Comments on: VOIP again

By: Shelley

Shelley — Sun, 18 Oct 2009 18:15:42 +0000

Just imagine educators being asked to build and maintain these systems. Most of us have never experienced these types of systems. That is the unerving part.

By: Shelley

Shelley — Sun, 18 Oct 2009 17:58:18 +0000

Yes you are right but it is important for us to do this. I guess the question is how do tech directors or decision makers understand what is in front of them when their backgrounds have nothing to do with this. It is tough.

By: Joe Catania

Joe Catania — Wed, 15 Oct 2008 21:33:29 +0000

“Do we really understand all of the hidden costs associated with giving up the shared experience or service you have with a traditional phone company? Most of us don��t know what happens behind the scene. I think the New York State BOCES and RICS encourage us to move towards these solutions but don��t always paint the whole picture. ”

I agree with you that there are hidden costs associated with VOIP. Our district switched over last year. It was not an easy process and I know that our technology department is still dealing with. Many districts, including mine, do not have the support resources in place to properly roll out the new technologies that BOCES and RICS encourage districts to use. VOIP requires support if there is a problem, and in our district that means that we must try to resolve VOIP in house first. Unfortunately we do not have technicians in house that can do this. It is a disaster waiting to happen.

By: Kim

Kim — Mon, 17 Mar 2008 23:47:34 +0000

I have to agree with Mario that my first experience with VOIP was with the alarm system. I did not even know what the service man was referring to. I had to ask questions and he was not all that sure either. I am not sure if the sytem is all that it is cracked up to be. I can not speak, I have no experience with it. I do think that one should have been informed with needed back-up systems. Now, I will know that I need to ask questions about back-up and power outages. learned experiences.

By: Christine

Christine — Mon, 25 Feb 2008 22:29:20 +0000

I use VOIP, and on a residential level- it saves us a lot of money. I live in Newburgh, but I don’t know a soul in the 845 area code (actually, I now have one local friend). My family is mostly upstate, my friends are scattered from coast to coast, and my husband’s family and friends are mostly downstate and down south. We have saved several thousand dollars in long distance charges over the five years we’ve been here. They bill our credit card only $30 a month.

We can access voicemail online, forward calls at will, and other stuff I don’t even know b/c I hate being on the phone- I bet my teenager knows all the features though.

We’ve had a few inconviences when service was interrupted, but it wasn’t a huge deal b/c Vonage automatically forwards the call to the number of our choice if our service is down.

Oh- if anyone wants Vonage, let me know b/c I get a month free for every sucker I sign up.

A school district, on the other hand, MUSt have 100% reliable phone service- especially in this day and age. So, no, I probably wouldn’t abandon the old landline and convert 100% to a ‘vonage’ for a school, but I can see making the conversion and somehow keeping the landlines as a back-up.

By: Jason T

Jason T — Mon, 11 Feb 2008 22:51:53 +0000

It seems like voip in the new way to go.

By: mario acosta

mario acosta — Tue, 05 Feb 2008 00:47:53 +0000

i must admit that this topic is all new to me…..i have heard of this before…i seem to recall that when i was setting up my home alarm system, the tech asked if my phone was set up with/for voip……i had to install a land line phone to have access to adt services. if im on target with my own personal experience regarding voip please let me know, otherwise bring me up to speed. i like to say i was born BC….before cable……thanks mario acosta