VOIP (Voice over Internet) Phone Service

[AnotherOldJeepGuy]

Looking for an alternative for my current home phone service.  Currently bundled with my internet provider but at close to $30 a month it is getting pricey for a line that I don't use much, but am not ready to ditch just yet and go cell only.  I have heard of one, (https://www.ooma.com/) and the monthly price is good after you get through the start up costs.  Anyone else use this?  Other options you use and are happy with?

 

 

[Car Enthusiast]

My question would be why would VOIP be different from any of the social media or video communications that are out there? I video or voice chat my parents through Facebook, or my .mil friends through signal.

[boxyjeep]

Just use cell phone.  No need for a landline anymore.

[Smokeyyank]

I have ring central for my business VOIP, but don't think VOIP is what you're looking for unless you want to only make calls from your computer. I just looked to see what the OOma is seems like a waste of money for a basic phone.  

 

If you like to tinker could do this for cheap to start and free to continue. 

https://www.littlebytesofpi.com/raspberrypihomephone/

[AnotherOldJeepGuy]

21 hours ago, Car Enthusiast said:

My question would be why would VOIP be different from any of the social media

VOIP is a fancy term for using the internet connection as a functional replacement of the original dedicated physical phone line.  At the user end it operates the same as a classic phone line, so doesn't really work like social media services.

[AnotherOldJeepGuy]

15 hours ago, Smokeyyank said:

I have ring central for my business VOIP, but don't think VOIP is what you're looking for unless you want to only make calls from your computer. I just looked to see what the OOma is seems like a waste of money for a basic phone.  

 

If you like to tinker could do this for cheap to start and free to continue. 

https://www.littlebytesofpi.com/raspberrypihomephone/

Thanks, I'll look at the raspberry choice, I don't know if I want to tinker that way, but I might.  This approach is probably about what the ooma service is doing, then selling that.

 

[AnotherOldJeepGuy]

My choice of words used in my OP,  "alternative for my current home phone service" may have been misleading as to what I meant to ask.  I am wanting to replace my current home phone service that is around $30 a month, with something that works the same, but cost less.  And wondering if anyone else has done this and been happy with what they switched to.

 

Using ooma pricing as a starting point, that service would cost the same as what I pay now over the first 6 months, at 1 year the overall expense would be $137 less. and going forward, the monthly $6.85 cost would be around $23 less each month, so quite a bit less than my current basic phone.  So ooma is probably where I'll go but if someone has something better to suggest, that still works the same, I'm all ears....

 

[derf]

I know my mother and both of my sisters have something like this.  It's a box that plugs into a cable modem/router internet connection somewhere in the house and then ties into the phone lines already in the house.  The old copper phone company feed has to be disconnected at the box coming into the house.  But it works like a regular old style home phone and they like it.

 

I'll have to ask what brand they have.

 

I've been cell phone only for about 15 years now and have been happy with it.

[jeff351]

My parents are in their upper 70s and used to have just a landline phone, then they got a cell, and slowly they realized the cell is more practical, so last year they cut out the landline altogether and don't miss it at all. Seemed the only ones who called it were telemarketers anyways. 

[Manche757]

I have used Ooma for 10 years or so.  There are advantages and disadvantages to voice over internet protocol, VOIP.  Chances are that you might be using that technology already and not know it.  If you have your phone service through your cable company, they are likely using that technology.  You might have heard of some areas devastated by flooding and natural disasters and phone companies won't replace phone lines because VOIP lines are more dependable.  Without getting too bogged down, there are two types of connections.  One is when you buy a small unit (about 5 inches by 7 inches) for $100 or so and pay a monthly charge, which tends to creep up a few cents every few months. You use your existing handsets.  Depending on which features are important to you, the monthly cost is a little different.  I had 6 phones in my office previously and hooked the Ooma unit at the interface block and for one fee had service at all phones.  The current March draft was for $7.19 but you might not need some of the features I have.  If you have some elective features, you will get a bill one month of the year for $150 aprox. There is a home version and a business version.  I found it cheaper to have one home unit for two voice lines and a second unit for fax (A what? The only reason I have any need for fax is to deal with the IRS and state taxing authorities.)  You get two lines on one base unit which can be for the same phone number or different numbers.  I have since closed the office, semi-retired and have combined the fax with voice line into one unit for one fee.  The other alternative that larger businesses use is to use sims handsets. I don't know what current pricing runs but it was a monthly charge of about $600 per handset but you did not buy the $100 base.  Yikes, 6 phone service for $3600 a month.

 

Some miscellaneous details: 

1. VOIP has come along. Earlier, the units had to be plugged into a computer which meant you need to leave your computer on all the time (which I do anyway.)  For more than 10 years, you plug them into your modem which stay on.  A distinct advantage.

2. You can take the unit with you as you travel and can have phone service anywhere in the world where there is internet.  Europe, Asia, South America. Using your same number. But also if you are going away a few days to grandma's house in the next state. (My grandma would be 149 now and I don't plan on visiting her anytime soon.)

3. Ooma offers different levels of international service for making outgoing calls; incoming calls are free.  I usually wait for international clients to call me but i needed to reach a client in Germany for several calls and didn't want to wait. So I made a $25 deposit and wondered how long it would take to use that up.  The charge was 16 cent a minute.  What a dumbass I had been.

4. If you are going to be moving about for a while, connecting to motel internet might take some thought. Wireless internet was a bit of a challenge.  I bought an Ooma unit that picks up wireless internet in a Montana cabin I stayed in a couple of months.  That thing nearly went flying through a window until a techie friend helped me from across country by cellphone to get it going.  

5. You can co-ordinate your cell with Ooma. 

6. You will need to reboot your modem and phone unit every so often if the voice quality diminishes. You might need to call them several times to help out.  From there end they can "broaden the bandwidth".  If you are running a network they might tell you to connect the Ooma unit ahead of your network on the modem or switch; I refused to do that.  Sometimes it might take a second or two for the connection to start. Callers calling you might notice and it is the largest disadvantage I think.   That might be less of an issue now; I tend to use my cell phone mostly.

 

Reasons for keeping a land line might be that you need a land line connection for home security systems to connect to the service company.  Possible emergency service.  Having multiple phones in your house in case you need to get to them quickly.  Otherwise go straight cellphone.

 

Hope that helps

[AnotherOldJeepGuy]

23 hours ago, derf said:

I've been cell phone only for about 15 years now and have been happy with it.

Yeah, I should probably go cell only, but just haven't convinced myself to do it yet!  One reason it just I am not one that quickly embraces change (as evident with my presence here as still driving my 1990 Jeep except when I am driving my 1994 car ).  I also like my landline when I purchase or sign up for something and they force me to include a phone number, I can give them one that can't get text, and keep my cell off their spam list .

[AnotherOldJeepGuy]

8 hours ago, Manche757 said:

Hope that helps

That's a great summary, thanks for taking the time to write all that!  Sounds like ooma has potential.

[Ωhm]

5 minutes ago, AnotherOldJeepGuy said:

I also like my landline when I purchase or sign up for something and they force me to include a phone number, I can give them one that can't get text, and keep my cell off their spam list.

 

↑↑↑ Concur. Expensive but well worth it. ↑↑↑

[rokinn]

I've had Vonage voip pretty much since its inception.  My sister has Ooma.  We both have foreign family connections and needed inexpensive ways to call either Europe or Australia.  Currently I just use Telegram on my desktop or cell when necessary.  The ability to fax was a necessity for my business also.  I used to spend a lot of time in Europe and taking the router with me and just plugging it in made calling the U.S. a local call from there.  I keep it because there are too many things connected to that number, I also like it because that is the number I give out when a phone number is needed and only give out my cell number when absolutely necessary.  I get spam maybe 3 or 4 times a year on my cell that way.  Of course my cell is quite frequently sitting in my car with a dead, or near dead, battery anyway.  People know to call me on my voip.  I don't need to connect the voip to the house phone lines (though I could).  I just have a few of cordless phone placed strategically around the house.  I don't usually answer it unless the caller ID is someone I recognize.  Well worth it to me.

[Smokeyyank]

On 3/21/2025 at 6:14 AM, AnotherOldJeepGuy said:

Thanks, I'll look at the raspberry choice, I don't know if I want to tinker that way, but I might.  This approach is probably about what the ooma service is doing, then selling that.

 

 

I'm currently tinkering with something like this just way more advanced but basic premise is the same. I just picked up some used jabra 450s and then building the rest based on PI. From there will need try to figure some basic programming and use a voip provider. Tricky part with my set up is using DECT phone with a usb and not wanting tonuse a ATA. I'll let you know what I figure out. 

 

Just a side bar thought about the needing a phone number to complete a form type thing. I use my old companys fax number. Works like a charm. 

[AnotherOldJeepGuy]

Good luck @Smokeyyank, sounds like an interesting project!  Never played with a PI, have thought about it from time to time though.