USB stick! The rumor has it .....

Posts: 19 · Vonage Forum Associate Joined: May 03, 2006 Posts: 19

As found on broadband reports

Vonage Ala stick! The rumor has it .....

Looks like Vonage is going to come out with a mobile USB stick that will plug into a USB port giving the user a soft phone to dial out on. They currently have a downloadable softphone that you can only get as an add on and it is not unlimited and uses a different number.It is also an extra $9.95 per month. The stick is a great idea if you are using a computer that is not yours, and you can't or won't download to it.

The plan as I heard it is they will make claim to being the first mobile phone on a stick.
(hmmm...what about voicestick ?)

The real question will be is if it will allow usage with ones existing Vonage phone number and call plan or if it will be just an add on to the current add on plan limited to 500 minutes, at a current separate charge of $9.95 per month.

Vonage needs to be careful, as they seem to not be hitting the market correctly as of late.

Posts: 1424 · Posted: Tue Jun 20, 2006 2:49 pm Post subject:

It was discussed here a few weeks ago. Do a forum search (I am too lazy today) and you might find the discussion.

I would buy one of these either way if it came out, and I don't buy a lot of stuff.

Posts: 2257 · Posted: Tue Jun 20, 2006 2:57 pm Post subject:

Just install your favorite (standalone) VoIP client on that stick, and you'd have the same thing. Plug in your headset into the sound card, and voila!

If it has a built in sound card, then it needs drivers, which means the person providing the host computer needs to load drivers for it.

Posts: 476 · Posted: Tue Jun 20, 2006 3:05 pm Post subject:

NateHoy wrote:

Just install your favorite (standalone) VoIP client on that stick, and you'd have the same thing.

Not really since you won't be able to use it with Vonage (unless you pay for a Softphone line). The key will be if this thing can use your existing Vonage account without requiring an additional line, but I suspect it won't.

Posts: 2135 · Posted: Tue Jun 20, 2006 3:11 pm Post subject:

I suspect you will see all kinds of nifty things coming out of HQ after the quite period. Wink

Posts: 19 · Vonage Forum Associate Joined: May 03, 2006 Posts: 19

blakadher wrote:

NateHoy wrote:

Just install your favorite (standalone) VoIP client on that stick, and you'd have the same thing.

Not really since you won't be able to use it with Vonage (unless you pay for a Softphone line). The key will be if this thing can use your existing Vonage account without requiring an additional line, but I suspect it won't.

I went with the Voicestick thing as I can use my ATA and the USB softphone.

One bill, one cost.

I like the USB idea as it not only keeps my softphone but my user ID phone book and what have you. I just plug it into my computer at work and away I go. No personal phone calls on the bosses phone (he is weird about that!) .

If Vonage was smart thay would let you use your unlimited for both.

My source said that it will be shown in days, but had no idea how the plan would work.

Posts: 76 · Vonage Forum Senior Joined: May 18, 2005 Posts: 76

Not exactly the same thing as a USB key that has a possible headphone jack in it but I took the Vonage softphone software that our company uses for helpdesk. I installed it on a USB stick. I configured it on my tablet and it works with no problems.

I then took the stick to my home computer and since the audio card is the same maker (HP uses the SoundMAX digital audio) and it worked with no problems.

I then took the stick to my wifes Dell laptop. The phone had me run through the setup again. Not a big deal though. Worked like a charm.

I took the stick back to my tablet to see if the setup was blown out because the of the setup on the Dell. It worked with no additional setup.

I plan on taking this to a client site tomorrow just to see what happens.

Kinda like this. Just need a computer and a headset (that and a softphone account) and you can make calls from any machine. Throw the Vonage softphone, portable Firefox, portable Filezilla, portable Office apps, and you've got a whole suit of products that you can use right off you're USB stick.

Posts: 9 · New Forum Member Joined: Jun 10, 2006 Posts: 9

cid92 wrote:

Kinda like this. Just need a computer and a headset (that and a softphone account) and you can make calls from any machine. Throw the Vonage softphone, portable Firefox, portable Filezilla, portable Office apps, and you've got a whole suit of products that you can use right off you're USB stick.

How about just one step farther? I've got a version of Linux on a 2GB usbkey, with a softphone type program in it, with it already configured.

I put it in, boot to the usbkey, and not only does the softphone work, but I don't worry about all the Windows fallibilities. Rock solid OS, faster than Windows could ever pray to be, and in my pocket.

Posts: 19 · Vonage Forum Associate Joined: May 03, 2006 Posts: 19

cwwilson wrote:

cid92 wrote:

Kinda like this. Just need a computer and a headset (that and a softphone account) and you can make calls from any machine. Throw the Vonage softphone, portable Firefox, portable Filezilla, portable Office apps, and you've got a whole suit of products that you can use right off you're USB stick.

How about just one step farther? I've got a version of Linux on a 2GB usbkey, with a softphone type program in it, with it already configured.

I put it in, boot to the usbkey, and not only does the softphone work, but I don't worry about all the Windows fallibilities. Rock solid OS, faster than Windows could ever pray to be, and in my pocket.

What softphone do you use.

Posts: 9 · New Forum Member Joined: Jun 10, 2006 Posts: 9

kphone