EmailBest Reviewed
VoIP
- Best voice quality and reliability Cable-company VoIP *Est. $40
- Most VoIP features Vonage *Est. $25
- Hardware VoIP with no monthly fee Ooma *Est. $215
- Free VoIP software Skype *Est. $0
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Best voice quality and reliability
- Best call quality, reliability
- Professional installation
- Often includes battery backup
- Trouble scheduling installation, support
- International calls cost extra
- No choice of company
- Best companies vary by region
For reliable connections and call quality, cable VoIP ranks higher, in general, than other VoIP services. You can call 911 using cable VoIP, and several cable companies even give you battery backup so you can make calls when the electricity is out. Cable VoIP costs more, however, and since cable companies divide territories, you can't choose which cable company to use. Reviews find that the same cable company can rank at the top in one region, but not in another. Bundling phone service with TV and Internet services can save money, though. For the least expensive VoIP, however -- with no service fees after the initial hardware purchase -- reviews recommend Ooma (*Est. $215).
We found the best comparison ratings of cable VoIP at ConsumerReports.org, where six cable companies are ranked along with two other VoIP services. Keynote Systems, an industry analyst, includes Comcast in its tests of six VoIP providers. The latest big survey by J.D. Power and Associates rates cable companies by region, and a somewhat smaller survey by PCMag.com compares several cable companies with other providers. Other reviews -- at PCWorld.com, DSLReports.com, Wired magazine and TopTenReviews.com -- cover Comcast, the dominant cable company, comparing it with other VoIP providers.
Our Sources
1. ConsumerReports.org
This review compares six cable VoIP companies with two other VoIP providers and several landline phone services, based on ratings from a survey of over 27,000 readers. Ratings cover value, reliability and performance as well as overall satisfaction.
Review: Internet, TV, Phone: Bundling Can Cut Bills, Editors of ConsumerReports.org, Feb. 2008
This review compares six VoIP services, giving top ranking to Comcast Digital Voice. Time Warner Digital Phone ranks well for reliability, and earlier VoIP reports here highlight different cable companies.
Review: VoIP Service Providers Competitive Study, Wave 6, Editors of Keynote Systems, Inc., Nov. 2008
This review of telephone services, based on a survey of 13,600 users, finds for the second year in a row that cable companies have the edge, by bundling voice, Internet and cable TV services. The review is especially useful since it rates cable companies by region; the best cable companies in one part of the country get lower ratings elsewhere.
Review: 2008 Residential Regional Telephone Customer Satisfaction Study, Editors of J.D. Power and Associates, July 2008
Cablevision Optimum Voice earns a Readers' Choice award here, based on a poll of over 8,000 readers. Time Warner Cable and Comcast earn slightly higher ratings than Vonage for call quality, but rank toward the bottom for technical support.
Review: The Best (and Worst) Tech Support in America: VoIP, Sascha Segan and Eric Griffith, July 29, 2008
Probing the fine print, this review reports that Ooma's free calls are actually limited to 3,000 minutes per month. Mitchell also looks at three other VoIP services, checking for monthly caps.
Review: For VoIP: What Part of Unlimited Don't You Understand?, Robert Mitchell, InfoWorld, May 8, 2009
Comcast is the only cable company compared here with other VoIP providers. Based on about three dozen user-written reviews, Comcast earns high marks for reliability and technical support, but lower ratings for value, installation and especially for pre-sales information.
Review: Comcast Digital Voice, Editors of and Contributors to DSLReports.com
7. Wired.com
Comcast takes a hit in comparison tests at Wired magazine. It's more expensive than the top-rated Lingo, Vonage and Gizmo, and charges for international calls. Comcast does earn praise for its professional installation, ease of use, tech support and call quality.
Review: Wired Magazine Test: VoIP Services, Aoife M. McEvoy, Oct. 23, 2007
Comcast is the only cable provider reviewed here, ranking 18th out of 19 VoIP services covered. Editors criticize Comcast Digital Voice for its price (when unbundled) and lack of features, but note that unlike most VoIP phones, it's usable even when the electricity goes out.
Review: Comcast Digital Voice Review, Editors of TopTenReviews.com
VoIP Runners Up:
6 picks including: Calling-Plans.com, My Rate Plan…
3 picks by top review sites.
2 picks by top review sites.
2 picks by top review sites.
2 picks by top review sites.
