Trying to figure out what the cheapest phone service is for the home. We really don't use it at all, but want to have it just in case.
Magic Jack. Its 20 bucks a year. Unlimited calling. But you have to have an internet connection for it to work.
I use Ooma, haven't had a problem. I looked into magic jack but you have to have your computer on while using it and vonage is great if you use the international calling feature but you still have to pay around $30 monthly. Ooma does have a upfront cost around $200 but well worth it as long as the service stays free.
MagicJack is definitely the cheapest, though you'd have to keep a computer on 24/7 and the internet has to be working for it to work. $20/yr. T-Mobile would be the 2nd cheapest if you have cell phone service with them already.. it would be $10/mo. Vonage would be the 3rd cheapest at $25 bucks a month... it has an adapter that connects to the internet. I have Vonage at my home right now, it works pretty smoothly. I've never really looked at Ooma before so I don't know how it works but if you're a person that wants to pay $250 up front one-time (I think that's how it works).
You can also go with a VoIP service other than Vonage. I use Callcentric. It requires a similar adapter as the Vonage service. It's about $3.50 per month for a phone number + 911 service, and you pay 1.5 cents per minute making or receiving calls within the US. A good plan if you're a low usage customer. I keep it around because the long distance rates to the countries I call are good.
One tip: buy a brand new Linksys PAP2T-NA. These are the most popular unlocked adapters (~$50). I'd suggest NOT buying one off eBay, some of them have previously been locked to Vonage and cannot easily be unlocked. Your post inspired me to check out my mother's Vonage service. She pays ~$28/month. When she first signed up it was only ~$18/month. After looking at her average usage, going with Callcentric will decrease her bill to ~$9/month. I've been using Callcentric for about 4 years, and set it up for my aunt and uncle about 2 years ago. It takes a little time at the beginning, but the decreased phone bills are worth it. Neither me nor my aunt and uncle have had problems with it.
question. if you're getting a phone "just in case", it seems that you're worried about a power outage or cell tower going down. if that's the case you'd have the same problem with voip. are you looking for a cheap analog line that can withstand the aforementioned?
Well, if you have home security system you need a phone line if you want someone to monitor it. You could do cellular monitoring but the alarm companies rip you off and charge too much for it so this could be one reason why some people still have landlines.
It sure came in handy when Ike came through. I didn't have power for a week but the phone still worked. Don't you need a land line if you have a home security system? I know mine is connected to and powered by my phone line.
I don't understand how residential phone service still exists. For older people I understand, but anyone with an Internet connection can talk for free. Vonage isn't even necessary. I wish there was a way to give away my minutes. I have 450 anytime minutes a month on my cell phone, and use maybe 50.
No, you can use cell service for home security systems. Most of the bigger companies do charge more if you use cell instead of a traditional home phone, but this Houston company charges the same either way: http://www.smiththompson.com/smiththompson/
