Pennies

Over the past couple of months I've been spending a hour or so each week worrying about whether or not my phone company is going to go bankrupt, which is a strange thing to admit. I've happily been with Vonage for over 3 years but because of their recent legal troubles (patent infringements) their stock price dipped below $1, only a year after their IPO in 2006. So yeah, bad news bears. If Vonage goes the way of the dodo (or SunRocket, ahem), which seems to depend on pending appeal (Vonage v. Verizon), I'm going to be stuck and in full-on scramble mode to hold on to my existing numbers not only for convenience but because I've invested a considerable amount in their promotion.

So assuming that Vonage is history, what are my options? Well, for starters there is of course Ma Bell (not happening, even though I do have a basic home line for our security system). Going back to the AT&T's of the world at this point is pretty much like choosing to dig up an abacus for your calculus homework. Then of course there is stuff like Skype, but I can't deal with the headphone mic über dork look or the ceaseless taunting I would expect. And of course there are other VoIP providers to replace Vonage, but most of them are not any better or cheaper. Except for Ooma.

Ooma is a new VoIP provider offering a fresh approach. Instead of signing up and paying a monthly premium for their service, you begin by buying the Ooma box for $400 and then you are free to make and receive unlimited calls in the U.S. to any number for absolutely nothing. $400 up front and then its done. And thus far the major reviews (it just released in September) are somewhere between "wow" and "crazy go nuts." (You can also make calls internationally with Ooma for about the same low rates that Skype charges, ie. pennies not dollars).

So in my book, Ooma is a no-brainer. Cool machine, easy to use, expensive up front but NO contract or monthly service fees forever. All sounds great, right?... but then I remember that its all about the numbers.

I want to be in control of my contact information. As far as I can tell if you cancel Vonage you can not take your number with you. And even if you could, you can not choose your own number when you sign up for Ooma (at least not yet). So either way, no matter what your situation is, if you are interested in getting on board with new technology it looks like we are all going to have to keep sending out those mass e-mails with our new contact info to friends and family, as well as ordering 500 new business cards (dumping out the 300 left from the last batch), each time you switch. There has got to be a better way!

And maybe there is. I was also recently turned on (and invited) to join the beta stage of Google's Grand Central by my buddy Eric. GC bills itself as the new way to use phones, and upon signing up it issues you a "virtual" phone number. Through this number you can endlessly configure and set-up rules and groupings that direct your calls to whichever other work, home, cell, friends, fax, hotel lines that you may want to be reached (or not) at. Want all calls from the (212) area code to ring on every phone you have simultaneously? No problem. Want your annoying aunt's number to automatically go to voicemail? Want to record your calls on the fly? (they are stored in your online inbox).

So by using Grand Central you may finally be able to stick with a single number no matter how many times you need to switch providers, and help others find you (if that's what you want), by simply changing your settings online.

No matter what I do, unless Vonage does not go under and I decide not to take advantage of saving money with Ooma, I'm going to have to switch numbers at least once in the next 24 months. Given that it seems like the best choice is to try to slowly change my clients, friends, and family over to my virtual GC number (786-220-1215, for those who are curious). In the mean time, I have a handful of invites to the Grand Central BETA version if anyone is interested. Just drop me a line.

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Comments (2)

Just moved overseas and spent a while playing a similar phone game. Plenty of options and no real comprehensive guide to all this. Was a chore trying to figure out the best way (for both me and my callers) to make international calls. Finally ended up using a combination of skype and a local cell phone. Got a skypein number that then forwards to my mobile phone, or any other number in the world that I choose, for pennies. Doesn't allow me to make international calls from my cell phone cheaply, but I figure I can get to a computer pretty quickly and use skype for that. Still not ideal, but at least it gets past the headache of updating clients with a new phone number for each sim card switch in each new country. Would love an invite to grand central, by the way, if you've still got some.

I'm in the process of simplifying my multiple accoutns [analog, ISDN, Comcast, Ooma] and would enjoy giving Grand Central a try. Please consider me for one of your invites. Thanks.

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