Vonage v Sunrocket

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This looks cool a USB phone from Vonage for mobile use. In practicality if you have a good wireless connection (ie a Starbucks T-Mobile Hotspot or I dunno EVDO). Vonage is a bit more expensive than the other VOIP providers though.

My personal favorite that I’m leaning towards getting is Sunrocket. I’ve noticed around holidays they have super deals ie 2yrs service for the price of 1. Since I’m in no rush, I’m going to wait for one of those deals to come out. My only personal concern is fax capability, but as long as you don’t have a Super G3 fax machine it should work (in theory). Amazing running an archaic method of communication -fax over a high-tech packet switched network isn’t it? I wonder if 100 years from now we’ll have fax over telepathy in keeping with backward compatibility?

Comparisons so far:

• Both have Voice mail with email.
• Vonage has a Network availability feature which allows you to set up a phone number to forward calls to in the event your broadband service is down. SunRocket has a Find Me feature which provides the same functionality.
• Vonage has a SimulRing feature which allows multiple phone numbers to ring at the same time. The SunRocket Find Me feature can accomplish the same functionality.
• SunRocket has more sophisticated forwarding features then Vonage, in addition to the standard forwarding, they also have Do Not Disturb and Group Forwarding.
• Vonage allows you to turn Call Waiting on and off from their web site. SunRocket has Call Waiting but no web management.
• Both have the ability to control international calling from their web site.
• SunRocket has the ability to block anonymous calls or specific numbers from their web site. Vonage does not.
• Vonage has Virtual Phone numbers, SunRocket has Signature numbers.
• Vonage has a soft phone option, SunRocket does not.
• Vonage has Toll Free numbers, SunRocket does not.
• SunRocket has a web based personal phone book. Vonage does not.
• SunRocket has speed dial via the web based personal book.Vonage does not.
• Both have 7 digit dialing within your area code.
• Both have 3 way calling.
• Both have Caller Id with name.
• SunRocket has the ability to block the outgoing Caller Id from their web site. Vonage does not.
• Vonage has a Windows XP application and Oultook plug in to simplify dialing.
• Vonage has an adjustable bandwidth saver option on their web site. SunRocket does not.
• Free “Signature number” with Sunrocket.

I’m planning on using the “Signature Number” from Sunrocket and using it as my fax number. The number is not an additional line but just another number for your phone line. I will then get fax software that recognizes distinctive rings. The good thing is you can pretty much take your adapter anywhere and you will in effect moved your whole setup/phone system to another location - handy for the road-warrior. $200/year for all this, no additional fees, taxes, etc. And if you get lucky and sign up when they have their 2 for 1 deal only $100/year. That’s less than what some people pay in fees/taxes on their phone lines.

Disclaimer - I had Vonage at one point and in terms of service I never had any issues. I had a more basic setup with 1 line going through my Cable Broadband. It is alot more expensive though.