Q: What do you do?
A: I'm creative director for ThunkInc. We do integrated brand development. Since 1997, we've helped more than 100 companies with trend, lifestyle, and consumer-based projects.
Q: Why do you use Internet telephony?
A: I work at home so that I can be with family. Cell phones are limited and not very clear. So I got a Vonage setup to call during business hours and also for clients in different parts of the world. I did not want to use the home phone, and I also wanted a decent long-distance rate that could be expensed by the business.
Initially I got it for cost savings: business lines add up. I'm saving $1,000 to $2,000 per month.
Q: Where do you call?
A: Mainly national, about 80 percent outside the local area.
Q: What's your favorite feature?
A: Being able to check voicemail through e-mail.
Q: What do you miss from regular phones?
A: If your Internet connection goes down, the phone does too.
Q: Any problems?
A: The volume level is low. They can't figure out what's happening.
Q: Any tips for other users?
A: Sign up for the 800 number. It's cheap and makes you look more accessible to different markets.
Test the phone you want to use with it. Get a phone you can boost the volume on.
Q: Would you recommend it?
A: Definitely. If we move, we're going to go VoIP all the way, no regular line.
MORE REAL-LIFE USERS
RAINES COHEN
Takes his Vonage router with him to consulting gigs.
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MITCH RATCLIFFE
VoIP saves his virtual office more than $15,000 per year in long-distance fees.
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