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[telecom] POTS replacement suggestions?

I still have POTS at home. Line 1 has been the traditional "home" line that I retain largely because my mother calls that number rather than my cell. Line 2 was my business line at home; it is the number I've had on my resume and business cards for many years (and was my outgoing fax/dial-up Internet too; I retained dial-up Internet for backup until last year).

I'm tired of paying almost $80/month/line when I don't make calls on them.

I am looking for the cheapest way to replace the incoming lines with something that routes calls to those numbers to independent voice- mailboxes. I don't need to use them to make outgoing calls. I don't really need to answer calls to those numbers either (although that might be nice). I do want to retain those numbers though.

For similar reasons, I don't want to give up my existing cell number.

I have highspeed internet at home (cable), and I have a Windows-based PC that runs all the time (providing a flight tracking data feed), and an android tablet and smartphones.

Suggestions?

- David

Reply to
David B. Horvath, CCP
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VoIP, of course, assuming that you can port the numbers (I think that cost me $25 plus $1/mo) and that your Internet is reliable (fast isn't a big deal, phones don't use much bandwidth). I can only really speak to service from VOIP.MS, but that runs something like $7/mo per line for me (cheaper if you don't care about 911, CID, ported numbers) and comes with voicemail (delivered by email, if you wish). It requires an ATA box ($50 or so one-time). It can forward calls, which you want, and do a lot of other things that you don't care about. Their website is sorta confusing, best if you're interested to call and talk to a human. I've been using them for maybe 10 years with never a problem aside from an occasional echo.

Other VoIP suppliers may be similar, better, or worse. They all probably have better prices than what you're paying.

Reply to
Dave Garland

In article you write:

Keep in mind that your POTS line will keep working when the power fails, even as your VoIP and cell batteries go dead. You might want to keep one of them.

I've been happy with Callcentric,

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who sell unbundled VoIP services. Domestic US incoming numbers are $2/month plus 1.5c/minute, or $6/mo and no per minute. Voicemail is free, you can pick it up on your website, or by calling your number, or they can e-mail you audio files.

If you want actual phonecalls, get a cheap VoIP adapter liks a Sipura/Linksys SPA-1001 which is about $15 on ebay, plug one side into your Internet router and the other side into a phone, and now that's your phone, with voicemail for when you don't answer it. That's what I use, a two line POTS phone, line 1 is the real POTS line, line 2 is VoIP. Or if you prefer you can get a VoIP desk or cordless phone for $50 to $200 depending on how fancy.

Callcentric has a lot of options that you can pick and choose for what works for you. They can port most US or Canada numbers, usually a one-time $10 fee, currently waived.

R's, John

Reply to
John Levine

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