Computers & Electronics

Got rid of high cost home phone...alternative options?

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  • Dec 23rd, 2015 1:14 pm
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Deal Addict
Sep 1, 2011
1886 posts
390 upvotes
Toronto
Parents got bell as well for landline but Rogers bundle (cell internet cable) - want to keep same number and looking for one with cheap call to HongKong.

Should I go with Rogers wireless home phone? Where can I get device for cheap?

For VoIP, it looks like I can try FPL for a week or two to test with temp number before making switch? Where can I get device for cheap? Amazon or Costco at $100?
Deal Expert
User avatar
Dec 7, 2012
32228 posts
8694 upvotes
GTHA
azybcxrfd wrote: For VoIP, it looks like I can try FPL for a week or two to test with temp number before making switch? Where can I get device for cheap? Amazon or Costco at $100?
During Boxing week (25th -31st), you can get the OBi200 for $39.99 with free shipping at Newegg.ca
newegg-ca-obi200-39-99cad-obi202-59-99c ... k-1882793/

To use FPL with a Analog Telephone Adapter (ATA) device, you will need to get a VoIP unlock key ($69.95 + tax)

If setup Google Voice on OBi200, you can call Hong Kong for 3c per minute.

Voip.ms is also another option. You can find their rates at https://voip.ms/rates.php
Member
May 24, 2011
261 posts
34 upvotes
MONTR
We have Ooma Premier service. Ported our number plus they gave us a second number in an other area. We chose a local number elsewhere in Canada where we have family so its a local call for them. Also have unlimited NA all for 14$/m.
Very happy with the product.
Deal Addict
Jan 18, 2009
3363 posts
1990 upvotes
vkizzle wrote: $10 extra on top of the standard $4 fee...$14/month.
It's not cheap compared to the other voip solutions, but it comes with tons of features.

Another example (premiere service), you get two separate phone numbers and can setup a neat "call forwarding" feature. which can ring your homephone and cell at the same time (never miss a homephone call again).
With an obi you can do it without paying the 10$/month. My incoming calls via FPL ring my phone and my TV ;)

FPL, iirc, gives you 1 incoming channel and 2 outgoing channels. Ie, you can make calls even your wife still talking on the call she received earlier.

I've used ooma for 2 months then returned it to Costco. Ooma's voice quality (with my internet connection) is clearly inferior to FPL's (with an obi200). I got used to it, but missus vetoed it, so the telo went back to Costco.
Member
Mar 14, 2009
260 posts
195 upvotes
Toronto
bogolisk wrote: ...
FPL, iirc, gives you 1 incoming channel and 2 outgoing channels. Ie, you can make calls even your wife still talking on the call she received earlier.
...
Interesting. How do you do that? Is there any setup need to be done on obi ?
Deal Addict
Jan 18, 2009
3363 posts
1990 upvotes
boon1 wrote: Interesting. How do you do that? Is there any setup need to be done on obi ?
For the obi200: omplicated but yes. There is a doc for setting up an IP phone with the obi. A sip client would qualify as an IP phone. I use a sip app on my cell and on my android tvbox.

For the obi202: just plug in a 2nd phone. If phone 1 received a call (and still talking), phone 2 can be used to make an outgoing call.
Deal Addict
Jan 18, 2009
3363 posts
1990 upvotes
Hearing all the praises from Ooma users and the fact that Costco sells it, it was Missus's first choice for VoIP. We used the Ooma telo for 2 months. In the end, I was willing to live with its poor voice quality but Missus kicked it out. During the last 2 weeks of the telo in our house, we also have the ob200+fpl activated, so we can pretty much do A/B comparison. The obi200+FPL's voice quality was clearly superior to the ooma and that was it for the ooma telo.

There are some minor annoyances with the default obi settings (delay after dialing), but if you're a diy tinkerer type, you would be able fix it pretty easily. I figured it out after 1 week, and completely rewrote all the digitmaps. I understand why obi set the defaults that way but for me it was silly.

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