Vidéotron starts offering VoIP in Quebec

Posts: 91 · Vonage Forum Senior Joined: Nov 26, 2004 Posts: 91

bhsharwood wrote:

The Videotron solution is hardly Voip. By going with them you're going to lose a lot of power and functionality. Does Videotron have click-to-call? Vonage will soon, but not videotron. Vonage has the great portal, not Videotron. Despite a few dollars cheaper, it is not really better.

Videotron does have two advantages:

1. They own their network... so conceivable they can give their phone adapter higher network priority (just like digital cable services).

2. Apparently the phone adapter has backup power... Even if Videotron is bundling a UPS with the adapter it's a nice addition.

Posts: 336 · Posted: Thu Feb 10, 2005 10:59 pm Post subject:

coolspot wrote:

Videotron does have two advantages:

1. They own their network... so conceivable they can give their phone adapter higher network priority (just like digital cable services).

2. Apparently the phone adapter has backup power... Even if Videotron is bundling a UPS with the adapter it's a nice addition.

I bought a $60 UPS months ago for my system, and when the power was off last week, my phone continued to work for over an hour. The power came back on before the UPS konked out. Even the Videotron battery won't last forever. I think they said 8 hours max.

They are boasting that they will ensure higher quality connection, but I'm not having any problems with my Vonage service. It's like being next to the person you are talking to - it is that clear. The disadvantage of Videotron is that they are not allowing you to disconnect your modem/ATA and travel with it. Say for example you wanted to visit another city for a few weeks and take your phone with you. I can do that with Vonage. I cannot with Videotron. Alternatively if I wanted to Call Forward my line to a number which is long distance from my residence, I could do that with no charge at all. Videotron does not offer any unlimited long distance packages outside of Quebec.

It really depends on your wants and needs. Remember that wants and needs change over time. For me, I would need to have service that allows unlimited long distance, whether I dial the number directly or forward calls there. Vonage offers all of this.

Videotron may change in the future, but right now they tend to be operating like Bell (more or less).

My thoughts is that they are likely doing this because we all know that Bell will try to drive all of these Voip telephone providers out of the market by slashing their prices. Even on home phone lines, they will slash prices on those too. You wait! You'll see that they will do it in hopes of driving out the competition so that they can once again rule the country. Videotron did not jump in with the lowest prices possible. This gives them room to introduce price reductions when Bell starts throwing its poisonous darts.

Personally, I would never go back to Bell if they offered me unlimited service for $2.00 per month, plus every feature in the book on a butterscotch sundae. They have pulled enough fast ones on me to put a sour taste in my mouth forever.

Hurray for Vonage!! My savior. Smile

Posts: 5 · New Forum Member Joined: Feb 12, 2005 Posts: 5

Hi

First post on this forum.

As pointed out by ahamel, Vidéotron does have some advantages over Vonage. But then Vonage seems to have some advantages over Vidéotron as well.

Vidéotron's Voip service is hardly new though. They finally decided to launch the service but it's been up and running for a long time - five years to be exact.

Back then I was working for them, and I've been part of the test team. I had the integrated cablemodem/phone adapter (Samsung SCM-220U if I recall correctly) at my home. It worked pretty well and as ahamel pointed out, Vidéotron got the CLEC status so one can keep and transfer their existing number from Bell to Vidéotron. Also, you are able to call 911.

I'm seriously thinking about trying Vonage though, well no choice really at this time for Voip as Vidéotron decided to market their service only on the south shore at this time (and I don't understand why as the service was working on the Montreal island five years ago... unless they moved some equipment?).

I wonder sometimes how would be the market if Vidéotron would have gone through with their launch of the Voip service five years ago at it was planned (before Quebecor bought Vidéotron and decided to discontinue the service a few weeks before the official launch).

Slipstream

Posts: 336 · Posted: Sat Feb 12, 2005 8:31 am Post subject:

I remember in 2001 their website had references to Videotron Telephone Service soon to come. I don't remember them advertising it as Voip. I called them about it and the guy on the phone said, "We are no longer considering this." I guess that was when Quebecor bought them.

I was looking forward to checking Videotron out, but with a lot of my dialing being long-distance dialing (outside of Quebec), it would not make sense to go with them at all.

Posts: 5 · New Forum Member Joined: Feb 12, 2005 Posts: 5

DarKev wrote:

I remember in 2001 their website had references to Videotron Telephone Service soon to come. I don't remember them advertising it as Voip. I called them about it and the guy on the phone said, "We are no longer considering this." I guess that was when Quebecor bought them.

I was looking forward to checking Videotron out, but with a lot of my dialing being long-distance dialing (outside of Quebec), it would not make sense to go with them at all.

If I remember correctly, they were using the french term "Téléphonie IP".

Slipstream