Cheapest phone line service provider?? - Calgarypuck Forums - The Unofficial Calgary Flames Fan Community

Nabber · 01-31-2006, 03:01 PM

Hey guys, looks like I have to get a phone line for my house and I’m not really sure what my options are other than Telus. I want the cheapest alternative there is so does anyone have any recommendations on maybe a smaller company I can go with. Not looking to bundle cable or anything, just want the simplest phone line I can get.

Reaper · 01-31-2006, 03:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nabber

Hey guys, looks like I have to get a phone line for my house and I’m not really sure what my options are other than Telus. I want the cheapest alternative there is so does anyone have any recommendations on maybe a smaller company I can go with. Not looking to bundle cable or anything, just want the simplest phone line I can get.

If you have cable internet then Vonage would be your cheapest. Only $19.99 per month.

ken0042 · 01-31-2006, 03:33 PM

If you are looking at POTS, then the last time I looked they were about the same price. A buck or two either way. Don't be fooled by the price for the 1st 3 months.

If you use a lot of long distance, then Shaw might be the cheapest.

And as Reaper mentions, VoIP is another option that is a lot cheaper. I have heard of mixed issues that somethimes makes it "Not Wife Friendly." (How long will you have VoIP if she burns up her cell minutes having you explain how to re-boot the router.)

Nabber · 01-31-2006, 04:14 PM

Thanks a lot guys, I won't be using the phone at all for long distance and will barely use it at all just need it for work to upgrade this keypad at night. I have cable internet so I'll will check out vonage, thanks Reaper. Not wife friendly isn't a problem either.

Engine09 · 01-31-2006, 05:31 PM

I have Vonage. For the price, it's alright.

You get some echo once in a while, and sometime a delay that kinda screws up your conversation because you start talking over the other person. But 80% of the time, it's fine.

But I rarely talk on the phone, works fine for me. If you're a woman who likes to spend hours blabbing, then don't go with Vonage.

BlackArcher101 · 01-31-2006, 05:52 PM

I recently dumped Vonage. Tried it for 20 days before it annoyed me so much that I got my money back. My internet reliability is just fine, however the vonage service was not. I would get echo's, call display not working, no dial tone, and I couldn't call some 1-800 numbers because they were Canada only numbers and vonage routes through the USA.

I use a fair bit of long distance, so I have Shaw coming out to install their digital phone on thursday. If you don't use long distance that much, I would just get the run of the mill telus line, which is $28. For me, Shaw is actually a better deal than Telus (long distance again).

Another VOIP option other than Vonage is Primus. Seen their kits at Future Shop and Best Buy, but never tried them. http://www.primustel.ca/en/residenti...and/index.html Looks like $15.95 for basic. You also get 125 air miles!

Incinerator · 01-31-2006, 09:05 PM

Rogers or Sprint has home phone service, but my advice if you don't use your home line a lot is to ditch it altogether and just stick with the cell.

Tower · 01-31-2006, 09:21 PM

You can bundle if you haver a cell with Rogers - home line LD and internet and get a discount. Rogers.com - EWWW I'm a car salesman

BlackArcher101 · 01-31-2006, 10:48 PM

Rogers internet isn't available in Alberta.

edit: God I hate rogers' website. Part of it says Home Phone is available in Alberta but high speed internet isn't. Then another part says home phone isn't available, but high speed internet is. Yikes. It's better when it's down and not working.

Bill Bumface · 02-01-2006, 09:08 AM

www.primus.ca

95% of my calls are crystal clear.

ken0042 · 02-01-2006, 09:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hulkrogan

95% of my calls are crystal clear.

Which is the very reason I am aprehensive about getting VoIP. With my luck when I would try to call my grandma is when I would get a bad connection. She has enough trouble hearing me on a good connection.

Bill Bumface · 02-01-2006, 09:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ken0042

Which is the very reason I am aprehensive about getting VoIP. With my luck when I would try to call my grandma is when I would get a bad connection. She has enough trouble hearing me on a good connection.

A hangup and call back has fixed it every single time something funny has happened.

Bill Bumface · 02-01-2006, 09:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fotze

She hears me just fine

I have shaw phone and it was extremely problematic at first, they had to come out about 5 times and eventually replaced every line from the alley to the house and it has been great ever since. I do hear the odd echo.

Why would you pay that much? Just curious. Are their long distance packages bettter?

I remember shaw phone being something like $40 or $50 a month, where as Primus is $21 with tax and every feature you can name.

Morozee · 02-01-2006, 09:59 AM

I have Shaw Digital phone here in Winnipeg. I got it the first week it was available in July/05. There were issues for a few months with people trying to phone us from northern manitoba. They would constantly get an "All circuits are busy..." signal. So they'd have to phone our cell phone, then we'd call them back with the Shaw line. It was quite annoying, particulary if we had our cell phone off... nobody could get a hold of us. Of course I complained and Shaw gave us a few weeks credit. We haven't had any problem for the last 3 months or so. Must have just taken a little while to work the bugs out of a new system. BTW Shaw charges $55/month for the all inlcusive package (out here anyway).

Sidney Crosby's Hat · 02-01-2006, 10:28 AM

http://www.babytel.ca/

Bill Bumface · 02-01-2006, 10:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fotze

Phone the US at least every day and Denmark once a week, how is that vonage thing for that? My internet connection seems a little shaky so for that I give shaw more business

. My wife would not stand for any phone bugger ups and was pretty close to cancelling shaw. I think we got a couple free months out of the deal.

I have no idea about vonage, but I think dialing international with Primus is a no-go. You have to use 1-800 access numbers. I know they have an unlimited North America plan, and I think thats int he $40 something range.

Nabber · 02-01-2006, 03:47 PM

Thanks for the info guys, looks like Primus is gonna be the winner at 21 bucks a month you can't go wrong even with the odd incident, thanks Hulk.

Engine09 · 02-01-2006, 04:34 PM

It does sound like Primus has better audio quality.

Just for your info, I paid $85 CAD for my Vonage Router, someone has told me that new subscribers are getting them for free. Not sure if that is accurate.

How much is the Primus router?

FlamesKickAss · 02-02-2006, 01:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hulkrogan

Why would you pay that much? Just curious. Are their long distance packages bettter?

I remember shaw phone being something like $40 or $50 a month, where as Primus is $21 with tax and every feature you can name.

You mean in North America??? Cuz its included in the 55/mo.

Bill Bumface · 02-02-2006, 08:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kryzsky

It does sound like Primus has better audio quality.

Just for your info, I paid $85 CAD for my Vonage Router, someone has told me that new subscribers are getting them for free. Not sure if that is accurate.

How much is the Primus router?

Primus router is free!

Don't forget to get your airmiles. I think you have to sign up online for that. The router will show up in the mail shortly after.