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Vonage Pro VoIP Service Plan

By , About.com Guide

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What Is Vonage Pro :

Vonage Pro is an improved service above Vonage's residential plan, that adds some mobility to it. Although it is primarily targeted towards professional consumers (prosumers, as Vonage likes to call them), it will surely interest many residential callers, especially those who need to make and receive calls elsewhere than only at home.

How Vonage Pro Works:

The basic residential plan implies being restricted to make and receive calls only from home or the place where the ATA (phone adapter) is found. Above the residential service and all it includes(ATA, phone number, many features etc.), Vonage Pro also includes a softphone application that can be installed on any laptop or PC anywhere there is a high speed Internet connection. This softphone, called the Vonage Companion, transforms the PC into a phone. Thus, Vonage users can make and receive calls through their Vonage subscription anywhere they are.

A second, virtual number supplied with the service. The virtual number will ring the Companion, and act as a link between the home service and the soft service.

When installing the Vonage Companion, the user will be required to enter their Vonage subscription credentials to log in. Once in, they can use the softphone as they would use their home phone. The Vonage Companion softphone application is like a stripped-down version of Skype, offering the necessary minimum.

Incoming calls ring both the home phone and the Companion softphone at the same time. Also, two people can make calls simultaneously on the same account, one using the home phone and one (obviously at another location) using the Companion softphone.

The Cost:

New subscribers who select this plan will pay $10 more per month ($35) than those who stick to the basic residential plan. And of course, add to this some taxes and fees.

In a sense, users are getting what they would have got from SkypeIn and SkypeOut for a flat rate or $10 a month. Now, how beneficial this will be and whether it will be better than using Skype and the like will depend on the amount of calls the user makes and receives per month.

With Skype and other software-based and mobile VoIP services, users pay per minute, while with the Vonage Companion, they can make and unlimited unlimited calls. It is finally definitely worthy for heavy callers on the move, but not if those who will use the Companion for a call or two.

Vonage Pro Features :

Over and above the many features that come along with Vonage basic residential plan, Vonage pro offers the following features:
  • 25 voicemail messages can be received per month, transcript into visual voicemails.
  • 25 411 Directory Assistance calls.
  • Conference calling, selective call blocking, personalized ring tones and call recording.
  • The Vonage Companion softphone automatically synchronizes with Vonage Contact Center.

Requirements :

Since a softphone is involved, users will need earphones/speakers, microphones or headsets. A USB phone can also be used connected to the PC. As far as the PC's hardware is concerned, Vonage recommends a Pentium 4 processor, at least 512 MB of RAM and 50 MB of hard disk space. So far, the softphone works only on Windows (Vista, XP and 2000). Mac and Linux users are ruled out. Also, the softphone cannot be installed on mobile phones.

And yes, don't forget the high-speed Internet connection.

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