Wish to switch phone companies

anyone using vonage, or other cable phone company?

[4css]

I'm trying to figure out which company to switch to. I have heard that the cable phone companies are pretty good. With my son living in california, and two of my other children having cell phones, and the desire to talk to some online friends, I would love to switch to a different company.

Anyone with any of these? Any pros, cons? What if you loose your electricty? Battery backups?

[lawman]

This is not really an answer. However, I had my local cable company call about switching to cable phone. I asked "do you really expect me to switch to the same company whose TV service goes out when there's a lightning strike within 100 miles?"

She thanked me and hung up.

[4css]

LOL!
I have to say I have great cable connection. Only time I loose it is when the trees in the woods across the street go down on the lines.

I have great connection, very clear. And I know the supervisor so if there are any problems I would contact her, of which I haven't had to do since we first got the cable hooked up and were given the wrong address somehow.

thanks for your imput. I appreciate it.

[vincevincevince]

Not sure how it works where you live, but in my experience you need to use another phone company to get the internet your vonage runs on... so you are stuck paying two bills anyway.

That being said I'm finding that Skype is out-performing Vonage despite Vonage being substantially higher priced. If only Skype would get an ethernet-based hardware unit I would embrace it 100% and recommend it to everyone - for now - I don't like having to use my computer to use the phone.

[bsterz]

I really like my lingo service

[Old_Honky]

I used cable phone for several years and it was excellent. Not voip just plain bog standard cable. Cheap, free calls at weekends, and a very reliable service.

About a month ago I moved out of a cable area and I have to rely on good old British Telecom now so my bills will be higher but its not a big concern because I don't make many "land-line" calls anyway. I use skype for long distance calls and apart from the service dropping out occasionally when there are lots of users on line it is a great service.

I quite like using skype in front of the computer using a headset so I can work and talk at the same time.(multitasking :~)) Much easier than holding a phone to your ear for ages.

[4css]

No, there aren't two phone systems required from what I have heard. Neighbor has comcast, and my daughter just got vonage.

It would just be nice to not have a high phone bill, and these sound like good things to have through the cable.