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We have Vonage also, and as long as you have reliable internet service then I think its great. And yesterday they came out with a new plan called Vonage World (or something like that) where for the same $24.99 you can call free long distance to 60 countries. But if you already have the regular $24.99 package you have to call customer service to change to the new plan. You already get free calling to a bunch of European countries and of course throughout US and Canada. And all the "call features" that you have to pay extra for with Verizon you get for free, call waiting, visual voicemail (an email whenever you have a voicemail), call forwarding etc. Its a good deal.
I am looking for basic phone service, I do not have DSL, so, as I understand Vonage is not going to vork for me. I need dial up for e-mails/web and land line.
You can order a dry line DSL from Verizon. I did that once in another state. They give you a phone line with a number but no dial tone on it. It is your DSL. Cheaper than getting a land line, which hardlyever get used anyway these days. Also I think if you don't have a landline they don't hit you with all the state taxes on that either.
Once you have that DSL you can pick whatever way you want to connect using VOIP.
Also now there's a consumer type unit called Dock n Talk where you plug in or bluetooth your cellphone to it, so that when you are home it connects all of the regular phones in you house to your cellphone and you use your regular phones on your cell phone account.
This way you can use those unlimited minutes, etc and most cell plans have longdistance included. The box costs about$150.
I have Verizon FIOS for internet and cable. The person who took my order sold me a package that doesn't exist and I had to file a complaint with the AG's office in order to get the price I was promised. Other than that fiasco, the actual product/service is phenom.
I had been using my cell (no landline). A friend of mine bought MagicJack. I was laughing my butt off, but it actually works and it really is only $20 a year for the service. So I got MagicJack too, and it's pretty good. Can't beat the price. The only problem is that if you shut down your computer, you won't get calls. What I do is make calls on MJ and take calls on my cell.
I especially like this one:"The person who took my order sold me a package that doesn't exist..." Next time keep your gun out of his sight, do not be pushy.
There may be different reasons for situations, like this, but still sounds funny...
I especially like this one:"The person who took my order sold me a package that doesn't exist..." Next time keep your gun out of his sight, do not be pushy.
There may be different reasons for situations, like this, but still sounds funny...
True story.
When FIOS was first available in my neighborhood, they blanketed the area with offers and incentives to get people to switch ... free tv, free $250 Amex (or whatever) gift card, etc. None of the offers I had been mailed were valid any more, so I asked what the current offers were. One of the current offers the Verizon rep told me about had to do with a movie package pricing. Since it was going to be several dollars less for better service and the same services I had with Comcast (with a free install blah blah), I signed up. I never would have switched my service otherwise. I had a pretty sweet deal with Comcast, but the picture was pixilating at the worst times and was annoying as heck. The Comcast price was good enough for me to put up with it, but I figured if FIOS gave me a good enough deal, I would switch. They claimed they would, so I did.
When I got my first bill, my service was close to $50 more a month than what they claimed it would be, and about $44 a month more than the exact same services I had with Comcast were.
When I called to get it straightened out, I was told the package I was sold did not exist. I relied on the FIOS employee to tell me what current offers they had, and chose one that was presented to me. Whether he hated his job and decided to mess with people for fun on his last day or whatever is not my problem.
It's like this. You have a coupon for Domino's that expired. So you call and ask if they have a current offer. The guy on the phone tells you if you buy "a three topping large pizza for 15.99, you get a second one free". You say "ok" and place your order. The delivery guy comes and you say "how much?", expecting it to be 15.99 plus tax and delivery, but he tells you "43.95". You know that's not what they told you when you ordered, so you call back. You get another guy on the phone and he tells you "we don't have a three topping large pizza for 15.99, and get a second one free" special. So you call the manager. They tell you the employee who told you that made it up and was messing with people to get back at Domino's before he quit. Is that your problem or theirs? It's their problem.
I think companies just trying to make more $$$ by all possible(and sometimes wrong) ways, hoping someone will not notice extra couple(or more) bucks charge here or there. I do not remember when I was surprised by price in a good way, it is always more money from you. Rented twice from the Enterprise, both times visited their locations several times after they tried to charge card extra for no reasons. Two out of the two means they tried to cheat...100% of the times in my case.
I am stayng with my current phone company, they sold me extra package, which sounds not bad, so now I am waiting to see whether it is going to work as promised(both quality and price wise).
Beginning next week available for the interviews in Transportation, Trucking, Distribution, Logistics, International Trade in NJ and NY area, if someone is interested, let me know.
Exactly as expected "Verizon" confirming time after time you can count on them if you are looking to get it wrong or not as expected:
I set new account several days in advance, hoping my phone line will be alive, when I come to my new place. It was not. I called them and was told I let them know too late, need at least week to get connected, because they have their schedule and blah blah blah... When I said rep, that when I checked(called) my new number two days ago I got message, that "this number has been desconnected or no longer in service" and now I have no message at all and it probably means that "Verizon" tried to connect my line, but something did not work out, rep's response was "O really? Let me check..." She came back to me and said:"Call goes to the house ok, so it is YOUR problem to check inside the building." I said it is not my problem, because I bought their "Inside wire maintenance plan" service, which means THEY need to send someone and make it work. Rep: "O, you have this plan?"
After been on hold she said "They going to check it" and that I need to call such and such number. O-k-e-y. Can't you guys figure it out without me calling you?
Guy came in several days later and fixed the wire inside the house.
Got bill from "Verizon" and it was double, what I expected. I called them and was told they charged me for service provided AND one month in advance. I had account with "Verizon" in other state, they did not charge month in advance and nobody mentioned they are going to charge upfront. Do they charge month in advance or it is just their "explanation"?
I am looking forward to see next bill from them, I think there may be more fun coming.
I think "Verizon" sell their data base to telemarketers. I got my phone in order and got several calls (per day) beginning day after that, telemarketers knew my name/address and tried to sell nespaper subscribtions and something else...
Another piece of their "service" that I do not like is their push to sell you "package"(phone, TV, high speed internet). I mean I understand they would try it couple times, but they still push it every time even after you told them you are not interested. Same with their pre-recordered calls. To be fair I got those pre-recordered calls from "ATT", "DishNetwork" and if I am not mistaken "Comcast" as well.
I have never heard about dry line DSL, something new every day.
I am going to keep regular land line.
I removed my home phone service, along with my long distance service, Verizon and AT&T respectively and ported my home phone number to a new cell phone that I added to my family plan for $9.99. Now, I can even take my home phone with me.
For internet, I just had a "dry loop" with DSL done. I'm using the cheapest Verizon plan that's $19.99. You order the modem and install it (very easy) with the installation CD and the phone number, which is also called your billing number (no dial tone).
The same night, I hooked up that Magic Jack thing to use as an extra phone. $39.99 initial cost that includes one year of service, $19.99 each year after. You can hook up a fax machine to this jack, too. I have no need for a land line anymore.
I will be saving around $40 to $50 a month with better service. (I use to have dial up!!!)
Last edited by timneh5; 10-05-2009 at 06:50 PM..
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Next time keep your gun out of his sight, do not be pushy.
