magic jack requires a computer to work ...my voip works with only the cable modem and the phone modem.
-----Original Message----- From: b_s-wilk [mailto:b1sun...@yahoo.es] Sent: Wednesday, February 25, 2009 8:08 PM Subject: Re: DSL & answering machines/DSL & phone service > That's true. But there are two things to consider. > 1) POTS will go out too during emergencies, as it too is a trunked > system, relying on having only a few users on at a time. > 2) On a day to day basis, how often do catastrophes happen? Last time > I remember the phones not working was on 9/11, but I had POTS back > then. I bet VOIP would have worked fine. That's absurd. Our POTS line has NEVER gone out except when Comcast accidentally cut the line next door, and one other time when a flood shorted the switch down by the creek. Our phone in Maryland worked on 9/11--I called my sister-in-law who was working in lower Manhattan; her phone in Brooklyn worked OK after she finally walked home, but the lines were pretty much overloaded, for good reason. VOIP is no good when the power goes out--no power, no modem, no cell towers. Verizon has enough backup batteries here to last for a couple of days, and they have generators. Our power goes out almost every time there's an electrical storm. We use the POTS line to call the electric company. Basic land line service is cheap, less than $10 a month, and much more reliable than VOIP. Glad I didn't switch. > I suppose I should point out answering machines aren't compatible with > all systems. e.g. My MagicJack has a hard wired 4 ring limit, so you > would have to set your answering machine to 3 rings to trump it; not a > very viable solution. As I recall the more expensive VOIP systems gave > you more control over when your voicemail kicks in. I can set our analog answering machine to answer after 1, 2, 3 or 4 rings. Your MagicJack won't work when the power is out. My POTS line will. Betty ************************************************************************* ** List info, subscription management, list rules, archives, privacy ** ** policy, calmness, a member map, and more at http://www.cguys.org/ ** ************************************************************************* ************************************************************************* ** List info, subscription management, list rules, archives, privacy ** ** policy, calmness, a member map, and more at http://www.cguys.org/ ** *************************************************************************
