Columnist Dumps SBC For VOIP

Mike Wendland, in his column for the Detroit Free Press, discusses how he switched from traditional landline telephone service to Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP), and how he is overall satisfied with the system, but keeps his cell phone around in case power goes out.

I pulled the plug on my SBC landline and -- gulp -- now rely totally on Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) for my home telephone service.

Aside from the geeky and cumbersome VoIP moniker, I've seen very little difference between using the Internet to call and the way it's always been with SBC, or Ameritech or Michigan Bell.

I started experimenting with VoIP a couple of months ago when I signed up for SunRocket, a Virginia-based VoIP provider

that offers a pay-a-year-in-advance rate of $199.

For that I get unlimited local and long-distance calls within the United States and Canada, caller ID, two free wireless phones and a host of cool new features.

The verdict is out on how it affects the rest of my Internet operations, but overall, I see no serious issues.

Besides unlimited local calls and long distance, SunRocket has a great Web interface that e-mails me my voicemail when I'm on the road.

There's also a "follow me" feature that rings my cell phone if the main phone isn't answered after a few rings.

My experience has been that reaching SunRocket's technical support is extremely difficult.

With enhanced 911 service, the emergency operator automatically receives the name, address and origination phone number of the caller, so time isn't lost in an emergency giving a location.

Does the VoIP phone work with a fax machine or burglar alarm?

As far as fax services go, SunRocket says it supports it, but you need a machine that uses what is known as the T.38 standard for real-time fax over Internet Protocol networks.

Precisely because of the fact that VoIP is dependent on AC power and Internet service, I would recommend that most people call SBC and keep the cheapest service they can on a landline.

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[TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: Some of us dumped SBC a couple years ago to get better and less expensive service from Vonage. And I agree with Wendland on keeping a cellular phone for emergencies as needed. PAT]