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Vonage Review: VoIP |
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| Unlimited calling to 60+ countries, best quality, no set-up fees | |
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[Editor's Note: Vonage has set up an exclusive 800 number where NextAdvisor.com visitors can speak to a Vonage representative to ask questions and ensure they get the latest and best deal possible. If you are interested in ordering Vonage we recommend that you call the number: 1-888-692-8076.]
Vonage's new Vonage World plan has significantly widened the distance between Vonage and other VoIP providers. At $24.99 per month for unlimited calling to not only anywhere in the U.S., but also to over 60 other countries (see list at the bottom of this review), Vonage World has raised the bar for all VoIP services. Not only that, but they've added some great new features as well. While we've long said Vonage is the best VoIP service, it was priced a bit higher than some competitors (though still offering several hundreds in savings compared to traditional phone service), making other options better for the ultra cost-conscious. Now that Vonage World includes unlimited calling to over 60 countries at the same low $24.99 per-month price as Vonage's old unlimited plan, frequent international callers will actually find Vonage is one of the cheapest international VoIP options. The new Vonage World plan also adds some incredibly useful and cool new voicemail features that further cement its position as the VoIP leader. Users of Apple's iPhone will immediately understand the huge benefits of Vonage Visual Voicemail. Rather than having to call up a number and listen to each voicemail individually, users can simply log into their Vonage account and see who called, when and the length of the message. This can be an incredible time-saver for heavy voicemail users. The other extremely useful feature that Vonage World has is free text transcription of all your voicemails. So you can have the text (and of course the audio as well) of any new voicemail emailed to you as soon as it arrives. This service is particularly good for highly mobile people and enables you to get your voicemails in places you normally couldn't. While the transcriptions aren't always perfect, they almost always give you a clear understanding of the message. Of course, Vonage still provides the highest quality service of any of our recommended providers. Despite the addition of 60 countries and the new voicemail features, the Vonage World plan (which replaces the old Vonage Residential Unlimited plan) is still just $24.99 per month and includes free activation and a free V-Portal adapter with free shipping. With the addition of the free international calling, we believe Vonage World will now save many people not just hundreds, but thousands of dollars a year compared to traditional phone service. Also, Vonage is the only VoIP provider we recommend that does not require you to use a credit card (you can pay from your checking account instead). Vonage still has its 500 minute plan priced at $17.99 per month, but it does not include unlimited calling to the 60+ countries or the new voicemail features, and the set-up fees are not waved. Users of this plan can, however, get a free reconditioned adapter. This plan could still be the best option for low-volume, domestic-only caller, but the Vonage World plan will be a better option for most consumers. Below is the full alphabetical list of countries included in Vonage World. The ** indicates that calls to mobile 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 *With 1-year agreement. Disclaimer: Excludes certain call types such as calls to non-geographic and premium numbers. Calls to cell phones may be included depending on destination (they're included if they have a ** in our list). Subject to change. Vonage requires high-speed Internet. Rates exclude internet service, surcharges, fees & taxes. Unlimited calling subject to normal residential use. Vonage 911 service operates differently than traditional 911. See Vonage.com/911 for details. Alarms, TTY and other systems may not be compatible. |
Search our blog archives and frequently asked questions for more information about VoIP
| Plans: | World Unlimited: $24.99/mo |
| Setup Fees: | None - free activation, shipping & Vonage phone adapter* |
| $ Back Guarantee & Cancel Policy: | Free to cancel within 30 days or $39.99 after 30 days but before 1 year |
| Promotions: | $24.99/mo. unlimited to 60+ countries; no set-up fees |
| Countries Included: | Over 60 - see review for full list |
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