Comparing converter-based services
If one of the reasons you're considering VoIP is to reduce both your home
and mobile phone bills, you might want to consider signing up with a service
that provides an ATA for your home and a soft phone for the road. To be sure,
you can achieve this worthy goal by setting up a computer-based system that
can be used at home and away, but a converter-based service is likely to offer
features and capabilities making the transition from traditional to Internet
phone service almost seamless.
However, if you're thinking of trashing your traditional phone service, con-
sider these issues:
E911: Developed, initially, for use with cellphones, the E911 service as
implemented by the VoIP providers' converter-based systems differs
from the traditional phone 911 service in the following ways:
· Power outage: During a power outage, you'll have no 911 availabil-
ity. Of course, if all you've got in the house are cordless phones,
then there's no difference.
· ISP problems: If your Internet service is disrupted for any reason,
you won't be making emergency calls. Or any calls at all, for that
matter.
· Registration: E911 is available in certain areas only, and even then,
you need to register your address with the 911 call center. If you
move, forget to register your new address, and call 911, they'll be
on their way to your old house.
Broadband connection: All of the converter-based services I'm aware of
require the use of a high-speed broadband Internet connection.
Multiple providers: If any problems crop up, you might find yourself in
the middle while your broadband ISP blames the VoIP provider and the
VoIP provider blames the ISP.
Converter-based VoIP service providers target their service toward business
and residential customers. Because of this, and because of the requirements
of E911 service, not every provider offers service throughout the U.S. That
doesn't mean you can't take advantage of VoIP services, but it does mean
that you might need to look more closely at a computer-based solution if you
can't find a provider in your area.
Part V: Taking Care of Business
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