http://www.teaneckshuls.org/SelectedPosts/TelephoneCarriers.htm
3/29/04
Verizon Freedom
http://www22.verizon.com/foryourhome/sas/FreedomLongDesc.asp?ID=FLD&State=NJ
Estimated Minimum Monthly Charges $54.95 (Total bill about $70?) + Int'l
Unlimited direct-dialed long distance calling anytime, anywhere in the U.S. and
Canada
Unlimited direct-dialed local and regional calling
Unlimited use of Home Voice Mail, Caller ID, Call Waiting, Speed Dialing 8 and
3-Way Calling Israel 14 cents
Save $5 on Verizon DSL w/ this plan. Save $5 on Verizon cell phone if
combine billing.
MCI Neighborhood
http://www.theneighborhood.com/res_local_service/jsps/default.jsp
Neighborhood Complete
49.99 PER MONTH (Total bill about $65?) + Int'l
Call anyone, anywhere in the U.S. at no extra charge includes all
state-to-state and in-state long distance calls Make your long distance calls
from home any time, any day of the week Unlimited local toll calls Make as many
regional and local toll calls to nearby towns or counties as you want at no
extra charge Unlimited local calls Make as many calls as you want, and talk for
as long as you wish, inside your local calling area Call Waiting, Caller ID,
Call Waiting ID, Speed Dial 8 and Three-Way Calling at no extra charge Personal
Voicemail & Message Center
Voicemail 1-888-624-5622
IDT America Unlimited
http://www.idt.net/products/ps
$39.95 a month (Total bill about $56) + Int'l
Unlimited Local; Unlimited Toll; Unlimited Long Distance; 6 Calling Features
Included.
Additional $2 monthly fee for Int'l 11cents to Israel or $4 monthly for 5
cents to Israel.. Canada's 5’ rate is included as part of basic domestic plan.
Call waiting, Caller ID, 3-way calling, etc. Don't have voicemail or DSL.
Sales 888-640-6929 Customer Service
800-889-9126
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From: peshalit@o...
Sent: April 29, 2004
Subject: Optonline phone service
Optonline has what sounds like a great deal for its Internet subscribers:
unlimited local/US/Canada calling for $34.95/month. But your old phone number
isn't portable. Does anyone have any experience with this phone service? Is it
worth the switch?
From: peshalit@o...
Summary of replies re Optonline phone service
On the plus side: clear sound; great customer service.
On the minus side: cable means that if electricity goes out, so does your phone
service.
Also, only national + Canada calls, no direct calling overseas.
You would lose your old phone #.
A few people recommended vonage.com to me, but I haven't yet had the op to check
them out.
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From: crshulman@a...
Sent: Tuesday, August 19, 2003 12:37 PM
To: teaneckshuls@yahoogroups.com
Subject: [TeaneckShuls] Re Canada & re Verizon Freedom Instead of MCI
Neighborhood
Verizon Freedom http://www.verizon.com
877-625-9538
for $54.95 a month has unlimited anywhere in the U.S. and to Canada
Israel 14 cents a minute. [Must sign up for $4 Int'l program]
Also, can arrange hunting to a no-long distance $15 a month only local calls
verizon 2nd-line, which can't do w/ MCI. Also, discount on Verizon DSL.
MCI Neighborhood
http://www.theneighborhood.com 877-777-6271 for 49.99 a month has
unlimited in U.S. only Also, to Israel, etc. can be several dollars a minute ]
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From: Caleb [Davenlater@a..]
Sent: Tuesday, January 06, 2004 6:58 PM
To: teaneckshuls@yahoogroups.com
Subject: [TeaneckShuls] Verizon's Call Intercept feature and Talking Call
Waiting
Verizon is now offering talking call waiting (while on a call, only you will
hear the telephone number of the person calling) for $1.95 a month.
Also Verizon just enhanced the Call Intercept feature. You can now turn on and
off call intercept anytime you like. What a relief! Only problem is Verizon
didn't bother to announce these improvements to their customers, other than in
the form of a small blurb in their December insert, which most people don't
read.
This information is public knowledge and an unscrupulous telemarketer could
bypass or override Call Intercept if you don't change your passcode!
Call 1-800-527-7070
When you hear "Welcome to Verizon's advanced services"
Dial the area code and phone number that has Call Intercept
A recording will say enter your passcode - dial the last 4 digits of your phone
number - a recording will ask you to enter a new passcode - please enter a
four-digit code that you will remember
You will now hear: Main menu
For call intercept, press... 14 (Note: There is a problem with Verzion's voice
prompt, their recording pauses as it asks you to enter Fourteen. What most end
up hearing, is: "Call Intercept, press one...OR...to change your PIN press 99 or
to exit the system press zero, followed by the pound key. It took a few calls to
realize that in this case OR is a Four.) The recording continues: To
change your PIN press 99 or to exit the system press zero followed by the pound
key.
If you enter 14 You will hear the following recording:
"Right now, call intercept is on, you are requiring people from unidentified
numbers to reveal who they are before you answer their call. You may hang up, or
to turn call intercept off press 2."
or for your secret override code options press 3 or for a helpful explanation of
these options, press zero
- - - - - -
From: LSrolovits@G..
To: [TeaneckShuls] Question Regarding Verizon vs IDT
3/24/2004
I am thinking of moving over to IDT for my phone service and have several
questions;
1) does anyone out there currently have IDT for their local and long distance -
how do you like it ?
2) I have been told that if there is anything wrong with your line on the
outside of your house and you call Verizon it will cost dearly and you will be
on the bottom of the list for service. Has anyone out there experienced
this ??
3) what is the quality of the connection both local and long distance ?
Thank you in advance if you answer my question. Leslie
Date: Mon, 29 Mar 2004
From: LSrolovits@G..
To: "'CRShulman@a..
I do have the responses. Here they are - it seems to me that there are several
issues;
1) are you willing to take the risk that your external line will not have
problems and the get major charges from Verizon if they do?
2) IDT does not have voice mail which means you have to lug out the old
answering machine.
3) The cost advertised is really not $39.99 it turns out that the cost is
actually the average bill is $56.05 with tax based on a rep of the company -
this includes long distance
4) quality of local lines are supposedly very good based on responses
5) one or two people complained about customer service and billing issues, they
sounded quite frustrated.
Response # 1
Hello there--I
just switched to IDT unlimited local, $28.95, and I find the connection quality
to be just the same. In the past I have had problems with their long distance
(billing conflicts w. local carrier, whole maaseh, very unpleasant), but w.
local (only) I am cautiously optimistic. For LD I use a phone card.
Response # 3
IDT's phone lines are OK, but their customer service is simply awful. Nothing
but headaches and frustration if you are trying to get a billing or other error
fixed, which happens often.
Response # 4
We recently switched to IDT for local and long distance. We were very surprised
at the price which was a little more than $70 after all the taxes and surcharges
[really about $56]. They advertise that it's $39.99
Response # 5
I switched to IDT from Verizon & Until (long distance).
I'VE SAVED A LOT OF $$
[re the quality of the connection,]
I SEE NO
DIFFERENCE. I SWITCHED TO SAVE $$
Response # 6
We switched to IDT and I don't see any difference in the quality of the
connection. They advertise $40 per month, but after paying all the taxes it
comes out to $55.
Response # 7
I have been using IDT for the last 5 months
(switched from Verizon). There has been no difference in quality of service
either local, domestic long distance or international (e.g. Israel). Quality is
excellent. I did ask IDT the question about service if there is a problem. They
said they send their own technicians when possible or they contract out to
Verizon. Frankly, unless you pay monthly for coverage with Verizon, they will
also charge you for repair in your house. Outside repairs are free they are
the responsibility of the utility. Inside the house your responsibility.
Chances are, you can solve your own problem in the house. Its almost always a
phone and not the wiring.
IDT also has a calling card that is unique. It allows you to make a call from
anywhere in the country using their 800 number. The call will be billed to your
home phone account. Great for traveling.
Response # 8
I have IDT for
regional and long distance and like it. I would not risk local because of what
you mention - had bad experience on this score with MCI and Verizon situation.
----------
From
yelkin@h... 8/4/05
Since this has come up a number of times recently, I'm hoping this posting can
help a bunch of people at once, instead of my responding to each individual
request:
1. One OV line is cheaper than one Verizon line.
2. OV call quality (in our experience) is at least as good.
3. OV generally has better international calling rates.
4. Getting your number listed (and, similarly, finding the number of an OV
customer) can be a bit of a headache, but many people I know prefer it that way.
5. OV can only supply one phone line per cable modem. For 2 lines, you would
need another modem. That eats up most of (if not all of) the potential cost
advantages.
6. In a blackout, VZ lines should still work; OV lines will not.
However,
there are cost-effective solutions (i.e. back-up batteries to plug in to the
wall socket) that will keep your service running in the event of a blackout.
7. If you use traditional phone lines for your alarm/security monitoring system,
you can switch to using a cellular transmitter.