Lingo goes global with World Max plan
Posted by kent on October 2nd, 2009
VoIP provider Lingo has a new offer, and we thought we should let you know what's changed. They're clearly taking aim at Vonage's World Unlimited plan, undercutting them by a dollar and offering to serve more locations. Lingo lists over 100 to Vonage's sixty-plus, but Lingo's numbers include mobile lines, so it's closer to 80 countries (including Vatican City, in case you have to put a call through to His Holiness).
Lingo charges $24.95 per month for the unlimited world calling plan, and your first month is $4.95 (they used to give you three months at that price, but they also weren't giving you the world). All the setup, shipping, and equipment fees are also waived.
So does this mean Lingo comes out on top? Its after-30-days cancelation fee is still higher than Vonage's ($99.95 to $39.99), but the true measure of its value will be if it covers the countries you call most.
Andorra
Argentina
Australia
Austria
Bahamas
Bahamas – Mobile
Bahrain
Bahrain – Mobile
Bangladesh
Bangladesh – Mobile
Belgium
Brazil
Brunei
Brunei – Mobile
Bulgaria
Canada
Canada – Mobile
Chile
China
China – Mobile
Colombia
Croatia
Cyprus
Czech Republic
Denmark
Dominican Republic
Estonia
Finland
France
French-Antill
French-Guiana
Georgia
Germany
Greece
Guadeloupe
Guam
Guam – Mobile
Hong Kong
Hong Kong – Mobile
Hungary
Iceland
India
India – Mobile
Indonesia
Iraq
Ireland
Israel
Italy
Japan
Jordan
Kenya
Laos
Laos mobile
Latvia
Lithuania
Luxembourg
Macao
Macao – Mobile
Macedonia, Republic of
Malaysia
Malaysia – Mobile
Malta
Mauritius
Mexico
Monaco
Netherlands
New Zealand
Norway
Panama
Peru
Poland
Portugal
Puerto Rico
Romania
Russia
Saipan
Saipan – Mobile
San Marino Saudi Arabia-Jeddah
Singapore
Singapore – Mobile
Slovakia
Slovenia
South Africa
South Korea
Spain
Sweden
Switzerland
Taiwan
Thailand
Thailand – Mobile
Trinidad
Turkey
U.S. Virgin Islands
U.S. Virgin Islands – Mobile
United Kingdom
United States
United States – Mobile
Vatican City
Venezuela
Zambia
- Vonage Announces Vonage World Calling Plan – Unlimited Calling To Over 60 Countries For $24.99/Month Plus Visual Voice Mail
- Vonage iPhone App Coming Soon?
- Vonage continues to innovate in 2008 with launch of MyVonage
- Vonage makes customer support a top priority
- Vonage iPhone App Approved But Not Available
VoIP on a plane?
Posted by Caitlin on September 30th, 2009
Federal regulations prohibit passengers from using cell phones while an airplane is in flight. But as Wi-Fi becomes available on more and more planes, some passengers have discovered that they are able to make phone calls using VoIP. While many airlines in other countries offer in-flight cell phone service, a bill in Congress seeks to ban all in-flight voice communications. In the meantime, many airlines that offer Wi-Fi claim to block Internet-based phone calls, due to concerns about competition for bandwidth as well as in-cabin noise levels. Despite this supposed ban, plenty of passengers find that Skype and other Internet-based phone services currently work fine on many flights.
Whether Congress passes a bill banning all in-cabin phone use, or airlines make a more concerted attempt to enforce their existing policies remain to be seen. But for now, the passengers who do take advantage of their ability to make Internet-based phone calls in the air don't seem to be encountering any problems.
To learn more about VoIP services, see our reviews and comparison chart.
Vonage iPhone App Approved But Not Available
Posted by Erik on September 1st, 2009
We told you we'd let you know when there was news about the impending iPhone app. Well, there's news. Sort of. Vonage announced today in a very brief press release that their iPhone app has been approved. Here's the the entire text of the release:
Vonage (NYSE: VG) has announced that Apple approved its mobile application for iPhone and iPod Touch. Vonage is currently conducting a beta test and general availability will be announced at a later date.
This new service, along with the recent launch of the Vonage World unlimited calling plan, continues Vonage's heritage of using innovative technology to create significant value for its current and future customers.
Yes – that's it. No mention of when it might be available, much less what it actually does. Overall it's certainly good news that it got through Apple's sometimes difficult approval process. It will be nice when we can actually use it, though.
Vonage iPhone App Coming Soon?
Posted by Erik on August 26th, 2009
Last week we told you about Vonage's new Vonage World plan, which gives you unlimited calling to anywhere in the U.S. and more than 60 other countries for the flat monthly fee of $24.99. Not only have consumers seemed to love this plan so far, but so has the stock market, sending Vonage's shares up an astonishing 443% since the announcement based on today's closing price.
It seems that may not be all that investors are excited about. Stock message boards are abuzz over a possible Vonage iPhone app which would enable iPhone customers to make VoIP calls on their iPhone using their Vonage World plan. So instead of paying AT&T exorbitant rates to call overseas (not to mention in the U.S.), Vonage World customers connected to a WiFi network could simply dial whatever number they wanted on their iPhone and not pay a penny as long as they are Vonage World customers. This could be in addition to using Vonage as your home phone service. Details are still lacking so we don't actually know quite what the app will be for sure but Apple did confirm to Barrons that Vonage has submitted an iPhone app and Vonage subsequently confirmed that they made a minor change Apple had requested and resubmitted the app for approval.
So the app could be available any minute. Then again, Google submitted an app for their Google Voice service that has been in limbo for months now and is now the subject of an FCC investigation, so it's hard to say how long this could take. We'll update with a new post as soon as we hear something. In the meantime, if this all soundns pretty exciting to you, you may want to sign up for Vonage World now so you're ready when the app comes out. You can also call 1-888-692-8076 to sign up for Vonage World by phone.
- Vonage iPhone App Approved But Not Available
- VoIP comes to the iPhone
- What is a V-Portal adapter? Or is it simply the thing that makes the phone work?
- Vonage Announces Vonage World Calling Plan – Unlimited Calling To Over 60 Countries For $24.99/Month Plus Visual Voice Mail
- Are there any set-up fees for VoIP.com?
Vonage Announces Vonage World Calling Plan – Unlimited Calling To Over 60 Countries For $24.99/Month Plus Visual Voice Mail
Posted by Erik on August 19th, 2009
Vonage announced this morning the availability of the new Vonage World calling plan. Vonage World gives customers unlimited calling to over 60 countries (including India, China & Mexico – see below for full list) for $24.99 per month. Vonage World raises the bar for landline replacement VoIP services, offering unlimited calls to more countries than we've seen in any competing international plan.
Vonage World also includes some innovative voice mail features that are extremely useful. First is Vonage Visual Voice Mail, which allow you to see the number (and name if available), time of call and message length of all your messages by logging into your online account. So rather than have to dial up and press buttons to navigate through your voice mails, you can just do it all visually online. Users of the iPhone and other newer smartphones will recognize and appreciate this feature that really revolutionized voicemail. Vonage World also has added text transcription of all your voice mails so you can get emailed the text of any new messages you receive. The system may not always transcribe every word perfectly, but you can almost always get a clear understanding of the message.
Vonage World is the replacement for the old Vonage Residential Unlimited plan, and it is keeping all the benefits of that plan, including the $24.99 per month price and the $0 set-up fees (free activation, free V-Portal adapter and free shipping). In short, Vonage World has everything the old plan did plus unlimited calling to 60 countries, visual voicemail, and voicemail text transcription. If you are currently a Vonage Residential Unlimited plan customer, you will not automatically be switched over to Vonage World. However, there is no fee to switch and all you need to do is request the switch in your online account or call Vonage customer service.
For more information about Vonage World, read our full Vonage Review or call 1-888-692-8076 to speak to a Vonage representative. Here's the full alphabetical list of countries that is currently included in the Vonage World unlimited calling plan. A * denotes that calls to cell phones are also included:
Andorra
Argentina
Australia (excl. External Territories)
Austria
Bahamas*
Bahrain
Belgium
Brazil
Brunei*
Bulgaria
Canada*
Chile
China*
Colombia
Croatia
Cyprus
Czech Republic
Denmark
Dominican Republic
Estonia
Finland
France
Georgia
Germany
Greece
Guadeloupe
Guam*
Hong Kong*
Hungary
Iceland
India*
Iraq
Ireland
Israel (non Paltel)
Italy
Japan
Jordan
Kenya
Latvia
Luxembourg
Macau*
Macedonia
Malaysia*
Malta
Mexico
Monaco
Netherlands
New Zealand
Norway
Peru
Poland
Portugal
Puerto Rico*
Romania
Russia
Saipan*
San Marino*
Singapore*
Slovakia
Slovenia
South Africa
South Korea
Spain
Sweden
Switzerland
Taiwan
Thailand*
Turkey
U.S. Virgin Islands*
United Kingdom
Venezuela
Zambia
AT&T shuts down CallVantage VoIP service; Subscribers have strong replacement options
Posted by Joe on April 22nd, 2009
Subscribers of AT&T's CallVantage began receiving notification this week that the VoIP service would be phased out between now and the end of the year. This announcement comes just about a year after AT&T stopped signing up new CallVantage subscribers.
This is the second time this year that a traditional phone service provider has decided to shutter a VoIP service. Verizon shutdown the VoiceWing Internet phone service in January.
Luckily, CallVantage subscribers have several great options to choose from when looking for a replacement VoIP service. CallVantage plans ranged from about $20 to $30 per month, so most former subscribers could save a significant amount of money by switching to a VoIP service like Vonage or PhonePower. These providers offer plans starting at $9.95 and $8.33 per month respectively.
Whether you are a current CallVantage subscriber looking for an alternative or simply interested in learning more about VoIP, we suggest that you read our comparison and detailed reviews of VoIP services.
Are there any set-up fees for VoIP.com?
Posted by Joe on April 6th, 2009
The following post in our Reader Question series is an actual user submitted question. To maintain the integrity of the original question, we do not edit or change reader questions in any way.
Q: Are there any set up fees [for VoIP.com] your website says no start up fees but when you look futher it says total charge is about $36 dollars on the 19.99 plan it says free shipping free equipment free month so whats the $36 dollars for?
A: VoIP.com will waive any set-up fees if you sign up for the Home Unlimited annual plan which costs $199.00 per year. The Home Unlimited monthly plan does not include free set-up, but does include the first month free (a $19.95 value). So, if you were attempting to sign up for the monthly plan, you would have seen a set-up charge included in the upfront costs.
If you are looking for a monthly plan that has no upfront set-up fees, we would suggest Vonage's Unlimited plan. This plan has no set up fees, is just $9.95 per month for the first three months and then $24.99 per month thereafter.
You can learn more about Vonage, VoIP.com and other Internet phone service providers by visiting our VoIP reviews and comparison.
What is a V-Portal adapter? Or is it simply the thing that makes the phone work?
Posted by Joe on April 6th, 2009
The following post in our Reader Question series is an actual user submitted question. To maintain the integrity of the original question, we do not edit or change reader questions in any way.
Q: What is a V-Portal adapter? Or is it simply the thing that makes the phone work?
A: A V-Portal adapter is the device provided by Vonage which allows you to use any standard telephone to make calls through your high speed Internet connection. The V-Portal is easy to set-up, is totally portable and also enables lots of advanced features. Here is the description of the V-Portal adapter directly from Vonage's website:
The Vonage V-Portal can connect up to 2 Vonage lines through your pre-existing high-speed Cable or DSL Internet connection and includes a networking router. It's great for all your phone and routing needs. Just plug it into your existing broadband connection and use the two standard telephone jacks to connect your existing phones or fax machine. The Vonage V-Portal has a user friendly LCD display with caller ID and call timer, call logs (missed/received/dialed) with up to 50 entries each, language selection, and built-in upstream bandwidth tester. The Vonage V-Portal allows you to use your Internet connection for your computer and your phones at the same time and because it's Vonage, you get clear digital phone sound quality.
You can learn more about Vonage by visiting our VoIP service reviews and comparison.
- Reader Question: Does my computer need to be on for VoIP services to work?
- Vonage continues to innovate in 2008 with launch of MyVonage
- Reader Question: Is Vonage better than my cable company's phone service?
- Why haven't you reviewed Skype?
- Reader Question: What kind of Internet connection do I need for VoIP?
Will Vonage go out when the power goes?
Posted by Caitlin on March 11th, 2009
The following post in our Reader Question series is an actual user submitted question. To maintain the integrity of the original question, we do not edit or change reader questions in any way.
Q: Is Vonage a digital phone service that will go out when the power goes or is it a true land line?
A: Vonage is a digital phone service and is dependent on your broadband Internet connection. This does mean that in the event of a power outage, you will lose your broadband connection and therefore, your Vonage service as well. Some people do choose to maintain a landlane in addition to their VoIP service for this reason. However, many people with landlines rely on cordless phones, which are also dependent on electricity and will fail in a power outage. In either scenario, a cell phone is a good backup in the event of a power outage.
To learn more about Vonage and other VoIP services, see our reviews and comparison chart.
- What is a V-Portal adapter? Or is it simply the thing that makes the phone work?
- 2008 VoIP trend alert – VoIP services let consumers keep traditional phone service too
- How do I improve the quality of my VoIP service?
- Does Vonage offer cell service?
- Can you use VoIP service with a wireless Internet connection?
Why haven't you reviewed Skype?
Posted by Joe on January 22nd, 2009
The following post in our Reader Question series is an actual user submitted question. To maintain the integrity of the original question, we do not edit or change reader questions in any way.
Q: I'm considering VoIP again. Went round the block with SunRocket a couple of years ago and got BURNED! I appreciate your comparison and assume that you're intrests are purely altruistic. You don't have Skyyp listed. I've heard about them a few times but don't really know much about them. Why are they not in your list to compare?
A: We have not included Skype in our current VoIP comparison simply because it is a slightly different type of Internet telephone service than the others we have reviewed. There are essentially two types of VoIP services:
- Services like Vonage and PhonePower that allow you to make phone calls through your broadband Internet connection using a special router and standard telephone set.
- Services like Skype that allow you to make calls directly from your PC, usually with a headset with a microphone. We call these "PC Calling" services.
We have found that services like Skype are excellent for making calls where voice quality and reliability are not as important. However, PC calling services are not a viable landline alternative in our opinion.
Services such as Vonage and PhonePower, on the other hand, are very similar to traditional phone service in both call quality, user experience and reliability. These services also offer lots of benefits that landline telephones don't, such as web based voicemail.
So, if you are looking for a cheap and easy way to make quick calls from your PC, Skype is a great option. However, if you need landline quality reception and reliability, then we would recommend a service like Vonage.
You can learn more by visiting our comparison of VoIP Services at NextAdvisor.com
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