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Old 07-26-2012, 06:27 PM   #41
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We also ported our home number to our cell. To deal with the cell being in the wrong room, we purchased a Panasonic phone which all connects to blue-tooth. We bought the unit at Costco and it comes with 4 handsets. We can answer the cell from any handset. Reception has generally been pretty decent and the handsets all have a speaker setting for the unit. Costco - Panasonic DECT 6.0 Four-handset Cordless Phone System 4294967278&Mo=1&No=1&Nr=P_CatalogName:BC&Ns=P_Pric e|1||P_SignDesc1&lang=en-US&Sp=C&topnav=
First tried to use a VTech phone with bluetooth but handset reception was dismal. Pansonic was $40 more but a world of difference.
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Old 07-27-2012, 04:38 PM   #42
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psst Ting Mobile.

I was paying $185 with Ver* for 2 smart phones and 2 basic phones. With Ting (3 Android & 1 basic), my June bill was $93, July $85, and August is looking like it will be around $80. And yes, I have a teenager. Don't be fooled into thinking you need "unlimited" text, or data, etc; Ting automatically adjusts your plan each month to your actual usage. Using some common sense like connecting to Wifi at home or work vs. using data will keep the data usage low. You can also install an App that uses data/wifi to send text messages. Their phones are expensive, but I would rather pay upfront than the slow monthly bleed.

No I don't work for Ting!
They have possibilities but no iPhone and the texting is expensive. My dd is at 12,000 texts in 19 days. Currently I wouldn't save much and I would have to spring for new phones.

I do think I'll be getting an iPad soon or the new apple device. I/we deserve a new toy - it's been a while.
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Old 07-27-2012, 06:22 PM   #43
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...My dd is at 12,000 texts in 19 days...
That's a lot!
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Old 07-27-2012, 07:39 PM   #44
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That's a lot!
I know. She was on a 5000k limit but I was able to switch it to unlimited at no additional cost.

I expect the texting to drop considerably when school starts.

Neither of us really need a smart phone - the wife has one from her employer. Right now I am sticking with Verizon.

3 basic phones, 550 shared natl mins/month, unlimited texting on dd phone - $90 before taxes.
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Old 07-28-2012, 06:41 AM   #45
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Chuckanut,
Were you allowed to keep your existing phone number with the Ooma? I've had the same land line phone number for 30 years, and I prefer to keep that number.
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Old 07-28-2012, 07:05 AM   #46
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Chuckanut,
Were you allowed to keep your existing phone number with the Ooma? I've had the same land line phone number for 30 years, and I prefer to keep that number.
JP
I can answer; yes, you can "port" over your existing # to Ooma. The number I'm using with Ooma is the same I have had for 10+ years.
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Old 07-28-2012, 09:14 AM   #47
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Chuckanut,
Were you allowed to keep your existing phone number with the Ooma? I've had the same land line phone number for 30 years, and I prefer to keep that number.
JP
I did not port an old number since I had canceled my home phone years ago. But, I am sure you can get the old number ported to your Ooma. . There might be a small extra charge to do this and it does take a bit more time to get things going.
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Old 07-28-2012, 10:10 AM   #48
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I also ported my old number(actually a business line) to Ooma with no problem--took about a week. Actually one of the benefits of going with Premier is (at least when we ported) they will port one number at no additional charge. Otherwise there is a porting charge.
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Old 07-28-2012, 10:01 PM   #49
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I know that IPhones and new IPads come compatible with either AT&T or Verizon. What about Virgin? Which protocol do they use?
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Old 07-31-2012, 05:42 AM   #50
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DW and I were long term Verizon users (she's a Verizon retiree and even got a discount). We just had voice and it was costing about $90/month including all the taxes. However a year ago when her contract expired she went to StraightTalk $45/month for unlimited everything. I will do the same this November when my contract expires. She's been happy with it and with a app she can make her phone a wifi hotspot. We get good reception even at our house in the boonies in MA.
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Old 07-31-2012, 09:05 AM   #51
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Is that Straight Talk plan still available? When I last talked to Verizon if we purchased a smart phone from then we had to contract for a data plan.
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Old 07-31-2012, 09:19 AM   #52
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I got rid of my home phone and decided it was a mistake. My mobile phone was often far away from me at home and I did not hear the calls. Reception was iffy at times. Also, I wondered what would happen if I had a serious accident upstairs, needed to call 911, but my mobile phone was downstairs. Still I did not want to add about $30 a month to my phone costs for a POTS line. So...

I bought an Ooma machine and now have four extensions in my home for about $5 a month and the price of the Ooma. I paid $160 for my Ooma (after the $40 rebate this month) but have since seen them on e-bay for $99.
I had that thought too when I first dropped my landline as I had a tendency to misplace my cell phone and just let it find me in a couple of days. However, I pay better attention to it and always leave it on the kitchen counter when at home. I also worried a bit about the 911 issue at night in my room. But then I decided since my Glock is on the nightstand it will eventually allow me the opportunity to get to my phone eventually
The Virgin Mobile PayLo plan has been very good for me at $30 a month with 1500 minutes, 1500 sent texts, and 30 whatever bites of internet (way more internet than I ever use on a phone). Since Virgin uses Sprint it isn't a good plan if you live out in the boonies, or travel a lot in the country side off main highway arteries.
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Old 07-31-2012, 12:19 PM   #53
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You get StraightTalk at Walmart. Some of their phones run on different carriers networks so you need to check that out. We needed a Verizon network so DW's Straight Talk phone runs on that network.
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Old 07-31-2012, 01:49 PM   #54
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I had that thought too when I first dropped my landline as I had a tendency to misplace my cell phone and just let it find me in a couple of days. However, I pay better attention to it and always leave it on the kitchen counter when at home. I also worried a bit about the 911 issue at night in my room. But then I decided since my Glock is on the nightstand it will eventually allow me the opportunity to get to my phone eventually
The Virgin Mobile PayLo plan has been very good for me at $30 a month with 1500 minutes, 1500 sent texts, and 30 whatever bites of internet (way more internet than I ever use on a phone). Since Virgin uses Sprint it isn't a good plan if you live out in the boonies, or travel a lot in the country side off main highway arteries.
+1 Love our Paylo .
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Old 07-31-2012, 02:07 PM   #55
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+1 Love our Paylo .
They have a very serviceable basic internet phone with functional keyboard (blackberry phone style) for under $50. Had mine for a year as my sole communicating device and it is still going strong after a year. I have wanted an android style phone and plan, but this is so cheap and practical I cant justify the upgrade cost of phone and plan.
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Old 07-31-2012, 02:16 PM   #56
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But then I decided since my Glock is on the nightstand it will eventually allow me the opportunity to get to my phone eventually
.
How does a Glock help you get to your phone if you are having a heart attack,stoke, or fall and seriously injure yourself. Do you shoot up the house and hope a neighbor will hear the racket?
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Old 07-31-2012, 02:20 PM   #57
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Is that Straight Talk plan still available? When I last talked to Verizon if we purchased a smart phone from then we had to contract for a data plan.
Straight Talk is not a Verizon product. They are a cell phone service provider. They buy time from Verizon, ATT, Sprint, etc and sell it to you and me, hopefully for less cost than the major cell phone providers.
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Old 07-31-2012, 02:27 PM   #58
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How does a Glock help you get to your phone if you are having a heart attack,stoke, or fall and seriously injure yourself. Do you shoot up the house and hope a neighbor will hear the racket?
Im sure that would get someones attention! Im no more than 25 ft from bedroom to kitchen on same level. If I cant crawl that far Im dead anyways. I suffer from the mentality of being invincible at my age. I still think of 911 only in terms of calling to haul off the carcasses from a failed home invasion. Hopefully that wont ever occur and definitely not my carcass!
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Old 07-31-2012, 04:11 PM   #59
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If getting a smart phone with straight talk you might be limited on the number and/or kinds of apps you can get.
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