Vonage connects your phone over the Internet.
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Traditionally, having phone service meant taking out a residential plan with a service that carried your phone calls over physical phone lines that ran across the America. Now, however, advances in technology have allowed individuals to get their phone service through VoIP services, which provide this service over the Internet. One of these services, Vonage, provides users a number of features with its Internet phone service.
Voicemail
Vonage's VoIP phone service allows users to set up voice mailboxes, in the same way in which regular residential phone service clients or cellphone users can set them up. Vonage also offers an additional feature with its voicemail: message transcription. In addition to listening to a particular voicemail, you can also read a written transcript of the message. This is particularly useful for individuals who leave phone numbers or addresses that you would normally scramble to find a pen and paper to write down.
Caller ID and Privacy Times
Vonage's Internet based-phone service also gives its customers the same caller ID functionality as regular phone services. These includes displaying the name and phone number of the incoming caller, as well as the ability to block the Caller ID of individuals who call on your Vonage phone. Plans also include the ability to set "do not disturb" hours. This feature allows you to effectively turn off your phone line. All calls you receive will go straight to voicemail, and the phone will not ring.
Mobile Number
One of the hassles of moving is always getting a new home phone number, memorizing it, and spreading the new number to all your important contacts. Because Vonage works over the Internet, you can elect to take your number with you when you move. This way, there is no need to learn a new number or worry about missing calls at the old number. You will, however, have to update the emergency services data to reflect the accurate numbers for your new area.
Phone Adapter
Many VoIP services work through computers or specialized devices. Vonage allows you to bypass such devices and simply use the telephones you already have. This takes the form of a special adapter that you plug into your router, which will receive calling data for your Vonage service. You then plug your regular telephone into the phone jack on the adapter, just like plugging the phone into a jack on the wall. This will cause the phone to ring and function as normal.
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Photo Credits
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