Nettalk don't even bother

[UNhooked]

So I had Google talk hooked up with my Obitalk for a few years now and have enjoyed the flawless service.

However in light of Google removing that XMPP protocal preventing it from working with devices like OBI, I decided to look for alternatives cheap VOIP solutions. Vonage was the defacto but I wanted to try something else. Enter Netalk

Everything went fine with the installation and all was fine for the first month. Until one day I get. " Please buy more credits to make this call" and I am like WTF, I have the unlimited plan to the US and Canada, so what gives.

Turns out they have a 1500 month limit so if you exceed that limit they consider it "abnormal use"

No where on the website to they explicitly mention this, but they do have a 2 liner in their oh so user friendly terms and service. And of course since you have to click agree you are subjected to that limit.


SO just a warning to anyone out there considering this option.

 

[mrjminer]

1500 month limit seems pretty low for "unlimited." Lots of business bank on users not reading the TOS, because most people don't. Thanks for taking one for the team!

 

[UNhooked]

Yep I am going spread this message as much as possible. It's a shame since I was truly happy with it.

 

[cronos]

I've always hated the term 'unlimited' as we all know that there's no such thing as 'unlimited', that all resources are most definitely 'limited' in one sense or the other.

Having said that, I've been having a wonderful experience with Nettalk (on my third year now), though we're not using even close to 1500, maybe 7/800 was our top usage, mostly 300ish.

 

[UNhooked]

I've always hated the term 'unlimited' as we all know that there's no such thing as 'unlimited', that all resources are most definitely 'limited' in one sense or the other.

Having said that, I've been having a wonderful experience with Nettalk (on my third year now), though we're not using even close to 1500, maybe 7/800 was our top usage, mostly 300ish.

Exactly. It really works nicely and I was very happy with it, but the fact they are so shady about that limit just irks me.

Also googling a bit turns out that limit used to be 5K at one point and then 3K and now well 1.5K ...lol

 

[cronos]

Exactly. It really works nicely and I was very happy with it, but the fact they are so shady about that limit just irks me.

Also googling a bit turns out that limit used to be 5K at one point and then 3K and now well 1.5K ...lol

Yeah, I'm pretty sure it was the 3k when I started with them, and even then I've read about people who were pissed because originally it was 5k.

Service wise, though, they are actually improving since the first time I started. The connection was a little flaky that I used to have to power cycle my Nettalk Duo once a month or so or it wouldn't ring when there's an incoming call (outgoing was fine). I haven't had to do that for almost a year now (you just knew that this will start happening again after I wrote this. Heh).

 

[SMOGZINN]

Welcome to the new world of no truth in advertisement where the word like 'unlimited' have what ever meaning the company wants it to have, and they don't have to tell you what they think it means.

 

[Newell Steamer]

Aside from the sketchy "deals" and plans, I've been pretty wary of phone services over broadband.

The quality, from my own personal and professional experience, has been crap. When speaking to someone (to an offshore service center - Time Warner Cable, etc.), it's difficult to hear them. And, at work, the quality is just as bad.

And, I am surprised to be saying this, but, mobile phone quality is far better than the broadband phone quality.

Either way, I don't use the phone much. I text friends/iMessage them, speak pretty briefly with family and deal with business related matters through work (on my lunch break etc.). And, if I did, I would not want to go through a cable company to get phone services.

 

[AnonymouseUser]

If a VOIP service requires proprietary hardware then I won't use it. Here are some better choices (I use voip.ms).

 

[Markbnj]

If a VOIP service requires proprietary hardware then I won't use it. Here are some better choices (I use voip.ms).

I wonder why Skype isn't on that list? $29.95/year gets me unlimited voice to US/Canada, including two-party video calls (multi-party video calls now require a more expensive plan, I believe).

 

[Papagayo]

So I had Google talk hooked up with my Obitalk for a few years now and have enjoyed the flawless service.

However in light of Google removing that XMPP protocal preventing it from working with devices like OBI, I decided to look for alternatives cheap VOIP solutions. Vonage was the defacto but I wanted to try something else. Enter Netalk

Everything went fine with the installation and all was fine for the first month. Until one day I get. " Please buy more credits to make this call" and I am like WTF, I have the unlimited plan to the US and Canada, so what gives.

Turns out they have a 1500 month limit so if you exceed that limit they consider it "abnormal use"

No where on the website to they explicitly mention this, but they do have a 2 liner in their oh so user friendly terms and service. And of course since you have to click agree you are subjected to that limit.


SO just a warning to anyone out there considering this option.

Last I heard, the Obitalk is still working.

 

[AnonymouseUser]

I wonder why Skype isn't on that list? $29.95/year gets me unlimited voice to US/Canada, including two-party video calls (multi-party video calls now require a more expensive plan, I believe).

Skype was my first VOIP provider, but finding decent hardware that worked with their proprietary protocol was a royal PITA. I finally ditched them when Microsoft bought them fearing that the NSA-style privacy invasion was finally a reality (it is).

Switching to voip.ms was painless, and I use Obi adapters plus 3CXPhone softphone (for callerID on PC and/or calls on Android) to make it similar to Skype. Overall cost is ~$11/month for two lines (home + business), with home having e911 service (not available with Skype), and it's well worth the premium.

 

[Markbnj]

Skype was my first VOIP provider, but finding decent hardware that worked with their proprietary protocol was a royal PITA. I finally ditched them when Microsoft bought them fearing that the NSA-style privacy invasion was finally a reality (it is).

Ah I see, I just use it from my desktop. I thought there were phones made specifically for Skype, but I can see why that sort of lock-in would be unattractive.

 

[microAmp]

Anything wrong with using Ooma?

 

[RossMAN]

Anything wrong with using Ooma?

We switched from Nettalk to Ooma, best decision ever.

Yes we have to pay taxes/fees which are a whopping $3.50/mo but the call quality and reliability are great.

 

[AnonymouseUser]

Anything wrong with using Ooma?

Nothing wrong at all. In fact, they used to be highly rated at the link I posted earlier, but for some reason they aren't listed there anymore. Here is their main review page on DSLReports, and they have mostly positive reviews. I'm not a fan due to their proprietary hardware, but that's just me.