 |
ViaTalk Review: VoIP |
Compare to Other VoIP Services |
Website: |
Visit Website |
Rating: |
 |
| Nice call quality and cheap plan (2 years unlimited for $178 + $40.94 setup) with low cancellation fees | |
Full Review: |
ViaTalk will not win any awards for the presentation of its product. The little LinkSys VoIP adapter comes in a standard Priority Mail box, with just its cables, and an introductory letter. If there were any instructions we must have somehow lost them. It's ok, we located the help docs on their website and the directions were simple. We plugged in three cables, and we had phone service.
ViaTalk's big selling point is its cheap monthly plan. It comes down to $9.95 a month, for unlimited calling in the U.S. and Canada. It also includes 60 minutes of free international calling to 60 countries. However, sign up for pre-payment and for your first year you'll be paying an equivalent of $8.25 per month, that's $99.00 up front. An additional year of service can be added for $79.00. Whether you prepay or pay monthly, there's a $29.95 activation cost and $9.95 shipping charge (unless you bring your own VoIP adapter). For an additional $8.95 per month you can have 1200 minutes of calling to over 60 countries, mostly landlines. In action, ViaTalk was quite nice. In fact, we felt it sounded crisper and warmer than Vonage did. It does take a little longer for calls to connect, between dialing and ringing. This may well have something to do with the fact that Vonage connects directly to the modem, whereas ViaTalk goes through your router first. Our only real complaint about ViaTalk's hardware is that its VoIP adapter only allows for a downstream connection, meaning it cannot receive the connection directly from your cable modem and then split off to your router. Instead, it must receive its connection from the router. It just limits the ways in which you can configure your setup, but it won't affect many people. ViaTalk has the fairly standard set of features such as voicemail to email, do not disturb, and caller ID block. You also get two lines at the same number, a very convenient feature for busy households. ViaTalk's technical support was fast and helpful when we called. We left our callback number and received a call within five minutes. The non-outsourced support was very friendly. On subsequent tries we faced much longer waits when trying to contact someone in sales and billing; she was friendly, if slightly confused about their offerings. There's a 14-day money back guarantee that begins the day you receive your equipment, though it does not cover your activation or shipping fees. If you cancel after that, ViaTalk does offer a pro-rated refund for unused months, but there's a $49.95 disconnect fee. This applies even if you pay monthly, since it's a year-long contract. Its main competitor in this price class is PhonePower. Potential customers will have to weight the advantages of each. ViaTalk's call quality, support-call return time, pro-rated refund and 60-minutes of free world calling are great. The only real disappointment is the relatively short money-back period, the slight delay between dialing and ringing, and the one-time setup fee. |
Search our blog archives and frequently asked questions for more information about VoIP
| Plans: | U.S. Unlimited: $8.25-$12.95 1200 minutes international calling: +$8.95 |
| Setup Fees: | $29.99 plus $10.95 S&H |
| $ Back Guarantee & Cancel Policy: | Free to cancel within 14 days or prorated refund minus $49.95 disconnection fee per line after 14 days; No refunds on activation or S&H |
| Promotions: | 2 years for $178 (+ setup fees) |
| Countries Included: | USA, Canada |
NextAdvisor VoIP Services Blog Headlines
Vonage World Savings for the Military and International Calls
We frequently receive user questions about whether their friend/spouse/coworker can make calls to the US using Vonage World. In a word, the answer is yes. That means that if you:
1. Are in the military, deployed overseas OR
2. Outside of the US, making calls to the US
AND you have a high speed internet connection, Vonage World [...]
New Deal: Vonage World only $14.99 a month
You heard it here first readers: effective today, Vonage has dropped the price on their Vonage World plan to only $14.99 a month for the first 6 months. After the 6 month period, it's $25.99 a month. This is a great deal because Vonage World lets you make unlimited local calls AND calls to over [...]
Save money when you travel with Vonage World
The following post in our Reader Question series is an actual user submitted question:
Q: I live in Florida for 6 months of the year and in Canada for the other 6 months. Can I take VoIP with me and use it wherever I go?
A: The nice thing about VoIP services is that they are [...]
If I have magicJack in one of my USB ports can I still use the Vonage system?
Q: If I have magicJack in one of my USB ports can I still use the Vonage system?
A: You certainly can. Vonage plugs into your Internet connection, but still allows regular traffic to and from your computer. With magicJack, voice data follows the same route as other Internet traffic that runs through your computer. If you [...]
Will VoIP work with a home security system?
The following post in our Reader Question series is an actual user submitted question:
Q: I currently subscribe to Comcast for phone, cable and internet and have a land line with Verizon because of my home security system. If I used Vonage to replace my land line service would it work effectively with my [...]
NextAdvisor launches Skype review
Well, we've reviewed Skype. We gave the popular Internet-based service a thorough evaluation. We looked at the Skype Unlimited World plan coupled with a Skype-compatible cordless phone. This is not the free computer-to-computer service, but a monthly subscription plan that allows you to call landlines in over 40 countries (and mobile phones in a few [...]
Can you use VOIP from New Zealand to US on the Vonage Mobile global plan?
The following post in our Reader Question series is an actual user submitted question:
Q: We are looking for less expensive way to use Blackberry from New Zealand to US. Can you use VOIP from New Zealand to US on the Vonage Mobile global plan? Does it include BBM use?
A: Unfortunately, Vonage Mobile is only for [...]
Nextadvisor's magicJack review: VoIP on the cheap
MagicJack has generated a number of questions from NextAdvisor visitors and it's piqued our interest as well. We've seen the little money-saving device on infomercials, and even while in line at the drugstore, leading us to wonder if it's the Snuggie of the VoIP world. It's not exactly a VoIP substitute. The magicJack is like [...]
Do you have VoIP service in Vietnam?
The following post in our Reader Question series is an actual user submitted question:
Q: Do you have VoIP service in Vietnam?
A: All the VoIP services that we review are sold in the United States or Canada only. However VoIP services are portable and can be used from any broadband connection around the world. For instance, [...]
PhonePower adds 60 minutes of free international calling
VoIP favorite Phone Power has added a little bonus to its monthly unlimited plan: 60 minutes of free international calling per month. This includes calling to over 70 countries. This applies to both new and old Phone Power plans (those with at least 500 minutes), and really increases the value of an already inexpensive plan. [...]
About Us Blog Contact UsTerms & Privacy PolicyAffiliate ProgramSite map
Copyright© 2006 - NextAdvisor.com - All rights reserved.