[AccessD] Vonage

*******************************************************************
Item                                      Quantity  Unit   Subtotal
*******************************************************************
Motorola Device                               1     $0.00     $0.00
Area Code: 315 - Syracuse                     1     $0.00     $0.00
Activation Fee                                1    $29.99    $29.99
*Residential Basic 500                        1    $14.99    $14.99
                                -----------------------------------

                                      State Sales Tax:        $0.00
                                      Federal Excise Tax:     $1.35
                                      Regulatory Recovery Fee:$1.50
                                      Shipping:               $9.95
                                      Total:                 $57.78

* Monthly Recurring Charge.
*******************************************************************

This does not include a charge of approximately $30 which you will be
charged for if you do not return the modem at the end of service.

Now understand that the telephone company charged me a $60 activation fee
when I moved from one location to another location down the road 1/2 mile.
All just to change my billing from one jack to another in a switchboard.
Hmmm...

In addition, ATM the Vonage $14.99 is a flat monthly fee, no taxes or other
regulatory charges added.  My land line STARTS at 11.53 for flat residence
line, plus 5.78 federal subscriber line charge, plus 1.43 Connecticut sales
tax, plus .73 federal tax plus .20 E911 surcharge, plus .05 Connecticut
Service Fund, plus .39 number portability charge, plus .56 Universal Service
fund (local), plus .14 Universal Service Fund (Long Distance). Talk about
nickel and dimeing you to death!

I NEVER get out with under $25 on a "11.50" phone line, and with all the
"short" long distance, I rarely get out for under ~$35 WITHOUT long
distance, which is $.10/minute.  For a couple of years I have used a prepaid
calling card which I programmed into my phone to get my long distance for
$.039 per minute (slowly inching up, now $.045).

Of course I also have to pay for my blazing fast internet connection, which
is a ridiculous $45 / month.  Makes the $15 ($25/$35) phone bill seem rather
inconsequential.  But I could never go back to dialup so since I have this
blazing fast internet, I might as well piggyback my phone off of it.

I am pleased to say it is working great so far.

John W. Colby
www.ColbyConsulting.com

-----Original Message-----
From: accessd-bounces at databaseadvisors.com
[mailto:accessd-bounces at databaseadvisors.com]On Behalf Of Christopher
Hawkins
Sent: Tuesday, January 27, 2004 5:23 PM
To: accessd at databaseadvisors.com
Subject: RE: [AccessD] Vonage


$15/month sounds great, but what about setup fees or equipment
expenses?  What's the "out the door" price look like?

-Christopher-

---- Original Message ----
From: JColby at dispec.com
To: accessd at databaseadvisors.com,
Subject: RE: [AccessD] Vonage
Date: Tue, 27 Jan 2004 15:05:07 -0500

>I received the phonemodem last night.  Plugged it in (behind my
>router for
>those interested), waited 5 minutes, then picked up the receiver and
>made a
>call.  Extremely easy to set up.
>
>The sound so far is crystal clear, no clicks / pops or echoes.  I
>have a
>brand new ATT 2ghz cordless phone system which I plugged in to it.
>I can't
>tell the difference between this and the landline.
>
>I haven't done any heavy duty uploads / downloads though I will be
>doing
>some testing in the next few days.
>
>I went with the $15 / month package for 500 total minutes - local
>and long
>distance, with anything after that billed at $.039 / minute.  If my
>useage
>averages more than 500 minutes I'll move up to the $25 package with
>unlimited local and 500 long distance minutes.  Given my useage
>patterns I
>may very well end up with a $15 / month phone including long
>distance.
>
>So far so good.
>
>John W. Colby
>The database guy