best VOIP for nude/hippie DSL?

 

   I just got my first phone bill for our new house.  We are moving just
15 miles, but it is from a house where AT&T does the local phone
service, to one where Verizon does the local phone service.

   Taxes included, we are going from a grand total of $23 with AT&T to
nearly $30 a month with Verizon.  The service is exactly the same -
unlimited local calling.

   Now I had no problem with paying about $23 a month, but I do have an
issue with paying 30% more for the same thing.  It is enough of a
difference that I started looking into alternatives.

   Well, I found out that naked/nude/dry/hippie DSL is available through
Verizon for just $19.99 a month.  That seems attractive to me,
especially since I'm currently paying $5 a month for 6 hours a day of
dialup Internet.  If you add that to my present local phone, plus about
$8 a month in long distance calling cards, I'm paying about $43 a month
for local, long distance, and Internet.

   I'd like to look into setting up some sort of easy to use VOIP over
the naked DSL.  I need the following features:

1) answering machine
2) phone number I can share with relatives, & use for outgoing calls
3) I'd like to be able to plug a regular phone in and use that
    for calls, if possible
4) low cost

   Anybody have any suggestions that would help me find what I'm looking
for?

                 Thanks!

 

Out of curiosity, do you have a cell phone?  If so maybe Verizon will lower
your house phone if you have a cell phone with them.

Have you played hardball with Verizon and informed them that ATT has
"better" rates?  Sometimes it works, esp if you got proof to provide them,
and maybe they can match if they wanna keep your internet and long distance
business.

 

The Henchman wrote:

   No, but I've been thinking about getting a T-Mobile for my wife.
I've heard that they have a $10 a year plan for those who really just
want them to be able to call for roadside assistance and such.


   Well, we are talking about Verizon home service, which means they
have a monopoly on it.  There is no way I can switch my home line over
to AT&T at the new address - they don't provide service there, Verizon does.

   I guess that is why Verizon can get away with charging more?

 




    They can "get away with" charging more because the regulatory
commission in your state lets them.

 

A Google search of "VOIP Providers" will bring up a pretty good list.