I opted out of cable Internet because the service isn't as good for VoIP. Unfortunately, I selected Verizon DSL. They're a royal pain to deal with. As soon as it's convenient I plan to switch to another provider. It took over two weeks to get set up and still another week to get problems straightened out.
The DSL service itself is OK as long as you select a high enough speed. I get fairly consistent download speeds of ~2.8mB and about 700kB upload, which is plenty for the VoIP system. I'm told it will be enough to handle my network, several on premises VoIP stations and an Asterisk box which we'll probably add next year.
BTW, speaking of VoIP, I've been testing Polycom's SoundPoint IP 501 phones and they're really terrific. We can transfer calls between stations on and off premises, even across international borders as easily as between stations in my home / office.
Notwithstanding opposition from the alarm industry, I expect that VoIP will pretty much obsolesce POTS lines in the next five to ten years. Much as you may not like it, this is what's coming for telephone service. Those who adapt to the new technology will fare much better than those who insist on staying with the old methods.
Regards, Robert L Bass
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