How to Use Vonage VoIP Phone Service

So you just opened up your phone bill, and that call to Aunt Martha ran you $10! It would have only been $6 after 6 p.m., and less still if you'd waited until later in the evening. But it would have been more on Tuesdays in March. You've had it with your phone service! You decide to leap into the 21st century and set up a VoIP (Voice Over Internet Protocol) system. Hooking up such a system through Vonage is not complicated, and the billing is straightforward-one price per month whether you call next door, or one of many places in Europe.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Sign Up

1. 1

   Check your available bandwidth. Vonage claims a minimum requirement for 90 Kbps (kilobits per second) but as is the case with all bandwidth, more is better. You can check your available bandwidth at www.vonage.com. Look under the help menu and click on the question "How can I test my upload speed?"

2. 2

   Select your equipment and configuration. Vonage requires a VoIP phone adapter device. The device can be obtained three ways:
   • directly through Vonage by signing up on www.vonage.com.
   • by signing up for Vonage by phone at 1-800-980-1455.
   • by purchasing the equipment at most electronics chain stores.
   
   If you decide to get the adapter directly from Vonage, they will ship it to you at cost, usually within 24 hours.
   
   Note: There are always at least two devices for free. The devices available at retailers as well some of the more complex devices from Vonage are available for purchase.
   
   

3. 3

   Sign up through the Vonage website. Simply click on the "Sign Up" tab and follow the seven steps listed. You will need to provide a credit or debit card for billing purposes. Also, you will have to provide information for 911 emergency calling and an alternate number to which to have your calls forwarded if your Internet service is interrupted. You have the option of keeping your existing phone number or getting a new one from Vonage.

Hook up the VoIP adapter

4. 1

   First pick a spot for your VoIP adapter. Vonage recommends that the device be at least 4 feet from your modem or router to avoid interference.

5. 2

   Choose how you want to operate your phone(s). There are two basic configuration options. Either plug a cordless phone directly into the Vonage VoIP adapter, or you can attempt to hook the adapter into the existing phone wiring in your home or office. The latter choice is far more complicated and may require professional installation. If you feel brave enough to try it on your own, the Vonage website provides a "Do-It-Yourself Wiring Guide."

6. 3

   Hook up the device. Each adapter has its individual specifications that arrive with the adapter, or online, but the basic configuration is the same. The adapter is connected to either your broadband modem or broadband router depending on the configuration of your individual network. From there, whether the phone is hooked into the adapter or the adapter is hooked into your home wiring depends on the decision you made in step 2.

Use It

7. 1

   Once you get it all hooked up, getting and receiving calls with Vonage is the same as with any phone.

8. 2

   Caller ID and Call Waiting are also the same.

9. 3

   Voicemail has a number of options. Once you set up your mailbox according to the provided options you can get you messages in one of three ways.
   
   • From your phone by dialing *123 or calling the access number in your area (provided by Vonage).
   • From the Vonage website, using your username and password.
   • From your email. If you prefer, Vonage will send your messages to the email address of your choice as a .wav file attachment.
   
   

10. 4

    From the Vonage website using your username and password you can forward your calls, look at your received and sent calls and access other features.

Other Important Features

11. 1

    The Vonage system is completely portable. You can call from anywhere you have broadband access (as long as you have a computer, your VoIP adapter device and a phone).

12. 2

    Vonage also offers "virtual numbers" that will ring to your home number. This is very handy if you are in San Francisco and want to open a "branch office" in New York. You can get a virtual number with a New York area code. A call to the virtual number will ring at your San Francisco location.

Tips & Warnings

• It is possible to buy a combination VoIP adapter/cordless phone from many retailers and from Vonage directly. They run approximately $60-$100.
• While the rates and convenience of VoIP may be very appealing, the system lives and dies with the dependability of your Internet connection. If your Internet service is down so is your phone.
• Depending on your existing carrier, switching over your current phone number can take up to two weeks.

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on 8/22/2008 Vonage lies about their service and badgers handicapped people into agreeing to try their service. They are not ethical and outright charged my debit card after I told them I was NOT authorizing a charge to it. I'm pretty sure this is illegal. You can hardly understand their representatives as 2 out 2 initially did not speak English as their first language and were hard to understand. I wouldn't recommend Vonage even if there were no other companies available.