Verizon Wireless has a new VOIP phone and service called the "Verizon Hub": http://www.verizonwireless.com/hub The service is $34.99/month and includes unlimited calls within the US and Canada. It connects to your router either wired or wirelessly (WiFi). If your Internet goes down, incoming calls are automatically routed to a backup number that you specify. The base station has a 7" color touch screen and a cordless handset; you can get extra handsets. It does not connect to any of your existing phone equipment (like faxes), so that's one consideration. It does integrate well with Verizon Wireless's cell phone features, though; it has several canned Internet features such as weather, traffic, and phone books. You can find an address, and then send it to your cellphone, which will open up VZNavigator and give you spoken driving directions. There's a reverse phone lookup, too. Calls to and from the Hub to Verizon Wireless cellphones don't use their minutes. Speaking of free minutes, login to your account at http://www.vzw.com and see if you qualify for the new Friends and Family feature. All but the smallest plans can add a certain number of non-Verizon cell numbers or landlines that you can call without using your minutes. I'm using the Comcast VOIP product, and it does connect to all of your existing phone jacks. --Cy-- Cy Shuster, RPT Registered Piano Technician www.shusterpiano.com
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