VOIP SunRocket Internet Phone Service $199 for 15months = $13.27/month

[RideFree]

Originally posted by: DoozerM

Originally posted by: skunkbuster
i havent read all 2100+ replies, but is there any way to get your existing phones to work with this too? for example, i have a phone in the kitchen. if i got this service, i wouldnt be able to use it anymore, correct?

If you have more phones than that (like I do), then you can either turn off some of the ringers, or get a ring booster which increases the number of phones which can be rung.

...or put it on a comkey system with an RJ-11 "Y" adapter...

 

[georgepa]

good reply, doozer. The thing about REN is that phone systems count as one REN out of the 5 available. That means you can get a 4 or 8-phone system, max it out, and still connect 4 more regular phones. I hooked up the 2 Uniden cordless phones, added 2 more handsets, and still added 4 more phones around the house without issues for a total of 8 phones in use with SR.

 

[astrosfan90]

Originally posted by: DoozerM

Originally posted by: skunkbuster
i havent read all 2100+ replies, but is there any way to get your existing phones to work with this too? for example, i have a phone in the kitchen. if i got this service, i wouldnt be able to use it anymore, correct?

skunkbuster -

If what you are asking is, Can you have all of your phones in your house work with this service, with the phones in their current locations, then the answer is yes, although I don't think SR supports it. I actually have it installed this way.

What you need to do is disconnect the normal phone service from the Demarc Box situated somewhere on or near your property. This is what powers and provides the phone service to your house. Once that is disconnected, all of your phones in your house will be dead. At that point, all you have to do is plug a telephone wire from the Phone1 jack of the Gizmo into any phone jack in the wall of your house, and VOILA.

Some caveats about this though: The Gizmo has a REN (Ring Equivalency Number) of 5, which means you can have up to 5 phones ring throughout the house (give or take depending on distance ...). If you have more phones than that (like I do), then you can either turn off some of the ringers, or get a ring booster which increases the number of phones which can be rung.

If you do this incorrectly though, can't you fry the Gizmo or something? I don't want to play with it myself because I'm kinda tech-challenged, at least when it comes to physical wires and the like, so the idea that unplugging the wrong thing could cause a major boo-boo scares me. I'm sticking with my Unidens for now--they're nicer than my old phones anyway, and my place isn't that big that two cordless phones isn't enough.

 

[DoozerM]

Originally posted by: astrosfan90

If you do this incorrectly though, can't you fry the Gizmo or something? I don't want to play with it myself because I'm kinda tech-challenged, at least when it comes to physical wires and the like, so the idea that unplugging the wrong thing could cause a major boo-boo scares me. I'm sticking with my Unidens for now--they're nicer than my old phones anyway, and my place isn't that big that two cordless phones isn't enough.

Astrosfan -

I don't blame you. I was forced to discover my demarc box when I first moved in because when Verizon turned on my service - there was no dialtone in my house. Verizon would not come out because they claimed that their tests on their end showed that they were providing service, so they told me the problem was on my end. Well the "my end" is the demarc box which is the handoff point between the phone company and the customer. One side of the box is "Verizon Only", and the other side is "For Customer Access". It turned out that they were providing service to one of the lines that none of my phone wires were connected to. So I had to reroute the phone wires to the correct access point to get service.

Regarding the turning off of the phone power to the house... For me, the actual piece which connected the Phone Company Side to the Customer Side was an RJ-11 cord. All I had to do to cut service, was unplug the cord, just like unplugging a phone from the wall, and the power was gone.

 

[pulse8]

DoozerM,

Can that be done in an apartment building?

 

[bkmartin]

I just called and tried to get the $199 for 15 months and was denied. It seems the topic should be modified unless someone knows how to still get that deal.

 

[Mythman]

@Pulse8
It's a little trickier for an apartment. You will have to find the jack where the line input is coming into from the demarcation box. Once you find that - just disconnect the ine input (usually just 2 wires but may be 4). If you have a volt/ohm meter check for any DC voltage before and after the wires have been disconnected. With everything disconnected there should be no voltage present.

 

[georgepa]

bkmartin-

There is a way to do this, but apparently now it has to be done with an existing member in tow. I'll send you a PM.

 

[georgepa]

astrofan-

Doozer is correct. Go to the outside of your house and locate the phone box. Open the plastic housing and right smack in the middle of the panel you should see a plug that looks just like your regular home phone plug (or perhaps two of them.) Just pull that plug(s) out of its socket and you are done.

 

[laketrout]

Originally posted by: georgepa
bkmartin-

There is a way to do this, but apparently now it has to be done with an existing member in tow. I'll send you a PM.

What do you mean in toe? Can they only get it through referral or is it still live if you have a promotion number?

 

[astrosfan90]

Originally posted by: DoozerM

Originally posted by: astrosfan90

If you do this incorrectly though, can't you fry the Gizmo or something? I don't want to play with it myself because I'm kinda tech-challenged, at least when it comes to physical wires and the like, so the idea that unplugging the wrong thing could cause a major boo-boo scares me. I'm sticking with my Unidens for now--they're nicer than my old phones anyway, and my place isn't that big that two cordless phones isn't enough.

Astrosfan -

I don't blame you. I was forced to discover my demarc box when I first moved in because when Verizon turned on my service - there was no dialtone in my house. Verizon would not come out because they claimed that their tests on their end showed that they were providing service, so they told me the problem was on my end. Well the "my end" is the demarc box which is the handoff point between the phone company and the customer. One side of the box is "Verizon Only", and the other side is "For Customer Access". It turned out that they were providing service to one of the lines that none of my phone wires were connected to. So I had to reroute the phone wires to the correct access point to get service.

Regarding the turning off of the phone power to the house... For me, the actual piece which connected the Phone Company Side to the Customer Side was an RJ-11 cord. All I had to do to cut service, was unplug the cord, just like unplugging a phone from the wall, and the power was gone.

Hah, that was the reason I left Verizon to begin with. I had service working fine for two days, and then it stopped. When I called them about it, that's what they told me I needed to do. 1) I didn't buy it since teh service worked fine for two days, and 2) they wanted to charge me north of $200 to send someone out to do it for me. I pay less than that for SunRocket, nevermind what I was paying for the Verizon ultra-basic phone service to begin with.

 

[georgepa]

Laketrout-

I called SR and at first they told me that the deal was dead. I then told them that I know for a fact that some people have called them and received the $199/15 month deal. The lady put me on hold and said that they would honor it if I call with my friend on the phone. I am sure they are going to completely discontinue that deal by the end of the year.

 

[IlllI]

nvm

 

[IlllI]

ok, got it fixed. i had to switch Default topic view to linear in my profile.

 

[trentdoan]

So is the 199 for 15 months over? i was thinking about signing my parents up.

 

[RideFree]

builditbetter@sunrocket.com

Dear SunRocket;
My one year of contractual service with you is up on Dec. 25th and I would like some encouragement to stay with SunRocket.

When I was erroneously billed (twice, I might add) a couple of weeks ago, I called S/R customer service and was told that the billing was in error. I was also informed that there would be a 'special offer' of retention and that it was in the formulation process and would be offered at a later date.

It would seem to me that something should be coming from your end as I?m not sure that the credit card I signed up with is still valid, additionally, I?m not certain that the original contract was for service in perpetuity.

If I were to lose my home phone service (& 911) because of an interruption of service caused by S/R, it might tend to make me less than happy.


Sincerely,

RideFree
xxx-xxx-xxxx
RideFree@my-email.com

 

[RideFree]

Thank you for contacting SunRocket Member Services. We value your business and your feedback. An agent will be contacting you shortly. Our hours are 7am to Midnight ET, 7 days a week. If your email has been received after hours, you will receive your response during the next day.

It is best if you do not respond to this email address. Instead, an agent with the necessary access to your account will contact you directly.

Thank you again,
builditbetter

 

[RideFree]

The above was triggered by my conversation with an agent (Service Rep) in which I was strongly encouraged to correspond with builditbetter@sunrocket.com.
Foresooth!{sic.}

 

[OzzieGT]

This 3 week delay in porting my number from Vonage is just what i need. I signed up Jan 15 for Vonage and they charge a cancellation fee if you cancel within a year. But if I sign up now, the number won't port until after the 15th.

 

[georgepa]

If anyone here knows someone who is interested in the $9.95 limited minutes deal (200 minutes to be used in the US, CAN, PR and 41 Sunspots) there is a promotion code that includes the 2 free Uniden phones. It is Webppwh

or you can use this link:

https://www.sunrocket.com/sign_up/signup.do?tcd=Webppwh

The deal still has the $39.95 equipment fee for the gizmo, but the Uniden phones more than make up for it with their value.

 

[astrosfan90]

Awesome, thanks george. After the holidays I got some of my family talking about the service, so that's a great resource to pass their way.

Hope you had a great holiday. I know I did!

 

[TheTony]

Anyone willing to speculate on the promos next week (to begin 2006)?

I'd assume the plans will remain the same and, despite the Uniden offer expiring on 12/31, it will be renewed.

Of course, if they reintroduced the 15 month offer and combined it with the Uniden offer this time, that would be awfully nice .

 

[georgepa]

The Tony-

Well, you know what I think. I believe by this time next year they'll have a 20 month for $199 deal, bringing cost for unlimited service effectively down to under $10 per month. Add to that the fact that they are going to officially open up port 2 for another true line, and they'll be even harder to beat by any other provider. Next week: The phones will remain a staple, no doubt.

 

[gibster]

And now for something completely different...

I tried to test out whether I could use a modem over SR, as a test of a temp dialup account for my family. Could not get any connection whatsoever, weird because fax works fairly well. Not that anybody would be insane enough to use their service that way, but in my case it was a legit test that I could not perform. Anybody can shed any light on this issue?

 

[ttown]

Originally posted by: gibster
And now for something completely different...

I tried to test out whether I could use a modem over SR, as a test of a temp dialup account for my family. Could not get any connection whatsoever, weird because fax works fairly well. Not that anybody would be insane enough to use their service that way, but in my case it was a legit test that I could not perform. Anybody can shed any light on this issue?

I did that same test many months ago -- and it worked. Maybe try setting the max baud rate on the dial-up connection to 33.6 (or even slower) just to get it working. (I can't remember what rate I was able to connect at) Maybe clarify what "any connection whatsoever" means... Turn on the audio (if it's off) and listen for the hand-shaking -- does it sound "normal"? Does it seem to settle on the connection, but then disconnect you a couple seconds later?