Welcome to City-Data.com Forum!
U.S. CitiesCity-Data Forum Index
Go Back   City-Data Forum > General Forums > Economics > Frugal Living
 [Register]
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
View detailed profile (Advanced) or search
site with Google Custom Search

Search Forums  (Advanced)
Reply Start New Thread
 
Old 02-22-2013, 12:54 PM
 
Location: Colorado Plateau
1,201 posts, read 4,033,359 times
Reputation: 1264

Advertisements

I currently have landline and 3mbps DSL internet through Centurylink. The service has been fine but I'm having a harder time negotiating getting a lower price on the service from them. My phone service is the most basic one they offer (local and long distance calling). Their best DSL prices ($19.99/mo) they are now bundling with a higher tiered phone package that I don't want and it would make my bill even higher now. I'm paying about $55/mo total for both but if I can't renegotiate it'll go to $65/mo. Looks like just DSL would be maybe $40/mo tops.

I'm thinking of dropping the landline service with CL and just doing the DSL, and trying a voip/majic jack type of internet home phone service. I do have a cell phone. It's just a prepaid tracfone and I try to use it sparingly. My bf also has a tracfone and he uses his less than I use mine. Home phone needs are for local calls and for occasional long distance calls. No faxing. I've had the same home phone number for 10 years but I'm not that attached to it if I have to lose it.

We use a Actiontec PK5000 modem/router hard wired to two desptop pc's and have a wifi laptop and wifi tablet.

I've just started to research my options but I'd like to hear what other frugal folks are using for this type of service.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message

 
Old 02-22-2013, 01:02 PM
 
Location: California Mountains
1,448 posts, read 3,038,667 times
Reputation: 2356
We have VoiP with Google for five years now. The only thing we paid was the purchase of an OPI box (it was $99 then from Amazon, but it's only $49 now from every electronic or box store), and that was it. No fee or service charge of any kind whatsoever. We moved houses and states many times since, from two different addresses in SC to one in FL to another two in CA, and we didn't have to do a thing each time, just plugged the box back in.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 02-22-2013, 01:09 PM
 
Location: Colorado Plateau
1,201 posts, read 4,033,359 times
Reputation: 1264
Quote:
Originally Posted by Ol' Wanderer View Post
We have VoiP with Google for five years now. The only thing we paid was the purchase of an OPI box (it was $99 then from Amazon, but it's only $49 now from every electronic or box store), and that was it. No fee or service charge of any kind whatsoever. We moved houses and states many times since, from two different addresses in SC to one in FL to another two in CA, and we didn't have to do a thing each time, just plugged the box back in.
Is this with Google Voice? I've been looking at getting a GV number.
Thanks! I'll check into this!
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 02-22-2013, 01:11 PM
 
Location: California Mountains
1,448 posts, read 3,038,667 times
Reputation: 2356
Yes, it is.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 02-22-2013, 01:24 PM
 
6,757 posts, read 8,243,219 times
Reputation: 10152
We have the same thing - Google Voice number with OBI 110 box, which cost us $50 from Amazon. We switched ours two or three years ago, and have brought a few family members with us. The free long distance is really helpful.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 02-22-2013, 01:42 PM
 
Location: Colorado Plateau
1,201 posts, read 4,033,359 times
Reputation: 1264
I've just done some quick research on Obi/GV and it looks like something I'm interested in. It looks easy and there is no cost beyond the $50 device. I like the no recurring cost or fees part.

One good suggestion I just read is to set up the GV with a new gmail account (not use the one I use for my usual gmail.)
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 02-22-2013, 03:51 PM
 
Location: California Mountains
1,448 posts, read 3,038,667 times
Reputation: 2356
Quote:
Originally Posted by eofelis View Post
One good suggestion I just read is to set up the GV with a new gmail account (not use the one I use for my usual gmail.)
I've several gmail accounts, but when the children set up Google Voice for me, they didn't pay attention and used my main account (which I only use for family and very close friends.) I didn't bother to change it after I realized that the only times Google sent me an email were when I missed a call to the VoIP line. They never sent advertisements, or promotional offers, or anything that I consider junk mail. They never sold my name and email to anyone either. Not once in the 5 years I've had this phone line, and not in the 9 years I've had my gmail accounts. So, get a new account if you wish, but it does not matter much if you don't.

BTW, my children also have had their own VoIP lines (even before I did), and they also used their main email accounts as well.

Last edited by Ol' Wanderer; 02-22-2013 at 04:03 PM..
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 02-22-2013, 10:22 PM
 
Location: Colorado Plateau
1,201 posts, read 4,033,359 times
Reputation: 1264
I just ordered an obi100 from amazon for $38.
Thank you folks for helping with this.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 04-11-2013, 01:51 PM
 
Location: Colorado Plateau
1,201 posts, read 4,033,359 times
Reputation: 1264
I've fully moved over to my Google Voice service and cancelled my landline. I now only have DSL service that is $30/mo. It's all working out well. I like how I can customize my phone service in GV and see all the call history and transcribed voice mails.

I wonder if it will still be free after 2013....?
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 04-11-2013, 02:25 PM
 
1,193 posts, read 2,379,010 times
Reputation: 1149
Does anyone know if you can transfer your landline number to GV? We need to keep ours for biz reasons (hubby works from home)
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.

Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.


Reply
Please update this thread with any new information or opinions. This open thread is still read by thousands of people, so we encourage all additional points of view.

Quick Reply
Message:


Over $104,000 in prizes was already given out to active posters on our forum and additional giveaways are planned!

Go Back   City-Data Forum > General Forums > Economics > Frugal Living
Similar Threads

All times are GMT -6.

© 2005-2024, Advameg, Inc. · Please obey Forum Rules · Terms of Use and Privacy Policy · Bug Bounty

City-Data.com - Contact Us - Archive 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37 - Top