (like simo ring). If the ar*eholes at Verizon succeed in closing Vonage I will have to move to Packet8 at roughly twice the Vonage price. Either way I'll never give those dinosaurs at the Telcos another nickle.
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|Skype is great but had issue with quality. Hopefully Vonage won't go burst
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|I went style "conscious" by ditching Vonage.
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|Vonage moving ahead in the voip tech world...
Ads by Google should include a great provider:
VOIP.com - it is my sunrocket replacement and
is much better in many ways.
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|Skype is $30 for the year, and you can call any land line. All you need is a usb phone. Europe is mostly two cents a minute.
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|And a computer!
--->All you need is a usb phone
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|I got a skype wifi phone all you need is a wireless router. No computer needed.
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|Which has to connect to the internet via a (typically) monthly subscription (if you're using at home) in which case you've probably also got a computer (grin)
But yes, Skype is cheaper than Vonage. On the other hand, it's not clear (yet) that it's better. IN particular, I have both, yet I find a use Vonage a lot more often!
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|Are you kidding? Vonage is this close to going under... maybe someone will acquire them,,,,
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|Going under? What? I have been using them for years.. there is zero reason to believe that. They lost a patent suite to Verizon, but they already have a work around. Vonage is the best VOIP company out there.. HANDS DOWN.
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|True. No problems with the service at all and no indications that they are "going under." Only the slavish press are beating that drum, presumably at the bidding of their monopolistic masters.
BTW, a friend has Comcast voip. Now THAT sucks!
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