Anyone uses Phone power and how is it?

mikecintel

Hi Everyone,
Anyone uses Phone Power? I am using Verizon Home Phone (LVP2) and I have the Verizon Network extender and it is no use at all. I am still getting low signal, and it drops my faxes. I am going to switch Phone Power an VOIP company. I want to know does anyone here experience with Phone Power VOIP. If anyone uses Phone Power VOIP and port out what is the procedure to port out? I am just asking if I see any provider some day and it is better than Phone Power I would port out. Phone Power said they can do fax too via Internet, so I am going to switch to them.

OzarkEdge

mikecintel

I have no experience with Phone Power.

Some advice... maintain your existing service until you are satisfied with your new service. You can typically use a new number/DID with the new service for setup and trial, and then discard that DID after fully switching over to the new service.

To port-in your existing DID, setup your new service and submit a port-in request to the new service provider. The new service provider (the winning provider) manages the port process... the existing service provider (the losing provider) will simply lose the DID and then will most likely and automatically cancel your existing phone service and close your account (if not used for other bundled services). Follow-up afterward to be sure the losing provider is no longer billing you for phone service.

mikecintel

OzarkEdge
Thank you for your reply. Thank you for your advice and good point. What is DID? Well mostly likely I would get a final bill from VZ so they should no longer bill me after I get a final from them.

OzarkEdge

mikecintel What is DID? Well mostly likely I would get a final bill from VZ so they should no longer bill me after I get a final from them.

DID is short for phone number. You will see it used often. Google it.

If an existing Verizon account includes bundled services Internet/TV/Phone, you would not want to see that account closed... you would only want to stop being billed for phone service. I would assume the worst from big telco like Verizon.

mikecintel

OzarkEdge

OK thank you. I didn't know that. I don't have bundle with VZ so it does not apply to me. Thank you so much for your information. I appreciate it. Yes VZ is the worst. I switch to AT&T and it so much for wireless but for my home phone with fax that is a different story so I will try to use Phone power. I will post a review once everything is setup and switch so user will know how the company is if they ever want to switch to phone power. The site is here if anyone is interested: https://www.phonepower.com/voiphome.aspx

px_eliezer_

OzarkEdge gave you good advice.

PhonePower is a full-service VoIP provider, in that they supply your adapter device (ATA) and they program it. (With some other VoIP providers you supply and customize your own equipment).

A similar company in that full-service VoIP category would be 1-Voip.
https://www.1-voip.com/residential-voip.php

In case you want to comparison-shop.

Please note that if you live in some kind of rural or outlying area, you might not be able to port your number. Check that in advance with your preferred VoIP company.

Also a very basic requirement for VoIP is a stable Internet connection. It does NOT need to be super-fast but it does need to have low jitter.

Your VoIP adapter (ATA) probably should be behind your Router for increased security. Ask the VoIP provider if you have questions.

mikecintel

px_eliezer_
Thank you so much for the information I really appreciate it. I went to the link that you gave me and I think I will pick Phone power because of their price. The link you gave me does it support a physical fax? I just see it says virtual fax. I have a Brother fax machine all in one and I mainly use the Brother to fax. I live in a urban area and I do have cable and it is with Spectrum. I did call phone power and they told me it is eligible to port my number from Verizon. Phone power said they said they will send me the adapter but I have to pay a one time fee of $15 for shipping. If I am on the 1 year contact it is $9.99 and I asked them how about after 1 year contract and they said it still will be $9.99. Thank you for your help and link.

Stewart

mikecintel I just see it says virtual fax. I have a Brother fax machine all in one and I mainly use the Brother to fax.

Do you mean that the Brother scans a physical document (that you probably just printed out) and sends it as a fax? IMO that is essentially obsolete and makes for poor workflow. If you have (for example) a form that you received by web, email or fax and you have to fill it out and/or sign it, it's better to do that on the computer and send the resulting .pdf or .docx by virtual fax. It's faster, results in a better quality image, gives you a record of the signed document, and saves trees. If you are faxing a document you created yourself, there is certainly no reason to print and scan. If it's something you do need to scan (it came by post or was handed to you personally), it's likely something important (insurance policy, deed, etc.) so scan it to your computer and fax from there.

Approximately how many pages do you fax out monthly? How many do you receive by fax? If a lot, you should use a fax service -- it's much more reliable and will save you much grief. Other than fax, what do you use the home phone for? Approximate monthly minutes in/out?

mikecintel

Stewart
Yes I mean I have a Brother physical machine that scan documents and faxes. I have Brother MFCL2750DW. I never use a virtual fax before and I just a physical fax machine. I am so use to a physical fax machine. Like sometimes I send faxes to my doctor etc. I don't fax a lot so it would be like whenever i need to fax I use it that is all. I fax like 2-3 pages. I received like 1 or 2 pages mostly. I use the home phone to call my friends etc. It is unlimited talk from Verizon that I have now.

px_eliezer_

mikecintel physical fax machine

If you are staying with a Brother physical fax machine to be used over a VoIP line, it is usually recommended to lower the (outbound) transmission speed to be 9600 Baud.

See here:
https://www.voipmechanic.com/voip-fax-settings-brother.htm

However, I do NOT agree with the advice of turning off Error Correction Mode (ECM), For that reason (I have a similar Brother machine) I do NOT use their Overseas Mode.

You can lowed the speed (Baud) WITHOUT having to use the Overseas Mode.

Again the bad thing with Overseas Mode is that it disables the Error Correction (ECM).

Just lower the Baud rate manually.

mikecintel

px_eliezer_
Thank you for the informative information. I will keep in mind. The fax is already set to 9600 Baud already. No I do not turn off the ECM.

mikecintel

Hi Everyone,

My Phone Power hardware is here, 3-13-25 and it is a Grandstream HT812 device. It is VERY EASY to use. I just plug it in to my router and then line 1 for the physical phone line and line 2 is for the physical fax machine. When I plug into line 2 and I start to test a fax it says Fax is not registered. I had to call tech support and the man name Eric said that your line 1 has to be “Cloned” in order to use the Fax line because that way you can fax and talk at the same time. When you are faxing it is using line 2 and when you are talking it is using line 1. This is PERFECT now and it is unlike Verizon where if I fax I can’t use the phone to call out because it is faxing. After the tech clone the line, I immediately can fax.