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- Packet8 | Review
- Making the Jump to VoIP by
Russell Shaw of C/NET
There's no doubt in my mind. Of the services I've used, Packet 8 is by far the best VoIP provider out there.
Packet8's several monthly plans include the $39.99 Virtual Office, with auto attendant and conference bridge, the
$29.99 Freedom Unlimited Videophone, which includes a full-motion real-time video phone made by Packet 8 owner
8x8, and Packet 8 Freedom Unlimited—the one I opted for. Freedom Unlimited specifies unrestricted free calling
throughout the U.S. and Canada, as well as to all Packet8 subscribers worldwide
Packet 8 requires extra equipment and installation step, but it's worth it. Packet 8's kit comes with a Packet8-branded
DTA 310 terminal gateway. You simply Plug the DTA310 into your PC using a standard Ethernet cable (included in
the kit), plug in your power supply, and the plug your telephone into the DTA310.
Packet 8's shining virtue is its superior configurability for home and office networks. If you want to use your
Packet 8 service on more than one phone line, purchase a multiple analog jack extension connector and then plug
it into the DTA-310 phone jack. This connector will allow you to use up to three phones on a single Packet8 line.
That's not to say that you won't experience an occasional garbled call or annoying metallic echo. But a recent
TomsNetworking poll had almost 50% of respondents choose "hardly ever" as their answer when asked how
often they had problems with their VoIP service.
- CNET editors' review
Reviewed by: Neil Randall
Edited by: Matthew Elliott
Reviewed on 7/16/04 Updated on: 3/25/05 Release date: 3/12/04
You need to know two things about the Packet8 VoIP service. First, its unlimited-minutes residential plan, priced
at $19.95 per month, is among the cheapest you'll find. And second, it's the first VoIP service to offer 911 that's
close to what you get with a traditional landline phone (it's the same 911 service that cell phone callers receive).
Dubbed Enhanced 911, the service provides that an emergency operator will receive caller information on his or
her screen when you call. (With other VoIP services, calls to 911 aren't always treated as emergencies, and they
rely on callers to provide their name and location.)
In addition to its residential plans, Packet8 offers plans tailored to businesses, videophone service plans, and
flat-rate plans for callers to Europe and Asia. You can transfer your current number to Packet8 service (area codes
are available in all but four states in the United States), and you can also purchase a second virtual number in
another area code.
Under light network traffic conditions, Packet8's voice quality is comparable to that of landline phones, but like
many VoIP services, conversations proved difficult when we were uploading files to the Web during calls.
Still, with its low rates, excellent geographical coverage, and E911 support, Packet8 has plenty to offer as a
replacement for your current phone service.
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9903 Santa Monica Blvd, Suite 373
Beverly Hills, California 90212 USA
1 800 600 6151 US & Canada +1 310 281 5539 +1 310 424 7149 Fax
Packet8 | Review
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