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Choosing a VoIP Service Provider
Given the bewildering array of companies advertising VoIP service, a potential user needs to be armed with some information about VoIP in general, as well as some specific information about individual providers. In this article, we will discuss some of the things to look for when choosing a VoIP provider, and give a comparison of the 5 of the top providers.
What to Look for in a VoIP Provider
We will look briefly at six areas that you should consider when choosing a VoIP provider:
Good selection of monthly plans – You should make sure that the provider you are considering offers a plan that meets your needs. In addition, if you only intend to try basic VoIP service at first, you should make sure that the provider has a number of options available if you decide to upgrade your service to another plan.
Most providers offer Basic and Unlimited plans with the major difference being that the Basic plans will include a limited number of local and long-distance minutes per month. You should also check to determine the charge for additional minutes if you purchase a plan with limited minutes. Also, look to see whether or not the provider offers a free trial – this could be important if you are new to VoIP.
Included Features – You should look closely at the list of features included with basic service from a given provider. You can oftentimes save a considerable amount by not having to pay extra monthly fees for services that you need. Basic features to look for include caller id, call waiting id, call forwarding, three-way calling, call blocking and voicemail. Most providers offer these features in their basic service, but you should check the provider’s website closely. Advanced features to look for include enhanced voicemail, in-network calling, and unique features such as Vonage’s Click-2-Call which allows you to click on a phone number anywhere on your computer and have it dialed by the VoIP service.
Availability and Cost of Add-On Features – Some of the add-on features to look for when choosing a provider include add a line, virtual phone number, PC softphone, dedicated fax service and inbound 800 toll-free service. Prices for these add-ons vary widely among providers, so you should check the provider website closely if any of these features are important to you.
Ease of Installation – This is an area that you should consider closely. The best information concerning ease of installation is available in comparison studies done by sites such as PC Magazine and Consumer Reports. You should look for a provider that has a history of simplifying the installation process as much as possible, and has the fewest reported problems with installation.
Technical and Customer Support – Check the provider’s website for availability and type of technical and customer support. Be sure to check the available hours as well. Again, the best information as to quality of support is available at sites such as PC Magazine and Consumer Reports. Both of these sites have done extensive user surveys to compare various VoIP providers.
Hardware Compatibility – Particularly if you plan to use third-party VoIP hardware, you should check to make sure that the protocols used by a particular provider are supported by a number of different hardware manufacturers. You should choose a provider that is large enough that hardware manufacturers have begun to manufacture equipment that is compatible with the provider’s protocols. The best place to determine this is by checking the specifications on the hardware devices you are considering. In addition, before purchasing a particular piece of hardware, you should contact the provider you are considering to make sure that they have not experienced problems with that particular manufacturer or piece of hardware.
Provider Comparison
To help simplify the process of choosing a VoIP service provider, we have provided a comparison table that lists the various plans offered and their pricing, setup costs – including the cost of ATAs or routers, and a number of additional included or add-on features. All of the information in the table below was taken from the individual provider’s websites.
Vonage |
Verizon |
AT&T |
Lingo |
|
| Basic Monthly Plan (Residential) | $17.99 500 minutes US and
Canada |
19.95 500 minutes |
19.99 Unlimited local |
14.95 500 minutes |
| Additional Minutes Charge | 3.9 cents |
4 cents |
4 cents - Long Distance |
3 cents |
| Unlimited Plan (Residential) | $24.99 US, Canada & Europe |
$24.95 |
$24.99 |
$21.95 |
| Setup Fee | $29.99 |
$19.95 |
$29.99 |
$29.95 |
| Free trial | 30 days |
No |
30 days |
30 days |
| Cost for Adapter | Free after instant rebate |
Included in setup fee |
Included in setup fee |
Shipping fee $9.95 |
| PC Softphone | Yes |
No |
Separate plan required |
No |
| Add a line | Varies with plan |
$7.95/mo. |
$19.99-$24.99/mo. |
$4.95/mo. |
| 1-800 number | 4.99/mo. for 100 inbound minutes |
No |
No |
4.95/mo. for 100 inbound minutes |
| Virtual phone number | $4.99/mo. |
Yes, at signup |
Yes, at signup |
$4.95/mo. |
| Fax Line | $9.99/mo. - included with
business plan |
No |
No |
Business plan only |
| Unlimited In-Network Calling | Yes |
Yes |
No |
Yes |
Summary
As you can see, plans and pricing among VoIP service providers vary considerably. Hopefully this article has better prepared you for choosing a plan that meets your budget and has the features that are important to you.