Best Voice over IP Service

[carolinarider09]

Since AT&T (AKA DirectTV) is canceling One American News channel in April, it gives me an excellent reason to dump my land line which is provided by AT&T. 

 I have the following concerns, interests. 

1.  Reliability.   My internet service is fiber optic and has been highly reliable.  It runs on the power lines of the local CoOp.  My AT&T landline has been very reliable (well it did short out once when I first got it installed about 10-12 years ago). 

2.  Connectivity:   The system has to connect to my current land line distribution system.  I have the land line running to several places with an OnQ distribution "thing".  Its a plug in type connection which uses the AT&T twisted pair from their box on the side of the house (well there is an isolation kind of thing in-between because on issue I had when first installed).

3.  The current system is all wires.  I want a device I can just plug into my router and plug into my OnQ distribution thing and I will have VOIP to everywhere I have land lines in the house (regular phones and security stuff)

Any reccomendations are welcomed. 

My search found this website which shows 1-VoIP as being the best choice.

I know I will have to pay for the service. 

https://getvoip.com/residential/

[Jess from VA]

This is all I've got, but it's probably not what you're looking for.   

[Wizzard]

I have phone power. Have had them for 15 years and always been happy.
https://www.phonepower.com/voiphome.aspx

[scooperhsd]

I've been using Callcentric for about 4-5 years now, (Callcentric.com). Not the cheapest, but definately one of the best for reliability / features, etc. Yes , I did some research before I started using them. Ported from Sprint (Local) to them, and I'm still using that number here in KC. I have a couple other extensions / DIDs with them as well.

I use pay per min for both incoming and outgoing.

Only real downside - their physical location is on Wall Street, and that is the only site they have. The only time that has been an issue was when NY was getting hit with a tropical storm and flooding like crazy.

Connectivity - you can use any ATA (I'm assuming the OnQ uses analog phone connection).

[Serk]

Back when I maintained a land line I used Vonage and was satisfied with the service, but that was well over a decade ago.

Suggest you take a step back and analyze why you need a land line still, and if you really do.

A decade or so ago I paid the one time $20 transfer fee to move my existing land line number to a Google Voice setup.

I get e-mails of any voice mails someone leaves on our old land line number, and I have an app on my phone that, should I wish to make or receive calls on the old land line number I switch my phone to take over that persona and can do so. I can use a website or the app on my phone to send or receive texts using the old land line number as well.

Best part is the price - Nothing other than the initial setup fee.

[carolinarider09]

Thanks for the reply.  As to Serk's question why, the current security system I have uses a land line to notify the monitoring service of events.  This is mainly useful when we are away from the house for extended periods (AKA Road Trip, which is also one of the reasons I am somewhat skeptical of posting videos on my Rumble and YouTube channels the same day as making them). 

So, I need a way for the security system to contact the monitoring group.  When I purchased (built) the system, there was an option for a adding a cellular service option for monitoring.  Since it was one more electronic gadget to add to the system, I opted for the land line.   At that time, it was also the one way to get internet service where my home is located, AT&T.

[Serk]

Any chance the security system can be updated to use IP directly? Seems kinda Rube-Goldberg to carry a digital signal over VoIP just to convert it back to digital at the far end?

[carolinarider09]

Serk, I shall check.   

One drawback is that I don't think its made any longer.  Last year, I think it was, I had an issue with two of the controllers (wall mounted keyboard devices).  They both failed at the same time (2 of 3).  Don't know which forum it was but someone had access to some spares for a good price (probably OEM prices).  I got two of them and installed. 

So.....   The other options, which sort of works on your "notion" is to upgrade the system now instead of waiting until it fails (I have two spare controllers now).  The it would be sort of a scramble. 

I have looked into "Simply Safe" as an alternative (don't really remember why I chose them) but..... That is an option also.

[MarkT]

Out here in rural (still, for now) Colorado we used to have one choice for internet connectivity other than satellite  which is spendy & throttled.  That was  DSL over twisted pair from our baby bell,  Centurylink (Previously Qwest, previously AT&T).  They knew it and abused us accordingly.  Very poor throughput, high cost and if you actually used what you paid for - 5MB/sec, actually deliver not more than 3 and if you use that, they THROTTLE you down to around 600k.  Everyone was and is pissed at them & looking to dump them.  There is no cable option here, or fiber or wired competition for CL.  Along came RISE broadband - microwave distribution if you are within a dozen miles of their towers and have line of sight.  They provide 25MB/s, don't throttle it, can deliver up to 50 with tuning and have VOIP as an option.  And with a VOIP/ISP package the cost is less than half of Centurylink, bandwidth more than 10X while uptime is somewhere around 99.9%.  Of course no LD charges on phone calls ever, calls are crystal clear and in actual use the wife telecommutes with video conferencing while I have all the bandwidth I need - eg no buffering on video streaming while I can download 1080P movies via torrents typically in 5 minutes.  I maintain two voice landlines, full featured.  Have the cell phones via T-Mobil for backup or if I ever need to contact RISE independently.  Has happened a couple times in over 5 years.  In the beginning there were occasional times when bandwidth would drop due to load.  Like evenings and weekends when the rugrats would load the system down with streaming and gaming.  Now RISE has expanded the infrastructure so I haven't seen that much lately in either actual use or benchmarking with speedtests.  Tests now around 38Mb/sec dwnld. Of course VOIP requires power - not self-powered like the bell network is.  No biggy, the cell phones don't require continuous power supply.  And I have backup power on the ranch as well as UPS supporting the server and phones if that goes down for longer than momentarily.  Also the VOIP system does not go through my computer(s) - it's independent.

I should mention, the house is wired with a twisted pair network, with several legacy phone hookups. Once the signal is brought in at the office, it's distributed over the existing network to extension phones, like yours.  Though that is now redundant as the standalone phones were replaced by a server phone with satellite remotes that only need charger sockets.  While the wife has her office on the first floor and needs a hardwired LAN cable to replace the wi-fi, router - computer so the microwave won't disrupt the signal.

So RISE has been a good ISP/VOIP provider for our situation.  If you are over a barrel with limited options as we are, could be for you as well.  Alternatively, if you have another microwave tech provider in your area, look into them if you have potential to receive their signal from a tower via dish antenna on top of your house.

[carolinarider09]

Thanks for the info MarkT.   I shall look into it.   Your initial setup was similar to mine with Bell South providing internet service over twisted pair.  It worked but was really slow. 

And like you, my electronic stuff that keeps us connected to the world is backed up by a UPS.  Only the fiberoptic server thingy and the four port network is on the UPS and funny thing, when they installed the fiber optics interface device, they also added a UPS for their box.

And we have a standby generator so.....   We need the generator since we are in a rural area and we are at the end of the power line for the small town we live in.  So.... we are one of the last to get power restored.  It was about about 10 hours on Saturday/Sunday..   

I often worry about using the 20KW generator since I have no idea how clean the power is.  But, so far its been as expected.  I did have two circuit breakers open sometime during the last run.  They were 15 amp Arc Fault breakers... Will keep an eye on them

I know I digressed.   

[Jess from VA]

Bill, when you back power a house with a generator, the preferred method, is to get everything up and running, but to knock off all your house circuits, then switch on the ones you want to power individually and slowly one by one (leaving all 220s off for the duration).

This is a big generator (6800w constant), but not one of those whole house Generacs that can even power some 220 (and are wired up to come on automatically).  Which sounds like is what you have.

This helps against brown outs, esp for things like refrigerators which have both a startup surge value, and then a lower run value.

I had some brown out troubles, with my earlier lower watt gas generators, when I just left the circuit box alone (although I left off all my 220 and high draw appliances).  

Also, I have added double surge protection for every piece of electronic equipment in my house, and I have never had any trouble or lost anything, even when the power company power goes on and off and brown out all by itself.  Which can be very worrisome when it happens.

 

[carolinarider09]

Thanks Jess,

Its a whole house 20KW generator.  I have, what I shall call surge protection on important circuits.  Like TV and stereo, ect.  And I have some stuff on UPS. My NAS is on a UPS.  Its timed for connection after losing power (there is a period of no power as the generator starts) and the generator connection.   On return of external power it just switches over.

The main equipment (stereo, TV) is powered through a surge device.  Its a Monster Power HDP-1800.  Some time, not associated with recent power outage, one of its (the surge suppressor) outputs failed.  It is about 10-12 years old. 

Strange things do happen with electronics.

[scooperhsd]

I like to have my satellite receivers on UPS as well - it takes them about 3-5 minutes to boot back up. If I had cable TV boxes, I'd do the same thing. Where we lived in NC , we were on a main powerline heading into the nearest town, but that did nothing about the little blips that were just enough to reboot things....

[carolinarider09]

I was pleased and somewhat impressed when the installer came in and installed the "modem" for the fiber optic network system.  They included a UPS which, for brief power outages, should prevent the "modem" from have to shut down and re-boot. 

[carolinarider09]

Did some searches and investigations and since PhonePower showed up on a couple of the searches and on here, I did some research. 

Cost is interesting.  the service costs are as follows (yearly):
Annual Home Service $99.95
Regulatory Recovery Fee $35.64
911 Recovery Fee $11.88
FSLS Recovery Fee $$11.63

So, annual cost is $159.10

The recovery fees are interesting.   Must be to recovery the fees the federal, state and local governments would miss out on.   

Monthly cost would be $13.26 which is about one quarter of what I currently pay. 

Now to see how it will interface with my OnQue system (which appears to be obsolete  )

[MarkT]

Thanks for the info MarkT.   I shall look into it.   Your initial setup was similar to mine with Bell South providing internet service over twisted pair.  It worked but was really slow.  

And like you, my electronic stuff that keeps us connected to the world is backed up by a UPS.  Only the fiberoptic server thingy and the four port network is on the UPS and funny thing, when they installed the fiber optics interface device, they also added a UPS for their box.

And we have a standby generator so.....   We need the generator since we are in a rural area and we are at the end of the power line for the small town we live in.  So.... we are one of the last to get power restored.  It was about about 10 hours on Saturday/Sunday..  

I often worry about using the 20KW generator since I have no idea how clean the power is.  But, so far its been as expected.  I did have two circuit breakers open sometime during the last run.  They were 15 amp Arc Fault breakers... Will keep an eye on them

I know I digressed.  

I should mention, the UPS units I have powering the office and the home theater massage the power before supplying it to the users.  Meaning the power output is provided by an inverter through a sine wave generator from the battery backup which is charged by the input power.  So if it isn't 60Hz 120v incoming, doesn't matter, it is on output.  No brownouts seen by my computers - while my frig, thermostat, furnace, dishwasher, garage doors, compressors, wired power tools and stove are old school - the mic, A/V, office, welders and water heater aren't.  BTW I never turn off the computers.  It's better for their longevity to remain on, rather than thermally shock their IC's with repeated power cycles.  This paradigm has worked for me for decades; learned it long ago and my computers seem to be happy with it.  Of course it's politically incorrect for the woke green world we are in - but they aren't paying to replace my assets.  While I am paying that and my electric bill.

My backup power is a 7.5kW surge, 6.8 steady 220v gasoline unit I bought at Costco 20 years ago.  I installed a master breaker for the house - built before code required it.   Pull the breakers for loads too big for the generator like the spa, compressor and water heater.  The generator can power the whole house besides them, thru the panel, including the freezers, laundry, furnace, well, lights, A/V, range, mic,  office and even the MIG / TIG / arc welders.  OK we haven't used the oven on b/u power.  Or 2 of the big loads like weld & range at once.

We used to lose power like monthly from our co-op power company.  Got tired of that, lost power with every ice, wind, or big snow storm.  Wouldn't you know it, after I set up the backup, they fixed their infrastructure and now we lose power maybe a cpl times a year and then for only a cpl hours or so.  Even so, with power out our house is the only one in the area with lights.  What's up with that - must not be Boy Scouts.

[carolinarider09]

Regarding the inverter and your setup, I did not do that specifically but I always though the UPS was supposed to be an "auctioneered" system where there was a DC supply from the AC power and then the battery, sort of auctioneered but I have not checked the exact operation.

I setup our house for a backup generator by having a separate feed but the Kohler 20KW just interfaces to the main circuit with its own "switch". 

Power goes out here about three or four times a year.  Last one, 10 hours, was the longest since we have lived here.  As far as houses with backup power, our house is at the end of the "towns" circuit/system.  The folks across the road, are powered from the local CoOp.  We the town's power goes out, we are "lite" up as are the houses across the road.  Sort of funny to drive down the road toward town and see power on one side of the road and not the other.

Still looking at the Phone Power system as being my best option. 

[carolinarider09]

I was chatting (text) with someone at VOIPLY about their system.  The question I asked was basically, can I have more than one phone connected to their system.  The answer is no.  Not sure why since I always thought the phones were just individual devices paralleled on the phone line.

So, in doing a search it appears that to have more than one phone connected to the VOIP service requires a special "modem". 

I will contact Phone Power next to verify.   Seems strange when all I have to do with a "normal" phone line is add phones (same number all ring at same time).

Or it might be I was not clear on the "number of phones" thing and they thought I wanted separate numbers. 

[carolinarider09]

I found this website.  Item number 4 is the relevant item.

What I had forgotten about was that the incoming phone lines to the house have voltage present.  This is used, in older phones, for phone ringing. 

I have a distribution system made on On-Q.   I will have to check to see if it is self powered or powered by the phone line.  It would be the issue. 

https://www.whichvoip.com/articles/multiple-phones-around-the-house.htm

[scooperhsd]

I currently have 4 phones on 4 DIDs with my current VOIP company, using 2 ATA's (2 phones/extensions on each ATA).
It did take some planning so each extension was on it's own set of IP ports, and it even works through my current double NAT internet connection.

In the past I have had one backfeeding the house phone wiring.

My VOIP provider is Callcentric . www.callcentric.com . They are a BYOD company (Bring Your Own Device) - I've heard of other customers using Raspberry PI's as a PBX, or using Asterix (same idea). I'm sure something could be put together utilizing your On-Q system if it can accept one or more analog phonelines.

[carolinarider09]

Thanks scooperhsd.   

Just so happens I have a couple of Raspberry PI's not being used. 

Will contact them and see.


Short story about the PI.  The company I worked for (until I retired) had some TVs with reminders and other stuff at my plants access portals.   One of them broke so the information that was sort of needed to be presented was not there.  I did a search, found that a PI could be wired to do the job and had a windows program to make something similar to "Powerpoint".   Total cost about $80. 

Replacement network connected "blackbox" several hundred.   Only issue was could not be on the net but an SD card worked.  Loved those Pi's .

[carolinarider09]

Reviving a post from last year.   

Last year when AT&T - DirectTV dumped OAN I thought seriously about dumping my landline.  Got lots of good information but decided not to, for technical reasons. 

Now, given one year later and having a $59 AT&T phone bill and now having AT&T - DirectTV dumping Newsmax, I did signup with 1-VOIP as a basic way to test the system.   I have a new phone number 803-500-XXXX which I will be testing over the next month or so to see how it all works.

The hope is that, in March, I can dump AT&T and their $59 per month phone bill for one that is about $14 a month.   I will be informing then why when I do.

[scooperhsd]

What a coincidence - when we put MIL into the Assisted living / memory care unit, they suggested 1-Voip as the voip company to use for room phones (they have multiple ethernet ports in every room), MIL's phone bill with them is right at $13 per month unlimited incoming / outgoing calls - MIL prefers to use her cell phone ( a Jitterbug Flip phone using Lively as the carrier - they ride on Verizon). I'm not sure if MIL can even use her room line, since you have to dial all calls out as 1+ area code + number, and it is hard to get her to understand this.

[carolinarider09]

Very informative and I understand her needs.     Thanks for the feedback.

[carolinarider09]

There are three major steps in this process.  

First, I have to replace my 5 port ethernet Router switch in the "equipment room" with a 7 8 port router switch so I can adde the VOIP telephone interface.  

That came in today.  Will connect it this afternoon.  Waiting for the Kohler guy to be informed (it connects the generator's monitoring system to the web).

New router switch and old router switch.



Next two steps are to install a new telephone distribution board in the On-Que cabinet. And then hook of The VOIP blackbox.

On-Que is how I distributed the phone line since at the time I had AT&T as an Internet service provider and the Internet came in on a twisted pair that was "vectored off" in a black box under the house.

The On-Que distribution "device" I have is pictured below.   As you will note the phone line comes in on the left side (designed for multiple lines) and there are several distribution points.   It has an "overload" protection device and a special connection for the Security System.  At present I do not know why it's special.  I also do not know if all four wires that go to the security system's telephone connection are needed.  



Oh... since the system was installed some 10 plus years ago, I don't know if I did what it says on the left side of the security interface "Turn off SW1 to interface security".   It's still on and the security interface still works.

Oh, and one more thing, I have no idea how it works but we had a telephone outage several months back.  Don't know the exact cause but the "landline" was dead.  Not working.  Several minutes after I noticed that (or got a call or saw it somehow). I got a call (mobile phone) from out security monitoring group telling me the landline was down.  

I don't know how they knew but....

[Serk]

First, I have to replace my 5 port ethernet Router in the "equipment room" with a 7 port router so I can adde the VOIP telephone interface. 

Sorry to be pedantic, but using the right terminology can be important sometimes, you're replacing the switch, not the router.

...at least the devices pictures are switches, not routers.

And the new one is an 8 port switch, not 7...

[carolinarider09]

Thanks Serk. I always called them routers but you are correct they are switches.  And when communicating at a technical level the correct terminology is very, very important.   Switches they are.

Regarding the ports, It does say eight ( for the new one and the old one says five (5).   So.....  I did not count the input as a port but, I guess in the overall scheme of things, it does not work like that.  There is no real "master" input.  Just a device that allows network communications to happen between connections.  I guess that is why it's called a "switch".     

Swap out has been completed.  All appears normal.  Now to let it "soak" for awhile.  Should not be an issue. 

[Serk]

Gotcha, kinda makes sense to not count the uplink port, but as you said, there isn't a specific one, and it's not 100% required, depending on the use case of the switch...

Luckily swapping out an unmanaged switch is generally pretty quick and easy, just power up the new one, move the cables over as fast as you can and Bob's your uncle...

I'm sure you know, but they can be chained together as well. Eventually you'll have a performance hit, but especially with GB Ethernet you're likely not coming close to utilizing the full bandwidth anyway...

I tend to get a little carried away on such things, this is my primary switch:



There are also several 8 port GB unmanaged switches at various  points in the house to distribute the wired network further out (TV in the living room, my work office, the spousal unit's work office, think there might be one or two more in there somewhere.)

The blue box in the upper left is the back of another 8 port GB Ethernet switch that's dedicated to the DMZ side of my network, outside the firewall/router...

[carolinarider09]

Serk,

Two things,,,,, Bob's your uncle.   Long time since I heard that.   

Second thing, linking them together crossed my mind.   

I was sitting here thinking of all the "hardwired" stuff I have (like it better than wireless if possible to do that).

And yes Bob's your uncle.

Thanks for the reminder of an interesting phrase. 

[Skinhead]

And yes Bob's your uncle.

Thanks for the reminder of an interesting phrase. 

In this day and age, Bob maybe considered your aunt by some.  Personally, I won't go there.

[scooperhsd]

I have "only" a 16 port GB switch that I route all ethernet (except the one to my mesh router) through. Multiple 5 and 8 port switches where there is a concentration of devices. All of them are unmanaged (only the 16 can be), because I haven't looked into it and it's working well enough for now. Some of the 5 and 8 ports could just as easily be 10/100 instead of GB, but unless I setup VLAN on the 16, it just doesn't seem practical / necessary.

[Serk]

Some of the 5 and 8 ports could just as easily be 10/100 instead of GB, but unless I setup VLAN on the 16, it just doesn't seem practical / necessary.

I'll admit it was a REALLY good feeling when my ISP upgraded me to the point I needed to upgrade my DMZ switch from 100/Fast Ethernet to GB Ethernet... 

[scooperhsd]

Some of the 5 and 8 ports could just as easily be 10/100 instead of GB, but unless I setup VLAN on the 16, it just doesn't seem practical / necessary.

I'll admit it was a REALLY good feeling when my ISP upgraded me to the point I needed to upgrade my DMZ switch from 100/Fast Ethernet to GB Ethernet... 

It's more like the devices are only capable of 100 Mb - my ISP is 500 Mbps down AND up (Google Fiber, and my speedtest are showing over provisioned to 570 Mbps+ down 750 Mbps+ up)

[carolinarider09]

I contacted 1-VOIP today to check on the status of my order.  I got an email about doing the 911 setup for my new number but I never got a message about the order of the communication device (black box).

Spoke to a lady who was very nice and let me know my order had not been processed and she did not know why (maybe it was a Friday).   So, she put the order through and I got confirmation it is being processed a couple of hours ago.

We shall see if that is an indication of their service abilities.   So the black box should be in Friday along with most of the other parts I need.  So. this weekend will be setup weekend. 

[Oss]

damn it  my head hurts   Just being a simple lawyer I know not to mess with that stuff

(unlike Jess)  I have always been of the opinion that a surge protector, not just a power strip is a cheap investment to save electronics


I used to have a box that cleaned the power, cant remember what it was called but it protected from con ed shorting the voltage or spiking it, but it was not a battery UPS,   That is going 20 yrs back and it is long gone.  Like MarkT I do not EVER turn off my computer unless leaving for vacation.  But my  386 is never turned on unless I am looking to copy a file from the small solid floppy disc that was a case I had in the 1990's
Yes I have a 386 at work, used to play air combat with the joystick during lunch

SImplesafe is good because you can attach the wireless water sensors   That saves you if the water heater spews a leak or pipe under the sink breaks    Also one under the basement triple water filter set up

The sign alone is a good deterrent 

[carolinarider09]

OSS, a 386, I think I have one somewhere.  Stopped working about four or five years ago.  Still have the drives and the cabinet (with all the parts). 

Those were fun times, building, loading the software......   Fun times. 

[scooperhsd]

We dumped our computer museum before we left NC.

[carolinarider09]

I have a hard time parting with my electronic stuff, especially the hard drives.   I guess I could just take my sledge hammer to them but.....   gee whiz all the stuff and things and.....

[Serk]

I have a hard time parting with my electronic stuff, especially the hard drives.   I guess I could just take my sledge hammer to them but.....   gee whiz all the stuff and things and.....

I finally had to start doing something with my museum. Getting into virtualization helped a lot, when one moderately old computer can easily run all the things I had running on a dozen old computers and not break a sweat, hard to justify all the space and electricity the old ones were taking up.

Once I copy everything off (Either just the data or P2V the entire computer into my VMWare farm) I remove the hard drive, donate everything BUT the hard drive to Good Will, then take the drive to my land for some plinking...

BTW, those hard drives have some powerful rare-earth magnets in 'em, might consider opening 'em up to harvest the magnets first if you're into that kind of thing. I mean some real finger blistering ones if you're not careful.

[carolinarider09]

I have a hard time parting with my electronic stuff, especially the hard drives.   I guess I could just take my sledge hammer to them but.....   gee whiz all the stuff and things and.....

BTW, those hard drives have some powerful rare-earth magnets in 'em, might consider opening 'em up to harvest the magnets first if you're into that kind of thing. I mean some real finger blistering ones if you're not careful.

I had forgotten the magnets were that powerful .....   We shall see.   I only have seven or eight laying around.