Home     Contact Us    
Main Board Job Seeker's Board Job Wanted Board Resume Bank Company Board Word Help Medquist New MTs Classifieds Offshore Concerns VR/Speech Recognition Tech Help Coding/Medical Billing
Gab Board Politics Comedy Stop Health Issues
ADVERTISEMENT




Serving Over 20,000 US Medical Transcriptionists

My telephone service is VOIP, but it s through my cable service, along with my cable internet. .

Posted By: Amy on 2007-04-08
In Reply to: VOIP as second phone line - crispycritterMT

We have had VOIP for about a year now and I love it. I really can't tell a difference in traditional service, except the price. One of the best calls of my life was to Bellsouth to cancel our service!


Complete Discussion Below: marks the location of current message within thread

The messages you are viewing are archived/old.
To view latest messages and participate in discussions, select the boards given in left menu


Other related messages found in our database

Broadband/Internet Telephone Service
Does anyone use a broadband/internet telephone service for transcription, such as Vonage, Covad, Lingo, SpeakEasy? I have a local long distance account and am looking into this type of service for a monthly flat fee for unlimited minute usage. Otherwise, the long distance fees would eat me alive. Any info on any company, good or bad, would help me tremendously in making my decision. I am researching several via the internet, but once again, any info would help.

Have a save and sane 4th of July!
Lillian
Our cable company doesn't offer phone service yet, and anyway,
I don't know if I'd want everything dependent on their service for all my needs. Even my internet is not as dependable as it should be, yet there is nothing wrong according to them. I already pay for internet and TV to the tune of $147 a month and they are raising it in Jan. again.
I had VoIP back in Nov with my cable provider and then went with another IP and just used..sm
my landline because they did not offer VoIP.  Now my IP offers it  and it works great other than the pedal.  Thanks for your help!
cable phone and VoIP are the only TRUE unlimited
I can't find a single phone company that has TRUE unlimited. I've used VOiP in the past through Vonage with no problems. I got rid of it only because I didn't need ULD anymore, and they when I started needing ULD again I decided to switch to cable phone and internet. I bundle my cable, internet, and phone all together at a pretty reasonable price. Cable phone works great and no problems with heavy daily use.
Has anyone used Sun Rocket VOIP? If so, how is the voice quality and service? nm

Cable vs DSL internet?
I have cable internet service and will be relocating soon to an area that has DSL.  Just wondering, since DSL goes through the phone line, is there any electrical involved; or should I say, if the electricity goes out does the DSL stop working.  I am wondering, if I invest in a laptop and have DSL also, if electricity goes out, would hardly miss any downtown, with the laptop having battery and all.   Is this correct?
cable Internet.
Cable Internet just recently became available to my area.  I was excited because most the MTSOs require cable.  I am currently on satellite.  I called about the cable internet and they said for a home office it is $80 per month and you only get 10 gigabytes or megabytes (don’t remember which) per month for downloading stuff off the internet. Then you get charged extra.  Is this normal for cable Internet?  It sounds strange to me but I am not very savvy on these sorts of things.
DSL vs. cable internet

Currently have AT&T/SBC phone service (landline),  Verizon Wireless cell phone, and Insight broadband internet cable and TV.  Monthly costs:


AT&T:  $50/month unlimited calling


Verizon:  $40/month with 400 minutes (and never even get close to calling that much)


Insight:  $45 internet cable and $45 cable TV


Total:  $180 per month


Thinking of switch to AT&T for bundle of phone, internet, and TV for total of $100/month.  Can't break Verizon contract, or would switch cell phone service too.  So, would save $40 a month by getting the AT&T bundle. 


My question is:  Is DSL "elite speed" REALLY as fast as cable?  And does DSL have fewer episodes of service being down?  With cable, I've had entire weeks where the service was down, and I couldn't work; thus, didn't have a paycheck!  DSL tells me they "never" go down because I'd be on my server, as opposed to sharing a server with cable internet.  Speed is everything to me, as it is to all of my MT colleagues, but it's also important to have service that won't go down for long periods of time.  Any experience with these that you'd like to share?


dsl vs. cable internet
Hmmm....this is a dilemma. Thank you for your note. Do you think DSL, then, is more cost-efficient than cable? Do you have the "bundle" that includes landline phone,
DirectTV, and internet? Are all DSL providers relatively the same cost and service? Mine would be with AT&T.
dsl vs. cable internet
Thanks for your post. :) Do you think the DSL package is a better value than cable?
dsl vs. cable internet
Okay. When your DSL goes out, does your phone go out, as well? How long does DSL stay down? I know I'm asking a million questions, but want to make the right decision. Getting a divorce and moving out on my own, which is stressful enough. Want to make sure my work goes smoothly at my new place.
dsl vs. cable internet
Wow!  You guys are awesome with your descriptions of pros-and-cons of DSL vs. cable.  Think I'll stick with what I have for now (cable internet and TV; AT&T phone service).  Glad I asked you for your expert opinions before signing up for anything.  I'm such an easy mark for sales people. 
I put my USB cable for my internet into the hub
I put my USB cable for my internet into the hub and it seems to be running just as fast.  I have a 7 plug hub and tried them all and it didn't seem to make a difference.  I'll just have to plug it right into the PC for now.  Thanks for the reply though!
I am thinking about it, I have TV and Internet cable. nm
xxx
Do you have cable TV/internet in your area?
We bundle our cable TV, internet, and telephone and save quite a bit by having all three together. You might check into that.
What do you do if internet goes down? How do you call cable?
I don't really need a cell phone but when the internet goes down, I have to go to a phone booth to call the cable company. Real pain. What do you do?
I have cable Internet and two computers
The cable guy who determined I need a new router said something about Linksys having a G and N (models?) and that the N was faster, but I usually get good advice here and want to know a little bit more before I go to the store and get hit up by the salesman. :)
My internet was down for the past 2 weeksends (cable)
and Comcast could not tell me why. They did not even admit it was a problem. What they did say when they came out was that it was fine. Oh boy! No kidding. They told me that others in the area had experienced the same thing so if it happened again this weekend, to make an appointment for someone to come out on the weekend! (can you see me giving 4 hours up during their 4-hour call window?). When the cable internet is out, there goes my phone because I also have Comcast phone. For the most part though, I can't complain as far as when it is up, it is much better than DSL. They just need to let the right hand know what the left hand is doing and when they are doing it. It is my guess, they take it down on weekends for work in the area, which is NOT acceptable as I need it every day.
to hook 2 computers to cable internet do ?
you need a router and a KVM switch - what else?  Will this cause problems?
if you already have cable/internet, you should get a deal for having the phone also.
x
Verizon DSL versus Adelphia cable internet - sm

I am thinking about switching from Adelphia to Verizon DSL internet service.  It seems that lately my service is off line more than online.  However, I have heard the DSL is a tad slower, which is one of my concerns.  Any happy or unhappy Verizon DSL users willing to share their experiences?


My high speed internet is through our local t.v. cable company. nm.
x
Cox offers a "basic" cable internet; it's the same and half the price as the other one they
I pay $25 a month for it instead of the $50. It's very fast!
I have a KVM switch and using cable for my high-speed internet so what i needed ... SM

to connect my second computer to the internet was simply the ethernet cord along with the KVM switch box.  I actually work with a router, but it was simple to set up and works like a charm. 


No, you don't need their internet service, just
some internet service - cable type. I got all the equipment I needed from Vonage. Also their equipment is a Linksys - that's it. You just plug it into your cable modem, and my Vonage Linksys had ports allowing me to network all 6 of my computers at home. Prior to Vonage, I was only able to network 3 off of my cable modem. Its very, very easy to figure out. The only old down side used to be that you could not get all the usual features of 911 in an emergency. You would have to dial 911 and say your address. That has been rectified now in all areas, as far as I know. I also have a cell phone anyway, 24/7, so on the rare occasions that power has gone out, I use my cell phone if need be. I have never been so happy with a phone company - been with Vonage about a year now. I had tried them all, and been burned by all - Verizon, MCI, Sprint. I lasted with Verizon the longest, but again, I paid about $80 a month for their biggest plan - Freedom plan, with all unlimited LD, call waiting, voice mail - every bell and whistle one could get, and the bill always was $50 to $100 or more higher than promised. They would tack on all sorts of garbage every month. Finally got sick of them and switched to Vonage. It was scary at first, but so worth it. Again, when I work, they have a feature where you can set your phone to not even ring - just go to instant voice mail. You get an email that you have a new message, or your phone blinks and lets you know. You can go right in your email and look and see who the # is that called, so you know whether to listen to the message or leave for later. You also can access all your phone stuff thru Vonage.com. You can listen to your voice mail via your work headphones, or you can listen to the messages via your phone. Online, all your calls are saved permanently. I am just so pleased with them, though was very skeptical at first. They even have a new neat thing called a virtual phone or something, and its a screen you can bring up on your computer which is a big phone. You use your mouse to dial the numbers and just talk thru a computer microphone or headset. Its really cool. I don't need it, but it sounds like a fun toy!
Internet service
Was with Time Warner when brought out by ComCast. Internet service through cable fast but unreliable. Have been with AT%T for about a year now, a tad slower, but has NEVER gone down.
Internet service is not down.
They just switched to using a different cable for service and most service will be back up today. Since it happened at the end of their workday yesterday, it hasn't really affected too much.
Is anyone using the new internet phone service through
your local cable company or Vonage or something like that.  How do you like it?  Any troubles we should be aware of?  Thanks for any info.
RE: Is anyone using the new internet phone service through
I have internet services and digital phone service through Time-Warner, and it is great!
Switching internet service
Cox just informed me that my monthly bill will be going up by $5 starting in October.  Does anyone use NetZero or can anyone recommend a reliable internet service at a decent rate?  My bill will go up to about $45/month. 
Reliable Internet Service
I also used Earthlink for a year with problems like yours, switched to Verizon DSL with worse problems, looked into Comcast, also in my area, which was highly recommended. I had to get rid of Verizon as I kept losing service, they actually blamed it on electrical appliances in my house (not true), so I switched to my town's local cable company, have no problems with that. I would try Comcast before Verizon DSL. It is really aggravating when you keep losing internet connections and after many calls they still cannot figure out why. Good luck.
Can you get Vonage w/out getting internet service? sm

If I can remember correctly, I was once told that you needed their internet service - which I do not need nor want - just want to get rid of my expensive land line.


 


Thanks!


Question for those who use internet fax service (sm)

I am looking into this and didn't realize how many different companies are out there.  Who do you use, and are you happy with the service? Thanks!  LLHS


Internet service question

I am going to be moving to an area where high speed broadband and DSL are not available - and the company I work for, as well as most other companies that I have seen on the jobseekers forum require one of these types of internet service - does anyone have any idea of how I can either get around this or of any companies that do not require these - and perhaps can use satellite or some other type where a "receiver" is placed on your roof that picks up a radio transmission.  That is the only type service available there.  I have heard from one Transcriptionist that said AT&T could perhaps install a "pole" in my yard for around $400 in order to get their DSL and I am going to check on that - but otherwise - I need help with this - and my options are running out.  I have been an MT for 15 years and worked at home for most of those years - I cannot imagine doing anything else - but this move is for my husband's business - so I'm stuck as far as where I can move.  Any information would be appreciated - either emailed or on this board.  thanks


 


kat


Searching for Internet satellite service
This company looks they offer good service in our area according to their add but I have never heard of them before.  Any news would be appreciated.
Internet service without land-line phone

I recently looked into this subject myself.  If you have Verizon available in your area, you can purchase a plan at about $55.00 per month with a two-year contract.  You will receive a card that you can insert into your laptop, which will provide you with unlimited Internet access at the speed of DSL.  As far as I know, there are no other cell service providers that have come up with this type of card yet, but I'm sure it's bound to happen in the future.  Another option is to purchase a satellite telephone and phone cards as you go along, but the cards are really outrageous in price.  One last thing that I would suggest is that you phone cell providers in your area to see if they have any technical gadgets you could attach to the cell phone for Internet access.  Many of the satellite phone companies have separate packages you can buy, which can be attached to laptops or PDAs.  I also have a TracPhone, so I know it does not come with hardware that will do the trick.


 


Good luck to you in setting everything up.  With the way that technology is moving, I'm sure there must be a way to accomplish what you want. 


Reliable Internet Service? Currently using Earthlink and very unhappy.
I've been using Earthlink as my ISP but this past year the service has gone downhill.  I've been without service at least four times this year for anywhere between a few hours to a day.  Plus all tech support is out of the country so you spend more time than necessary asking the tech to repeat the instructions.  I'm looking at Verizon right now.  Comcast is not recommended.  Thanks
Does anyone know why some companies won't hire you if you have satellite internet service? TIA
x
As long as they have decent internet service there, you should be fine and if you use your laptop no
my laptop because it uses a 9-pin foot pedal and I havent been able to get an adapter that works. Obviously, most all laptops these days have the USB on them. What I have had to do is bubble wrap my computer (I have a small desktop and flat screen) put it in the suitcase and off I go. Also, doublecheck on your time change. I take mine to Hawaii and have to remember there is a 4-hour difference so you'd have to factor that in if someone needed you to do something a certain time. Just check on your internet service before you go etc.. I travel all over with my computer. I cant afford to miss work. Best of both worlds..vacation and work..Nothing is nicer than sitting out on the lanai in Hawaii with that gorgeous view i.e. sunset and working away. I mean I could be home staring at the four walls..boring...
Have had Hughes for 5 years (used to be Direcway) great internet service sm
but truly hate if I have any kind of problem and have to call in. Luckily that is rate to nonexistent.
Norton Internet Security 2009 and Service Pack 2 or 3??
I am having a heck of a time! I have Windows XP and just purchased Norton Internet Security 2009 for my antivirus, as my previous version is just about to expire. Upon installing it it says I have to install Service Pack 2 or higher for it to work. I never installed SP2 because I read that many, many had problems with it. Should I go ahead and download SP3? Is there anything I need to do before installing it? I'm thinking of taking the computer to a professional and having them download SP3 and install it for me because it makes me really nervous! Anyone have any experience with this? What should I do?

Thanks!
Comcast cable has ULD that goes through their cable sm
and there are no limitations. I asked them. They said that you could use the phone 24/7 and it would make no difference. The cable modem has a telephone connection and backup battery in there, all in one unit. If you lose your power, the backup battery kicks in for 12 hours I think they said. I personally was reluctant but it is clearer than Verizon regular phone service. Clear as a bell! It is $39.95 a month. If you have any cable service, you might want to check and see if they have this. This is VOiP protocol but I just have never seen anything that was as clear as theirs.

If Comcast has this, it is my guess that the other cable internet services either have it or will have it in the future. This is fairly new with Comcast.
We have decided to add this to our current service not have a new service. It will be easier to sm

keep track of and will just be a different department. 


It looks like we will work out details over the next 6 months, talking with community college program directors as well as a few of the distance-learning course leaders to work on the recruiting end.


We will train current staff to mentor if they would like to do so and want to work in the office.


We are still working on production requirements, goals to set, pay, benefits and other fine details but we have 6 months to get it all in place with three months to pull it together after that with a tentative start date of 09/01/06.  We need to build the building as well, although that is already at the blueprint stage in a spot next to our current office. 


We did not want to cause flames and bashing by listing the company name as there are always so many negative people on this site, but we are national with over 200 transcriptionists, located outside of Chicago (40 miles west) and have the best team of transcriptionists around!


We will have an "official" announcement after the first of the new year. 


Thank you for all of your feedback and suggestions!


Thanks.. we love Vegas..get our rooms free and now you can pay like $10 for 24-hour internet service
Gotta love it..  Have fun on your trips too..
I was told I would dial directly into the system/Will I need to get dial up internet service?

I am not asking for a service, I AM the service looking for recorders
nm
VOIP and internet - sm
Yes, the Lanier is plugged into the phone line just like your C-phone. The phone line is connected to the cable modem, so the phone line and your internet connection come through the same modem (I think...not sure of the technicalities). The VOIP is half the price of my land line with Verizon, and VOIP is truly unlimited, while Verizon watches the minutes.
Anyone using VoIP (internet phone) with a
DVI or C-phone to transcribe, and does it work well?  If so, what company do you use?  Are those companies cracking down on transcription like the regular LD carriers?
VOIP and internet connection - sm
I have VOIP with my cable provider, Roadrunner, and I can use my Lanier at the same time as I am on the Internet, no problems.  In my area, this is much cheaper than unlimited long distance phone service with my land line provider (which I kept, by the way, as you have NO phone if your cable goes out).   I have not had any problems at all.  Hope this helps.
Cable
I notice you have Adelphia!I have it also in Ohio and am anxiously awaiting Time-Warner to take over and get Roadrunner. I've had problems and problems with it over the years. I can't get fast access with our phone company as they are not down our road yet (in country). You are lucky to be able to switch, though.
Anyone not have cable TV at all?

What do you watch?  It seems like the primetime sitcoms aren't very family friendly.  We just canceled our basic cable because they took two more channels away, Discovery and ABC Family, which meant we were paying $20 a month for TBS, PBS, and four free local channels.  Nobody watches channels like Home Shopping Network, QVC, or Government Access, so why do they even include them?  There's only one show I'll really miss, but it'll be out on DVD eventually.  Not that I even watched much TV.  The house just feels really quiet without any background noise.  Where's that Internet radio site I bookmarked?