babylon5
join:2008-01-15
1 edit | It's Official: AT&T CallVantage Ending in 2009
To all,
I received a letter dated 4/17/09 which basically made this statement "AT&T will be discontinuing AT&T CallVantage service in 2009"
I would like to ask the group on what other VoIP providers would suggest and if possible provide pros and cons.
Currently, I have "DSL with No Voice Line" with AT&T.
Thanks.
Babylon5 |
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pandora
Premium
join:2001-06-01
Outland
 ·ooma
·Future Nine Corpor..
 ·Comcast
|  When I first considered VOIP, CallVantage came in 2nd behind the VOIP provider I went with. This was about a year ago. One reason for my thinking CallVantage was such a great offer is that AT&T will never go out of business.
It never occurred to me that within a year AT&T would announce they were pulling the plug.
You all have my sympathy.
--
"People demand freedom of speech as a compensation for the freedom of thought which they seldom use." |
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babylon5
join:2008-01-15
| reply to babylon5
Pandora, what was the VoIP provider that you eventually went with. You can PM if it is not allowed to be mentioned in this forum.
Thanks.
Babylon5
P.S. Here is the letter announcing AT&T's plans with CallVantage for 2009 =( |
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PX Eliezer
Premium
join:2008-08-09
New Jersey
·Callcentric
·Optimum Voice
·callwithus
·voip.ms
| babylon5:
You would do well to explore the main Voip forum where you will see lots of stuff from pandora and many others:
»VOIP Tech Chat
Also see:
»/gbu
»/reviews?slo=1&typ=voip |
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pandora
Premium
join:2001-06-01
Outland
·ooma
·Future Nine Corpor..
·Comcast
| reply to babylon5
I went with Future-Nine, and Nitzan has been great.
Of late, I've been doing more and more calling with Ooma.
A problem with Future-Nine is it's a one man show. If anything happens to Nitzan it's over.
The problem with Ooma is uncertainty about it's business plan. However voice quality approaches landline, and the connection has been rock stable. I also like encryption of all call information (including the conversation).
As suggested, you may want to take a look at the VOIP tech chat forum, or »www.future-nine.com or »www.ooma.com .
--
"People demand freedom of speech as a compensation for the freedom of thought which they seldom use." |
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watts3000
join:2002-01-21
Birmingham, AL | I just got my letter today I really hate to see the service go its been rock solid. However, with that said I need to start looking for a new provider |
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rebus9
join:2002-03-26
Tampa Bay
 ·Verizon FIOS
·RoadRunner Cable
| reply to babylon5
Yeah, and what's worse is I have a Simple Reach number attached to the line, and I've been told there is no way to port the SR number away, no exceptions.
I have the SR number printed on all my letterhead and business cards. Worse, I just had a new batch printed up earlier this year, to the tune of about $400. Now all that will have to be thrown away and reprinted.
I had a bad experience with AT&T back in the 80's and then again in the late 90's, and vowed never to do business with them again. I broke that vow when I signed up for CallVantage for the SAME REASON as pandora; because I thought AT&T would always be there.
Every time I do business with AT&T, I end up sorry. |
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doopstr
join:2004-11-12
Hightstown, NJ | reply to babylon5
Got the letter today, very sad. Great product/service at a reasonable price. Now I can only hope that I don't have a problem porting my number. |
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nunya
SEE ROCK CITY 475 MILES
Premium,MVM
join:2000-12-23
O Fallon, MO
clubs:
·AT&T CallVantage
| reply to babylon5
Bleh. Got the letter today too. I knew it was coming, but nonetheless, it sucks. I finally had a VoIP service that worked well, and this is what I get! I'm not in a AT&T service area. I guess the hunt is on for a new provider. I may just go over to "cell only".
Do we get to keep the D-Link?
--
Looks like Reverend Wright got his wish - God Damn America. |
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NetFixer
Freedom is NOT Free
Premium
join:2004-06-24
Murfreesboro, TN
·Vonage
 ·Cingular Wireless
·AT&T CallVantage
 ·AT&T Southeast
| said by nunya  :Do we get to keep the D-Link? If you have had CallVantage for over a year, the answer is definitely yes.
However with the service scheduled to go belly up, I doubt that AT&T will want to pay the shipping to retrieve the old ATA that would likely only be scrapped even if you have had the service for less than a year.
--
A well-regulated militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed.
»portscan.dcs-net.net
»nature-pics.com |
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mprogers
Premium
join:2007-07-05
Hollis, NH
·Charter Pipeline
| reply to rebus9
said by rebus9 :.... I had a bad experience with AT&T back in the 80's and then again in the late 90's, and vowed never to do business with them again. I broke that vow when I signed up for CallVantage for the SAME REASON as pandora; because I thought AT&T would always be there. Every time I do business with AT&T, I end up sorry. In the past, I've had good experiences with AT&T - sometiems more expensive, but always reliable. With CallVantage, I had a period of trouble with an older Linksys TA, but for over two years, my D-Link 5102S hase been great. I steered clear of Vonage because of financial and customer service woes, so now I'm on the search for a good provider - thinking maybe VoicePulse. |
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KJCatl
@bellsouth.net
| reply to babylon5
I hate to see this go. I guess we will need to go to VOntage, i would love to get uverse but even in DT Atlanta you cannot get it yet nor is there any forecast of when you might have it!
Talk about a bad letter they sent too. NO ONE TO CALL! It is not like i dont have a family plan with att, 2 dsl plans and a phone for another house! |
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Sledhed
Eamus Catuli
Premium
join:2005-01-19
Crete, IL
| reply to babylon5
I've had CV for several years and have always been very happy with the service. U-verse is not my area, I'm not a big Comcast fan even though I have their cable and HSI service (no other option). So I need to find another provider too and Vonage is out. There's no way in hell I'm going back to them after the problems and bad customer service I had before the switch to CV. |
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Fisamo
Premium
join:2004-02-20
Apex, NC
·VOIPo
·AT&T CallVantage
| I would recommend looking into VoicePulse and Voipo. With both providers, if they do not appear to have numbers in your area, send an email to their sales group, and chances are, they'll be able to hook you up.
The big advantage of VoicePulse is that they've been around for longer than CallVantage (and will continue to be around), and they run a solid service. There isn't much forum discussion on their service, because it just works.
Customer service for both providers is excellent. Voipo's is officially open for more hours, but if there's a service-related issue (no dialtone), a ticket into VoicePulse gets answered off-hours, I've heard.
Voipo is less expensive right now, but they're also relatively young. If you don't mind the relatively rough ride that accompanies a new provider, you might go with their service now. Regardless, IMO, with their commitment to customer service, they'll be around for a while, and their growth will increase as they continue to serve a large customer base and work out any yet-to-be-discovered issues with their systems. |
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lev
Napoleon is always right
Premium,Ex-mod 2002-08
join:2001-05-30
Chicago, IL
clubs:  | reply to babylon5
Got my letter yesterday too, and I'll be reading what the people who jump ship early learn. |
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babylon5
join:2008-01-15
| Like what the other posters are saying, AT&T is pushing their U-Verse Voice but the catch is that you need to have U-Verse (which is not available for my street but is available on a street a block away)
AT&T seems to not be pushing another VoIP product. |
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PX Eliezer
Premium
join:2008-08-09
New Jersey
·Callcentric
·Optimum Voice
·callwithus
·voip.ms
| said by babylon5 :AT&T seems to not be pushing another VoIP product. They are not. They don't have one.
ATT has eggbasketed on U-Verse, and Verizon has eggbasketed on Fios. And nobody really worries about Qwest.
That's all she wrote. |
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babylon5
join:2008-01-15 | reply to babylon5
PX Eliezer: Does CallCentric have a phone number to call if there are troubleshoot issues (other than using the electronic form from their website)?
Thanks. |
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Topherism
@comcast.net | reply to babylon5
anyone know if we'll be able to unlock/recycle the 5102S ? |
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Mediocrates
join:2008-05-27
Raleigh, NC
·Sprint Mobile Broa..
·Vonage
·AT&T CallVantage
| reply to babylon5
I'm not sad. I found it cumbersome and unreliable. Since it resides right next to my Vonage V-Portal line I have a ready way to compare the two side by side and CV was always inferior both in service and in their website. And what's worse when I had TWO CV accounts on TWO CV TA's neither of them could operate at all. |
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