Standard Newbie Questions

Posts: 2 · New Forum Member Joined: Jun 01, 2004 Posts: 2

I just ordered. Called and asked if they could waive activation, instead they gave me the 2nd month free. Fair enough Smile

I have to convince the wife. Until then, I can't "do anything" to our existing Verizon number, though I think I'm going to cut back on some of the services attached to it to reduce costs, heh. Anyways, here's my plan, but it currently has certain holes in it .. or at least I figure there's got to be.

The "router like thing" will sit between the dsl device and my data equipment. My house is wired such that "transferring" every phone to this new service will be trivial. (Additionally, the 2 line phones will have both always available.) I'm confident this environment will work, but I'm "fuzzy" in two areas.

The "primary" line will be the Vonage. I need inbound calls to the Verizon pots forwarded to Vonage, including the caller id and all that. What are my options to do this, and do they have fees/costs? Also, if this number is my "network availability" number .. isn't this a problem?

Primary outbound dialing will be Vonage. I'd like our caller id to be the verizon pots number. I know this is possible; it's what happens during the wait for LNP or whatever. Can it be setup without starting that process?

I'm open to any suggestions at all Smile

If all goes well, and wifey is happy in 4-6 weeks or so, I'd start the actual LNP process, keep the lowest possible level of service on some form of pots line, etc.

Posts: 110 · Vonage Forum Senior Joined: Mar 06, 2004 Posts: 110

If you had told Vonage that you would like to port your local number over, then most of these is easily accomplished. You may still be able to do so, and I'd encourage you to consider it.

The actual process won't ever begin until you send in the additional paperwork required (including a copy of your phone bill), so you could leave it open for months. Nothing will happen until you say so.

However, outgoing calls made from Vonage would show up with your existing phone # on caller ID... Calls made from existing Vonage customers to your old phone # will actually go to your Vonage line first, and all other calls will go to your regular phone line still.

If you have a two line phone, then why worry about fwd'ing regular POTS calls to your Vonage line at all? Doing so also might screw up your LNP eventually anyway, unless you wait a couple months, since they always tell you to avoid ordering any new services during the LNP process. The forwarding would be a a problem if this # were your network availability back up number as well..... Maybe you could use the wife's cell phone number instead (which is what I've done --- this is how it's going to work once you total convert anyway, right?).

Not sure what you mean when you say the router like thing (the ATA you mean) will sit between the DSL device and my data equipment.

Posts: 2 · New Forum Member Joined: Jun 01, 2004 Posts: 2

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The "router like thing" will sit between the dsl device and my data equipment. My house is wired such that "transferring" every phone to this new service will be trivial. (Additionally, the 2 line phones will have both always available.)
>

Yes, I was a bit confusing Smile

The "digital phone adapter" will sit between my dsl modem and my router.

All wiring in my house terminates to a patch panel in my basement. I "feed" these with the connection from our telco demarc, the little box on the outside of my house. When Vonage is up and running, I can simply change the "source" to the digital phone adapter. All house phones will have line 1 as Vonage and line 2 would be the POTS.

Hell, to even test it, I'll have to wire it up such that line 2 is Vonage It will be easier than trying to get a phone over to where I keep this stuff Smile