VoIP with Free Phone Service for Life
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Have you ever wondered why there hasn't been a cheaper phone service alternative involving Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP)? Well, this article will try to answer that question by delving into a company that plans to offer VoIP with no monthly service charges, ever! Read on to learn more about what this company has in store.
Home phone service hasn't changed very much over the years. It has been owned largely by companies, like AT&T, who could basically charge whatever they wanted. Beyond the large phone companies, there are hundreds of small, local companies that provide phone service. These companies, though, can be unreliable, and they tend to fade away or get bought out.
It wasn't until recent years that VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) became very popular with companies such as Vonage. Vonage is a good company, and I know this from personal experience because I am currently a customer of theirs. I have been a customer for about a year now, and I have only had a couple of complaints with the service, mostly about the call quality. The call quality is mostly due to the Internet connection and how much bandwidth you have available. So, in most cases it is not Vonage's fault.
My plan with Vonage costs me about $43 per month, and this includes nationwide service, an extra phone line (I use it as a fax line), and other taxes. Although I feel like I'm getting an okay deal, I've always thought that there has to be a better, cost-effective way to provide phone service to customers by way of the Internet.
I did some research on the subject, and I came across a company by the name of Ooma. This is a start-up company in Silicon Valley who has an answer to my question. Ooma is planning to revolutionize the phone service industry by not charging a single penny of monthly charges. Their phone service would be somewhat similar to Vonage, because it would require a broadband Internet connection (cable or DSL). How do they plan on making any money? Well, in order to get service from Ooma, you must purchase their Ooma hub phone station. This hub is pretty stylish, and it is about the size of a typical answering machine. This device will cost $399 and is scheduled to be available in September of 2007. After this initial cost, you incur no monthly charges for life. It sounds like Ooma may be on to something if you ask me.
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