analog sunset & 911 access

At 25 Apr 2008 16:14:13 +0000 Dennis Ferguson wrote:

> What this means is that providing roaming service using a technology
> your own customers don't use doesn't usually make sense. You won't
> make much money from other carriers' customers, and you won't make any
> more money from your own customers since they can't use the other
carrier's
> network. I'll hence bet that Western Wireless may actually have
> had some GSM customers or other contractual commitments that are forcing
> Alltel to keep the network up.


That makes sense- I assume when Alltel bought WW, they'd have inherited
it's contractual obligations as well, like providing roaming service until
year X.

At 25 Apr 2008 06:41:49 -0700 SMS wrote:

> > The idea is to replace your landline with it.
>
> Yes, if naked DSL was the same price as bundled DSL it would work.


Here in Denver, naked DSL is only $5 more than bundled.

> > My local Qwest number costs me $36/month including taxes and fees for
> > voice. I've hesitated porting it to VoIP both for reliability reasons
and
> > fear of being able to port it out again. I wouldn't mind porting it to
a
> > cellco, though, and saving $20/month.
>
> My local AT&T line is under $17 per month, including taxes and fees.


For $17, I wouldn't be looking for replacements either! ;-)

On Apr 25, 11:34 am, SMS <scharf.ste...@geemail.com> wrote:
> Todd Allcock wrote:
> > Congratulations- maybe we can lure you back from the dark side one of
> > these days... ;-)
>
> I doubt it. Verizon still has far better coverage in Northern (and
> Southern) California than T-Mobile (or AT&T or Sprint), even without
> AMPS. I only bought the T-Mobile phones because I needed some newer
> 900/1800 MHz phones for traveling to Europe and Asia to use with prepaid
> SIM cards. The quad-band V195 was a good deal from T-Mobile Prepaid, and
> I can have them unlocked inexpensively if I don't want to wait 90 days.
>
> > When T-Mo launches "Talk Forever" (currently in beta)
> > nationwide, you can add an unlimited domestic VoIP line (a UMA VoIP
> > router that takes a T-Mo SIM) to your T-Mobile cellular account for just
> > $10 extra per month.
>
> I never spend $10 per month in long-distance, between my 8 p.m. off-peak
> Verizon account, and myOneSuiteaccount. In fact I rarely use up $10 onOneSuitein six months.

Same here...unless I call outside the country my $10 on Onesuite
usually last about 6 months.

"Zar" <zahirletap@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:75f96df9-f9e6-46e9-80bf-0deed2cd71c0@q1g2000prf.googlegroups.com...


>> > When T-Mo launches "Talk Forever" (currently in beta)
>> > nationwide, you can add an unlimited domestic VoIP line (a UMA VoIP
>> > router that takes a T-Mo SIM) to your T-Mobile cellular account for
>> > just
>> > $10 extra per month.
>>
>> I never spend $10 per month in long-distance, between my 8 p.m. off-peak
>> Verizon account, and myOneSuiteaccount. In fact I rarely use up $10
>> onOneSuitein six months.
>
> Same here...unless I call outside the country my $10 on Onesuite
> usually last about 6 months.

That really wasn't my point- I was making the case that "Talk Forever" at
$10/month could replace the $30/month a POTS line costs. The "free" LD
would just be gravy.

In SMS' case, he gets a really good deal on POTS (<$20/month), and I'd agree
with him that the convenience and reliabilty of a landline isn't worth
dumping to save $5-10/month. In my case, Qwest in Denver charges me about
$35 including junk fees and taxes, so a $10/month unlimited service would
make more sense. I've resisted VoIP so far, since unlimited runs about
$20/month, and the $10 difference (Qwest charges $5/month more for internet
if you drop local phone service for DSL only, so my net savings would be $10
rather than $15) doesn't justify losing landline reliability. T-Mo's
service would save me $20/month which would justify switching. IMO.

"Todd Allcock" <elecconnec@AmericaOnLine.com> wrote in
news:_BFWj.70$Ci1.57@fe099.usenetserver.com:

> I've resisted VoIP so far, since unlimited runs about
> $20/month, and the $10 difference (Qwest charges $5/month more for
> internet if you drop local phone service for DSL only, so my net
> savings would be $10 rather than $15) doesn't justify losing landline
> reliability.

Wow...I'm only paying $US2.065/month for Skype Out Unlimited to any phone
or sellphone in the USA/Canada/AK/HI/PR. It isn't really unlimited at
10,000 minutes per month, but if you overrun that you have serious
personal issues Skype can't help you with.


http://skype.com/allfeatures/subscri...ubscriptionTab

When you buy Skype Unlimited, they take $30 off each of the incoming
Skype In phone numbers you buy. That came to about $24/number for the
two numbers in my system, one in Charleston, SC and one in London, UK.
that's the PER YEAR rate, not per month. So, the total monthly fee for
US and Canadian customers is 2.065out + 2 in = $4.065 for really
unlimited incoming calls plus 10000 minutes/month calling out.

All the other features like Skype-to-Skype with full motion color video,
video conferencing, all of Skype's online services are free. FREE is our
FRIEND.

The Skype phones have become kind of BIZARRE, lately. You have a
sellphone, so if you're not a hobbleware Verizon slave, you can install
Skype Mobile or PDA versions right on your sellphone and have an all-in-
one VoIP device...right in your pocket, even on the road, saving big
money compared to sellphone LD to Timbuctoo. I have my old Netgear Skype
phone in the bedroom, a really nice USB headset for the mainframe, Skype
on my Nokia N800 Linux tablet (which also runs mobile over BT to the
sellphone data on Alltel EVDO).

New Skype Phones include:
http://skype.com/mobile/

....I kid you not........
SKYPE ON THE PLAYSTATION PORTABLE!
I installed it on 3 PSPs belonging to my buddy's 11, 14 and 16 year old
girls. Even a teenager hasn't trashed 10000 minutes/month. All they
need is wifi Daddy already has or any wifi the PSP can find wherever they
are! NO MORE $300 sellphone bills from the kiddies! Each girl has her
own Skype Unlimited/Skype In phone number....$4.065/month for 10000 min
out and unlimited min in.
http://skype.com/allfeatures/skypeonpsp/
They've all learned to dial +1-areacode-number, now, after some really
embarrassing calls dialing 843-number on Skype, which calls odd people in
VIETNAM (+84 country code)....(c;
The girls have a list of "acceptable restaurants and places" that have
free wifi for their phones. We eat often at Atlanta or Panera Bread but
never Starbucks any more....no free wifi for Skype.

I've called Vietnam many times in haste, too....(c;

VoIP doesn't HAVE to cost $20+/month before you make the first call.
Works great!

At 15 May 2008 03:25:23 +0000 Larry wrote:

> > I've resisted VoIP so far, since unlimited runs about
> > $20/month, and the $10 difference (Qwest charges $5/month more for
> > internet if you drop local phone service for DSL only, so my net
> > savings would be $10 rather than $15) doesn't justify losing landline
> > reliability.
>
> Wow...I'm only paying $US2.065/month for Skype Out Unlimited to any phone
> or sellphone in the USA/Canada/AK/HI/PR. It isn't really unlimited at
> 10,000 minutes per month, but if you overrun that you have serious
> personal issues Skype can't help you with.


Yep. I've eliminated Skype from contention as a landline replacement
(although I use it from time-to-time) for a number of reasons- lack of E911
compliance, needs a running PC or proprietary phone, and doesn't integrate
into existing RJ-11 home wiring (without the aforementioned "running PC.")

That also eliminates MagicJack (which I already own and subscribe to at
$20/year unlimited in/out, but it's RJ-11 interface hardware requires a
running PC as well.)


> The Skype phones have become kind of BIZARRE, lately. You have a
> sellphone, so if you're not a hobbleware Verizon slave, you can install
> Skype Mobile or PDA versions right on your sellphone and have an all-in-
> one VoIP device...right in your pocket, even on the road, saving big
> money compared to sellphone LD to Timbuctoo.

Yes. My WinMo phone has Skype, Fring and SIP clients installed, supporting
four of my VoIP accounts in addition to my T-Mo cellphone account.


> VoIP doesn't HAVE to cost $20+/month before you make the first call.
> Works great!

If I lived alone I'd be on the same page as you. In a family of five with
three kids ranging from four through ten, I want the phones to work like Ma
Bell intended- 911, no country codes for local calls, etc. T-Mobile will
give me that for $10/month (over and above my cellphone bill), through my
existing home wiring, with 911 capability, when Talk Forever launches
nationwide.

Todd Allcock <elecconnec@AmericaOnLine.com> wrote in
news:GtOWj.260$gi1.248@fe107.usenetserver.com:

> Yep. I've eliminated Skype from contention as a landline replacement
> (although I use it from time-to-time) for a number of reasons- lack of
> E911 compliance, needs a running PC or proprietary phone, and doesn't
> integrate into existing RJ-11 home wiring (without the aforementioned
> "running PC.")
>
>

You paid big money, and continue to pay big money, for an E911 SELLPHONE!
Why do you need more than that? That's crazy.

Now, if you read the rest, you don't have to have a PC running, AT ALL,
to use Skype anywhere in the house. That's what wifi is for! The RJ-11
interface with some Vonage BS phone company is FAR more expensive than
Skype phones on wifi. I took out all the wires....my wifi covers my
whole neighborhood from the node up the tree!

My SELLphone is my Skype phone because I have my Skype In number
FORWARDED to my SEllphone number if I don't answer Skype calls....even
Skype-to-Skype calls! So, if a friend in Japan, for instance, wants to
call me, he calls me on Skype-to-Skype, my SELLphone rings and I talk to
him....from anywhere I happen to be, without a Skype phone, by just using
airtime if he calls me from Japan at 3AM in the morning! If he calls me
on Skype-to-Skype at NOON in Japan, I'm on free N/W airtime on Alltel and
that call costs both of us NOTHING! My bill has LOTS of evening
"Unknown" calls from the Skype-to-Skype callers.....long winded calls...
(c;

You don't need a single piece of extra equipment to use Skype from what
you already own.....Screw the wired phones in the house.

On Wed, 14 May 2008 21:47:02 -0600, Todd Allcock
<elecconnec@AmericaOnLine.com> wrote:

>Yep. I've eliminated Skype from contention as a landline replacement
>(although I use it from time-to-time) for a number of reasons- lack of E911
>compliance, needs a running PC or proprietary phone, and doesn't integrate
>into existing RJ-11 home wiring (without the aforementioned "running PC.")

Todd,

Which VOIP provider(s) would you recommend that uses a standard ATA
device and doesn't rely on a running computer or wi-fi?

At 15 May 2008 04:02:21 +0000 Larry wrote:

> > Yep. I've eliminated Skype from contention as a landline replacement
> > (although I use it from time-to-time) for a number of reasons- lack of
> > E911 compliance, needs a running PC or proprietary phone, and doesn't
> > integrate into existing RJ-11 home wiring (without the aforementioned
> > "running PC.")
> >
> >
>
> You paid big money, and continue to pay big money, for an E911 SELLPHONE!

> Why do you need more than that? That's crazy.


Did you miss the "three kids ages four to ten" part?

> Now, if you read the rest, you don't have to have a PC running, AT ALL,
> to use Skype anywhere in the house. That's what wifi is for!

I'm quite familiar with how Skype works and how it doesn't.

> The RJ-11
> interface with some Vonage BS phone company is FAR more expensive than
> Skype phones on wifi.

Yes, it is. But again, I'm intending to use T-Mo's Talk Forever router with
SIM card slot for $120/year. Sure, it's 2-3 times as expensive as Skype,
but it meets MY requirements I listed earlier: no PC needed to have RJ-11
compatibility, E911, and no special dialing requirements ("Daddy, where's
the '+' on this phone...")

> I took out all the wires....my wifi covers my
> whole neighborhood from the node up the tree!


Again, if I lived alone, I'd be on the same (or at least a similar) page.


> My SELLphone is my Skype phone because I have my Skype In number
> FORWARDED to my SEllphone number if I don't answer Skype calls....even
> Skype-to-Skype calls!

Can Skype be trained to report your Skype-in number as the CID number on
forwarded calls? If so, that could be your "Circle" number and they'd all
be free.

> You don't need a single piece of extra equipment to use Skype from what
> you already own.....


To use it like _I_ want to, rather than how _you_ have it, I do. In
addition, AFAIK, Skype desn't port. Keeping my four-year old home number
is critial for the WAF (Wife Acceptance Factor- another system design
parameter you no longer have to factor in...) ;-)


> Screw the wired phones in the house.


I'm old school- phones plug into jacks- even cordless ones! ;-)

At 15 May 2008 00:57:36 -0400 The Ghost of General Lee wrote:

> Which VOIP provider(s) would you recommend that uses a standard ATA
> device and doesn't rely on a running computer or wi-fi?


There's a ton of them, so I guess it dependswhat you're after- landline
replacement,incoming only, outgoing only, long distance only, etc. In my
case they're mostly used for travel and as a backup for cell service when
WiFi is around (not to mention just to play with!)

I've been using Voicestick (www.voicestick.com) for awhile. Their VP hangs
around the dslreports.com VoIP forums and is very candid about the biz.
They have two basic plans: "unlimited" for $20/month, and a pay-as-you-go
(that I use) that's $0.01/min incoming, $0.02/min outgoing (no junk/911 fees,

but there is a $1 minimum monthly usage.

If you want cheap VoIP to play with, you can sign up with Gizmo5.com, and
get a free incoming number in the Nevada 775 area code. I use them for my
cellphone "iPhone-style" Visual Voicemail. Unanswered cell calls are
forwarded to the 775 number and notifications plus a .wav file of any left
message are pushed to my phone instantly.

For a free incoming number in your area code, you can use GrandCentral.com
and forward it to either the 775 number, or directly forward it to the
Gizmo SIP URI without an actual POTS number assigned to your Gizmo account
(GC and Gizmo have an arrangement that allows that.)

While Gizmo really pushes their software on their website so you can use
their Skype-like features (video calling, etc.,) unlike Skype they're
perfectly SIP/ATA-compatible as well.