cutting the phone cord (system, wireless, reception, Panasonic)

[thecoalman]

Originally Posted by Peregrine

Just to be clear these VOIP phones provide none of the benefit of a true 'landline'.

The only benefit I'm aware of a traditional landline has over VOIP is it has it's own power to operate a phone that doesn't require power to send and receive calls. My modem, router and Ooma device are all on a UPS so I have many hours of operation. I have never lost internet service during a power outage, don't know if internet service is more susceptible to failure.



As far as the phones themselves go if they require power to operate it equally applies to both services. Make sure you have at least one phone that doesn't require power. Some new phones will operate without power, you will lose caller ID, answering machine etc but you will still be able to send and receive phone calls. Easiest way to check is unplug it and see if it still works. The other thing to be aware of is it should be corded, you can't charge a wireless phone without power.

[Trekker99]

Originally Posted by markjames68

VoIP device manufacturers always recommend this but it is not required. What you want to do is minimize the number of hops that could increase latency to the point it is noticeable on a call.

And unless you are maxing our your bandwidth VoIP uses so little that enabling QoS (quality of service to prioritize traffic) isn’t usually needed either.

So, how else would you connect the Ooma to your router if they aren't in the same room or next to each other? It doesn't have wifi, does it?

[markjames68]

Originally Posted by Trekker99

So, how else would you connect the Ooma to your router if they aren't in the same room or next to each other? It doesn't have wifi, does it?

I believe you can get a wireless adapter made specifically for the Ooma, but you can connect via ethernet if your rooms are wired for it, going back to a central switch. Or use a WiFi access point with ethernet out. Or a bunch more options.

VoIP only uses around 10-15 kbps depending on the codec used which is hardly anything. That's why latency (and jitter) matter more than up/down speed. By placing a VoIP adapter next to the router you're minimizing or eliminating a source of latency. But it's realistically minimal. You might have 5-10ms added latency in your home, and then you have the connection to the VoIP provider which adds maybe 20-30ms more. Under around 150ms it's either not noticeable or barely so.

[thecoalman]

Originally Posted by Trekker99

So, how else would you connect the Ooma to your router if they aren't in the same room or next to each other? It doesn't have wifi, does it?

The Ooma device can go between the router and the modem -OR- connected to the router. It does not have wi-fi, it needs to be wired.



You can think of this Ooma device as being no different that the box on the wall outside your house the phone company installed. How you connect the phones to it are up to you. If you have a phone jack near it you can plug it into the phone jack and all your other phone jacks will work just like they did before. Note you need to disconnect the phone line inside that box outside your house.

[Cida]

Originally Posted by RME40

You probably heard of people cutting their cable and getting rid of their cable bill by using Netflix, Amazon Prime and Disney Plus. Now, I'm curious to know if anyone still have a home phone and if you do, are you trying to get rid of it?
You see, I have a home phone and a cell phone. I know for a fact that I could live without a home phone because I have a cell phone. However, the problem is my mom, she needs the home phone since she doesn't have a cell phone. Is there a way to connect a phone to the internet and use it that way? I hope someone out there understands what I'm trying to explain. Please help and thanks!

I have a landline and have no intention of getting rid of it.

Landlines tend to have better connections than cells. Landlines are physically easier to use than cells. Landlines don't get lost. Landlines don't need to be replaced as cells often do. Landlines are perfect for serious (or leisurely) calls at home when you want to give someone your full attention.

And, by the way, cell phones didn't work in NY on 9/11.

Let your mother have her landline.

[thecoalman]

Originally Posted by Cida

And, by the way, cell phones didn't work in NY on 9/11.

Any type of communication service is going to have limitations, if everyone in the country decided to watch 4K streaming video the internet would come to a crawl. The cell phone networks are being built or are built to handle vast amounts of data with the voice communication being a small part of it. When you have an event like 9/11 and everyone decides to call someone or worse case they are all trying to send videos/photos it's going to get overwhelmed.

It's easily avoidable, the communication companies only need to remove non essential services. e.g. block video upload/downloads. What you block becomes a very big issue, do you block news outlets?

As far as the conventional landline a lot of that is now integrated into the same new infrastructure. Those copper landlines are going away, they do not have the customers to justify the expense of maintaining them. I have two companies that used to service the house I live in. I inquired a few years ago about switching to the other one and was told no service to my address, there is an unused wire from the pole to the house that belongs to them.

[markjames68]

Originally Posted by thecoalman

The Ooma device can go between the router and the modem -OR- connected to the router. It does not have wi-fi, it needs to be wired.

FYI

https://support.ooma.com/home/wirele...h-adapter-faq/

[Peregrine]

Originally Posted by Cida

And, by the way, cell phones didn't work in NY on 9/11.

BTW neither did landlines. Seriously.

[Peregrine]

Originally Posted by Cida

Landlines tend to have better connections than cells.

I've never been disconnected because of a bad cell phone connection.

Landlines are physically easier to use than cells.

How is it easier?
I can speak to my phone and it will call someone.

Landlines don't get lost.

So you don't have a cordless phone?

Landlines don't need to be replaced as cells often do.

This one I will give you.

Landlines are perfect for serious (or leisurely) calls at home when you want to give someone your full attention.

I don't see how there's a difference here.

And, by the way, cell phones didn't work in NY on 9/11.

Never forget sitting in my living room using both my landline and my cell phone to try and get through to my friend Nadia who worked 2 blocks from WTC. All I got was a busy signal on both lines. For hours.

[Trekker99]

We got rid of our landline years ago and bundled phone/voip with our cable & internet, but want to cut the cable cord.

So, I've been waffling between some sort of voip or just get a cell phone and port our current phone number to it.

The issues I have with the cell phone is I can't have multiple handsets in different rooms, and I have yet to find a cell phone (I have an Android and the rest of the family have current gen of iphones) that doesn't sound like the caller is talking from the bottom of a metal storage drum.

And if I go with another voip approach like Ooma, I'm tying my phone reliability to my internet provider which isn't the most reliable.