Suggestions for a Home VOIP Provider?

nate1138 asks: "My wife and I recently relocated so that I could take a promising position with a better company. Her job, being the fairly progressive folks that they are, graciously agreed to let her telecommute. Most of the services she needs we already have set up, such as the VPN, and VNC for remote control, etc. Now we only have one thing left to do. Get a phone line. Her office is a long distance call from our new location, and she needs to be able to call customers throughout the southeast as well. Since we need a number with a different area code from our home, it looks like voice over IP is the only solution. I want to know what you folks think about the various VOIP providers, like Packet8, Vonage, and Broadvoice. Or any other that I haven't thought of. Or another way to solve the same problem without shelling out a boatload o' cash. Features are the last priority, while reliability is tops."

Comments

Re:Do you have cellular coverage in your area?

[pvt_medic]

i wouldnt go as far as to say cellular is that reliable. Internet bogs down, your VOIP going to have some problems, during peek hours getting a connection to a cell tower is going to be difficult. You throw any type of emergency into the equation cell towers are almost useless since everyone is on their phone. Internet is still a little more reliable there (from what we have seen so far, yet to be proven). I personally still have a POTS at home and plan on staying that way until VOIP has some of the small issues worked out (like what happens when the power goes out, my POTs still works but my VOIP dead in the water.) just my 2 cents worth. (oh and i have a cell phone too which i use for 99% of my communications)

DSL?

[Wakkow]

I have a related question... Can you keep DSL and sign up for one of these providers? Will *insert local bell or SBC* let you have a line without service?