Need New Phone Service Package? (1 Viewer)

[Johnny Angell]

We will be moving from Little Rock to Jacksonville, FL soon. The phone company there is Bell South. Since I currently have 2 DirecTVivos and a couple Sony receivers that require phone lines, I currently don't have the choice of dropping my landline service.

Bell South has a package That includes Complete Choice Plan (all available calling features), $.10 a minute long distance, DSL (up 1.5bps), Cingular GSM 450 anytime minutes, DirecTV service (Total choice with local channels, I think?). The total is $138.93. If I go with a less expensive land line plan, the price goes up because you lose other discounts.

Seem like a good deal? They only thing that demands we have a landline is DSL & our DirecTV. Both Tivos have a lifetime tivo service on them. I think we have Comcast in our area, but I really like DirecTV. Are their tivos for directv that don't require a phoneline? One of our tivos is a 100+ hour tivo, so I'd hate to lose it.

Are there other combos of service that would be better and/or less expensive?

 

[Leila Dougan]

DTV receivers only need the phone line to transmit PPV usage. I haven't had my connected to a phone line in 6 months and all is well. Since it gets all the guide data via the satellite, you don't really need the phone line. I have no idea about the Sony receivers, though.

If you have regular TiVos they still need to talk, obviously, to get the guide data. But using a wireless USB adapter will fix that.

Of course getting the DSL pretty much means you'll need phone service too. Some DSL providers will run it on a dry pair, but good luck with that.

I have DTV and still use Comcast for my cable modem (DSL not available in my area). I get the limited basic cable plan so that my internet is cheaper (comcast loves to gouge the customer). But that also means I can run the cable to the TV in the spare bedroom, the one that rarely gets used, without having to pay for an additional receiver. The setup was a little complicated, but in the end a very workable solution.

 

[Johnny Angell]

I used to have the tivo attached to one of those wireliess phone jacks, because I didn't have phone jack near it. Every so often, the wireless jack would not work. The tivo would then give me a message saying it hadn't been able to make a call in more than 30 days and that I had beter get if fixed.

I just checked and it last made a call on 11/2 and will make one tonight too. I guess it could be because we have used ppv a little.

Still, I thought the tivos made the calls to verify it was still at the location it was supposed to be.

 

[SarahG]

So if I get TiVo and get rid of my phone line because I'm switching to VoIP, is there any way for the Tivo to get guide updates and any other software updates it needs? I can't justify not going with VoIP at this point, but I also want Tivo.

 

[Kyle McKnight]

I would never go onlye VOIP since if power goes out, there goes your phone.....and :frowning: :frowning: 1.5bps.....um, what year is it? haha j/k

 

[Johnny Angell]

VOIP (voice over internet protocol?). Actually I guess I've never thought much about it, but you're right, no power no phone, unless you have a cell phone.

Kyle, what are you using for internet access? Bell South has higher speeds but they cost more.

BTW, how do they restrict the speed you get on DSL anyway?

 

[Christ Reynolds]

1.5 bits per second? you're getting ripped off!

CJ

 

[Kyle McKnight]

Johnny, my laugh at the speed was as Christ pointed out Right now I'm on Comcast Cable, 3mbps/256kbps for $44.99/month. By the end of December I'm supposed Verizon FIOS is supposed to be here, which means 5mbps/2mbps for $39.99/month!

 

[Patrick_L]

voip + cellular is the way to go and will be the way to go for many soon.

 

[Johnny Angell]

How do you get your basic phone service, a phone company or Cable? Comcast is available in the area we'll be moving too. If I had phone service through them and internet, and the smallest cable package I could buy, I wonder if I could hook up my tivo's phone connection to the cable phone connection?

I wouldn't mind 3mbps but I'm satisfied with 1.5mbps and I don't want to pay $45 a month.

What is Verizon FIOS, is wireless access?

 

[DaveNel]

I just switched to time warner digital phone:

Here is the cost of it.

Service cost $39.99 for everything.

All long distance in the US is free
call waiting. caller ID, 3 way calling, Everything all
other phone companies charge is free. all you pay is $39.99
a month and thats it.

 

[DaveNel]

I also forgot to add, You can also keep your existing phone number

They have so many features on this system its unreal and its all free.

 

[Eric Kahn]

I only have 1.5 MBS because of my crappy phone lines, my service is like 4.5 MBS but it is good enough for me

the other alternative would be to give money to worthless warner cable for a cable modem, not going to happen

I have a dishplayer dishnetwork box with no land line hooked to it

 

[SarahG]

I would never give up my cell phone, but having VoIP is a cheap supplement to my cell, that's for sure. Seems it's just getting cheaper and cheaper. We are looking at a provider called SunRocket that offers a prety cheap plan, good international rates, etc.



I guess having the cell phone is the solution to the power outages....don't really see another way unless every everywhere eventually goes wifi and voip can adapt to that in some way.

 

[John Alvarez]

Unless there is a hurricane and it knocks out power to the towers.....

 

[SarahG]

well, I guess that's true. I guess right now, though, the benefits of VoIP for me out-weigh the chance the cell towers where I am get taken down in a hurricane...but it could def happen. We are about to sign up for the service and I'm excited to get it all set up.

I still think the solution to this will ultimately come in the way of some huge wifi network...but who knows. Could that work?