Top Seven Questions You Should Ask About Internet Telephones
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3. Can I plug my TiVo or satellite TV receiver into the broadband phone connection?
There are two parts to this question. First, since your existing phone extension plugs do not connect to your broadband phone service, you have to reach a plug that does connect to your broadband phone service. Second, some media devices that rely on a telephone line do not work over internet telephones, even when physically connected.
Some models of TiVo, for instance, successfully communicate over a broadband phone service. Others must be installed with a traditional telephone line and can then function without a phone connection of any type, but that limits your ability to order pay-per-view events via your television remote control.
TiVo officially says it does not support any broadband phone services, but expect big changes in two areas over the next year or so. First, TiVo and the broadband phone services will reach some type of coexistence. Second, TiVo and other devices will start communicating back to their programming services via the internet. This will allow them to connect over wireless network equipment that also supports streaming internet media, probably within two years.
4. Can I connect my home alarm system to my broadband phone?
Like the question above, this depends. Some do, some can be configured to work after a service call, and some won't work at all.
The good news? Alarm companies already provide backup communication links to your telephone line, usually over the cellular telephone network. These devices cost extra, and depending on your alarm service, they may cost quite a bit extra.
More good news? Alarm.com now leads the alarm industry to the internet by monitoring home and business alarms over internet connections rather than telephone lines. Vonage already has a partnership with Alarm.com, and Alarm.com will happily monitor your security system over the internet no matter which broadband phone service provider you prefer. Or, in fact, if you don't use a broadband phone service at all but want to bypass reliance on the telephone link, Alarm.com will monitor your alarm over your broadband network connection.
5. Can I call customer service and talk to a person, or do I have to do it all over the internet?
Larger broadband phone service providers, like Vonage, do have customer service personnel, as well as sales personnel, on its 800 number. If you feel better talking to a person, call them up.
Other internet telephony service providers have live operators, and they will say that on their websites. However, the modern service providers allow customers to make nearly every conceivable service change to their own accounts via a personalized web account management screen. You can make the changes you want quickly, and avoid listening to bad music while on hold.
