Home VoIP — FAQ

Below is a list of questions frequently asked by customers looking into Speakeasy Home VoIP service. We hope these pages help you answer any questions you have, but please feel free to call our Speakeasy Home VoIP sales department at 1-800-890-5214 if you have additional questions.

Check here to view all questions and answers.

Getting Started
- Is Speakeasy Home VoIP available in my area?
  Speakeasy Home VoIP is available in most metropolitan areas and coming to more soon. Call 1-800-890-5214 to see if it's available where you live.
- How much does Speakeasy Home VoIP cost?
  For each line you order you'll pay just $27.95 per month, plus a $6.20 regulatory recovery fee. Upon account activation of each line, a one-time $40 activation fee will be applied to your account. Additionally, a $15.95 Shipping and Handling (S&H) fee will be applied to your account for shipment of your Telephone Adapter(s).
- What equipment do I need to use Speakeasy Home VoIP?
  All you need is a phone adapter (provided by Speakeasy) and a standard home telephone.
- How is Speakeasy Home VoIP installed?
  It's easy. After you order the service, we handle the rest. We'll send you an installation kit that includes a telephone adapter for each line you order and quick-start instructions. You simply plug your phone and your DSL modem into the adapter, and you're ready to make and receive calls. If you order two lines, you can plug both phones into one adapter. (Please note that processing your order may initially take three to four weeks.)
- Do I need to buy a new phone?
  No. Our adapter works with most traditional phones and enables them to work with Speakeasy Home VoIP.
- Does Speakeasy Home VoIP support multiple phones?
  Yes, you can order multiple lines, and each line will have its own phone number.
- Is it easy to switch?
  It is! Just call 1-800-890-5214, or check your address for service availability.
- Can I keep my phone number?
  Yes. Our service enables you to keep your current phone number if you choose. This process is also known as Local Portability, or LNP. If you choose to keep your current phone number but can't wait to get started using the service, we can also provide you with a temporary phone number while we are conducting the LNP process for you.
- Can I cancel my phone line when signing up for Speakeasy Voice?
  It depends.
  - If your broadband connection is delivered over your existing phone line, DO NOT cancel your service with the local phone company. By canceling this telephone service, you would also be losing your DSL service, which will prevent us from providing Speakeasy Voice.
  - If you are using OneLink for your broadband connection (dedicated DSL connection, no local phone line required), you may cancel this phone number at any time. Note however that by canceling service, you will not be able to port this number to Speakeasy Voice, when LNP becomes available.
- What are the new features available with Speakeasy Home VoIP?
  Speakeasy is dedicated to providing customers with the best in broadband services and our latest release offers customers more VoIP features, improved performance and usability in the VoIP Communications Center (web portal).
  - New and improved web portal with better performance and more feature flexibility
  - Improved "Reach Me" functionality through the Communications Center (web portal) that enables easier management and additional capabilities
  - New "Remote Office" feature allows you to use your VoIP service from any phone-even your cell phone.
  - Improved management to receive voicemails as email attachments.
  - With Outlook integration, MS Outlook users can access their Outlook contacts directly through the Speakeasy VoIP web portal, and click-to-dial those contacts
Using Speakeasy Home VoIP
- Can I surf the Web while talking on the phone?
  Yes. When users follow our installation guidelines, our network, VQ Technology and Telephone Adapter give voice calls a higher priority than data, ensuring high call quality.
- Can I take my telephone adapter with me when I travel?
  Unfortunately, no. Your Telephone Adapter and voice service are configured to operate on your DSL line alone so that we can optimize the quality of all your calls and properly route 911 calls to the appropriate emergency services (see 911 Dialing). However, you can use the Remote Office feature to take your VoIP with you on the road.
- Is my calling restricted to those who also have Voice over IP service?
  No, with Speakeasy Home VoIP, you can call anyone, anywhere.
- Can I call internationally?
  Yes, and we offer great rates on international calls.
  See them here.
- What features are included with Speakeasy Home VoIP?
  Speakeasy Home VoIP delivers the same must-have features you probably use daily, including voice mail, call waiting, caller ID, and more. Show me features.
- Can Speakeasy Home VoIP easily integrate with my home network?
  Yes. Speakeasy Home VoIP is compatible with all common local area networks (LANs).
- How do I access the web tool?
  The Speakeasy Home VoIP web tool is accessible through MySpeakeasy, your personal place to access all things Speakeasy - billing, invoices, and your broadband services.
- How do I access my voicemail?
  With Speakeasy Home VoIP, you can access your voicemail a variety of ways:
  - Directly from your home phone that is connected to your Telephone Adapter (TA).
  - Remotely from any phone.
  - By email, voicemails can be delivered as attachments to any email address
- What is Reach Me and how does it work?
  Via the Speakeasy VoIP Communications Center, Reach Me allows you to customize inbound calls based on time and caller identity. You decide who can reach you where and when - you can even refuse calls if you want!
- What if I am out of town... even out of the country. Will people calling me need to dial a long distance or international number to reach me?
  No. With the enhanced features of the web tool, calls can be forwarded to any number but your callers only get charged as if you were at home. You will be charged though, for routing the call from us to the international number.
Reliability, Security, and Quality
- If my DSL connection goes down, will I lose my voice service?
  Yes. If that would present an emergency for you, we recommend keeping a mobile phone on hand.
- Is Speakeasy Home VoIP secure? Can hackers listen to my conversations?
  Unlike other providers, we carry our VoIP service exclusively over our private, dedicated broadband network and the networks of our partners without coming anywhere near the public Internet. Your privacy is ensured
- Does Speakeasy Home VoIP deliver the same voice quality as my traditional phone company?
  Yes. Our network and unique VQ Technology assigns a higher priority to calls than to data, ensuring call quality. It also means normal web surfing won't affect the quality of your calls. Note: If you have multiple Speakeasy Home VoIP lines, VQ Technology will ensure that calls on your first line will always be prioritized over data, but the quality of calls on additional lines may be affected by other activity on your local area network.
- Does Speakeasy Home VoIP support 911 emergency calling?
  Yes, Speakeasy's VoIP service provides for standard 911 and E-911 emergency dialing.
  
  Our customers have told us that a reliable 911 solution was key to switching from traditional phone lines to VoIP. This mission-critical requirement drove us to design a service that could deliver on this promise.
  
  With Speakeasy Home VoIP, your 911 calls are routed to the PSAP (Public Safety Answering Point) for your area using standard 911 trunks. Your address and telephone number are provided to the 911 operator by way of E-911. In addition, you do not need to register for 911 dialing, as your phone number and address are automatically registered when we complete your order. We have made the design decision to offer voice service only in areas where this level of integration was possible. These features are equivalent to what the local telephone company would provide with the following exceptions: traditional 911 dialing is not possible in the event of a power loss or loss of connectivity. We suggest that you keep a UPS (Uninterruptible Power Supply) connected to your telephone adapter and DSL modem to minimize the effect of power outages on your phone service, and we recommend that you always keep a cell phone as backup for emergencies. Please review our Terms of Service carefully for details about 911 and E-911 dialing.
How VoIP Works
- How does Speakeasy Home VoIP work?
  Speakeasy Home VoIP is based on Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP), which enables voice to be digitized and transmitted in digital packets rather than by traditional, circuit-committed protocols.
- How is Speakeasy Home VoIP different from the traditional telephone network?
  The traditional phone network-called the Public Switched Telephone Network, or PTSN, if it ever comes up in a game of trivia-is the network American tax dollars built over the last century. Traditional phone service is carried over this network, which is maintained by large telecommunications companies.
  
  In contrast, Voice over IP uses a digital network, like the one you're using to view this Web page. Phone calls are digitized in "voice packets" that move along the network just as "data packets" do.
- How does Speakeasy Home VoIP let me talk to people with traditional phone service?
  Speakeasy Home VoIP employs an application called a softswitch, which enables Speakeasy Home VoIP calls to reach traditional phone service users and vice-versa.
- How does Speakeasy Home VoIP deliver the same voice quality as my traditional phone company?
  With our VQ Technology, voice traffic is recognized and prioritized over data, ensuring quality by giving voice traffic plenty of room in the broadband "pipe". The phone adapter we provide also makes a difference. Called the Telephone Adapter, or TA, it's a "traffic grooming" device that helps keep voice quality high. If it detects any loss in voice quality, it instantly allocates more bandwidth to improve quality.

Speakeasy VoIP requires a Speakeasy broadband connection.

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Home VoIP — FAQ