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Best voice quality and reliability
Pros: best call quality, reliability, professional installation, often includes battery backup
Cons: trouble scheduling installation, support, international calls cost extra, no choice of company, best companies vary by region
not avail.
Cable
Yes
N/A
Yes
Yes
Varies with provider
30 days
Varies with provider
Yes
No
No
No
Extra cost
Yes (may cost extra)
Yes
Yes
Varies with provider
Varies with provider
Yes
Yes
No
Yes
No
Yes
No
No
N/A
N/A
N/A
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Most VoIP features
Pros: reasonable price, more features than most, unlimited virtual numbers, some international calling included
Cons: some complaints about technical support, call quality not the best
not avail.
Hardware
Yes
Adapter (Free with plan)
Available in many areas (*Est. $100)
Yes
Month-to-month
N/A
No
Yes
Yes, 5,000 min. per month
No
Yes, unlimited "virtual numbers"
Extra cost
Yes
25 cents/message (or included in $25 per month World plan)
Yes
No
Yes
Yes
Yes
No
Yes
Yes
$10 per month (plus $10 activation fee)
No
No
Free option; also many local-access numbers for friends to use worldwide to call you free; plus unlimited "virtual numbers"
N/A
N/A
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Hardware VoIP with no monthly fee
Pros: no monthly charges (except taxes/fees), good call quality, free long distance in U.S.
Cons: steep hardware cost, usage cap 5,000 minutes per month, advanced features incur monthly fee, international calls not the cheapest
Hardware
Yes
$225 to $235 (the Ooma hardware device); use any regular corded or cordless phone; Telo plan requires special handsets
No
Yes; separate device required
No
30 days
No
Includes unlimited calls in the U.S.
Yes, 5,000 min. per month
$40 (or included in Premier account, *Est. $10 per month)
Yes
Premier account (*Est. $10 per month)
Yes
Premier account (*Est. $10 per month)
Yes
Premier account (*Est. $10 per month)
Yes
Yes
Yes
No
Premier account (*Est. $10 per month)
Yes
Yes
Yes, with Ooma Mobile
No
N/A
OOMA
892943002100
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Best Free VoIP
Pros: free calls to all phones in U.S. and Canada, integrated with Gmail contacts
Cons: variable voice quality, no 911 service, must call from computer in U.S., may not remain free after 2010
not avail.
Software
No
Computer with built-in or add-on microphone and speaker
No
No
N/A
N/A
N/A
Free unlimited calls within U.S. and Canada
N/A
N/A
Yes, with free Google Voice account
N/A
Yes, with free Google Voice account
Yes, with free Google Voice account
Yes
Yes, with free Google Voice account
No
Yes, with free Google Voice account
Yes, with free Google Voice account
No
No
Yes, but Google Voice app sends calls over carrier network, not VoIP
No
Yes
Video chat
Yes, with free Google Voice account
N/A
N/A