[blu] broadband phones?

[bbj at innismir.net (Ben Jackson)]

Mike Gorse wrote:

> Does anyone have any experience with broadband phone providers (such as 
> vonage.com)?  People say that they hook up to your computer, which would 
> make me think that I'd probably have to run some proprietary Windows 
> software in order to use it, but people we've talked to say that you 
> don't have to keep your computer on in order to use it, which makes me 
> think that it doesn't require any software to run, so I'm all confused.

I used to use VoicePulse (I always go with the underdog). What they 
provided me with was a Sipura 200 Analog Terminal Adapter (ATA). What an 
ATA does is it converts network signals over to phone signals. What you 
do is plug Ethernet into one side and the plug your phone into the 
other. Works like a charm.

I believe Vonage provides you with a Cisco ATA-186 for the same purpose.

I also think Vonage does provides a SoftPhone feature which only works 
on Windows. That may be what you're thinking of, but that's extra.

After VP, I graduated and now use NuFone combined with Asterisk, which I 
give a big thumbs up. :)

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