[ale] Slightly OT: recommendations for VOIP/SIP to replace POTS

[DJPfulio at jdpfu.com]

On 11/9/22 21:18, Neal Rhodes via Ale wrote:
> 
> Looks like www.3cx.com offers that capability for free for up to 10
> lines.   Maybe there are other provides which offer better pricing
> than free?

I'm pretty certain there's a federal law that mandates E911 service, which runs $4/month.  Don't know how to get out of that with a normal phone number, but perhaps someone else here does.

I use Voip.ms for $4.95/month, free inbound calls, $0.10/min outbound.  I have a HT-702 ATA.  Had a HT-502 previously that died after about 10 yrs.  For all the savings over the years, replacing a $40 ATA every decade is still a great trade-off.  There are ways to use call-back services to avoid nearly all outbound calling. I've found those call-back services don't handle DTMF correctly, so if I'm calling businesses with that sort of voice menu system, I'll either dial direct or use a cell phone with a wifi-calling plan to avoid a $10/month cell plan.  I miss the old t-mobile $36/yr PAYG plans and before that they were $10/yr just to keep the line alive.