rec.autos.simulators

Well, in my house if the power goes out (which is prone to do in storms) my
phone works (good old style wired phone).  2nd, my isp has NOT been
flawless, there's been times they have been down for hours in my area, with
IPphones I could nt even call them to beyotch about it, because obviously
they wouldnt work either.

and there is that 3rd thing, it is never what is seems, huh?

Larry enlightened us with:

I use VOIP for my work as I'm on the phone some 6 hours a day easily.

-Larry

I currently pay $49 (Total, includes all "fees" and taxes) a month to
Verizon for my phone service which includes all the basics, Caller ID,
Call Waiting, etc.   I also pay $77 a month for me and my wife's Verizon
Wireless plan - which I signed up for a plan that gives us more minutes
than we'll ever need.  I think we get like 500 minutes a month or
something and I don't recall ever using more than 200 combined - and
that was with me doing some calls when out of the office for work.  I
generally use my cell phone to make all long distance calls as well.

I have DSL, and although I could go with a dry line with COVAD, I just
hate to mess with the good thing I have.  In other words, right now my
COVAD 3.0/768 line is rock solid even though I pay $89 a month for it.
But at least I don't have any restrictions on the use as I run a couple
of personal file/ftp servers on it.  I've only been down maybe 2 or 3
times in over 6 years and never more than a few hours or maybe some
minor DNS server issues.  Converting to a dry line would probably work
if I could keep my existing service up and running until the dry line
was up - otherwise I risk being without service for several days, and we
can't have that!  ;)   But with the cost differential, I'm probably only
saving $15 a month and It's not worth the hastle.

However, for our situation, I just think VoIP will be a great thing.
We've moved late last year and to reconnect the land line will costs us
$55+ on connection charge.  My husband and I both have cellphones and
we have hi-speed internet.  The land line just don't seem as needed.
However, it's a good option to have when our free mins is running out
on the cell or battery is dying...  We can call forward our cell...

Ever since the city is threated to shut down power from time to time,
we also have a backup power install in our unit.  That will last for
few hours so that we're not get caught without preparation.  That seems
also help our on VoIP if it's needed.

However, the only down side is if service provider is down.  We're
toast...

VoIP is really tempting because I think we've spend too much money on
communication.  We 2 *** in a family with a 2 year old, we've spend
almost $200/mth on phones and internet before.  The land line will
costs us $23+tax/mth and that only sit there collect junk voice
message.  So, that is the first to go.

I suppose many people is more less in the same situation as we do.  We
think VoIP is a good alternatives.

BTW, we are location in Toronto Canada.

Jackie

-Larry