VOIP - If I am not mistaken VOIP requires a high speed connection.
Posted By: MTT on 2007-04-08
In Reply to: VOIP as second phone line - crispycritterMT
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VOIP and internet connection - sm
I have VOIP with my cable provider, Roadrunner, and I can use my Lanier at the same time as I am on the Internet, no problems. In my area, this is much cheaper than unlimited long distance phone service with my land line provider (which I kept, by the way, as you have NO phone if your cable goes out). I have not had any problems at all. Hope this helps.
Vonages requires high speed internet...
so you would need either DSL/cable or broadband. I have broadband and hooked up to Vonage for 2 months for C-phone use. The audio quality was frequently poor and I would have to reboot. Some days I would just hook up to my home phone line to avoid the hassle. The kicker was when I went to disconnect this month, they charged me $97 TO CANCEL! Its all in the fine print, apparently.
My audio problems may well have had to do with broadband/satellite service more than anything. If you have cable/DSL it may be worth a shot, but know that if you cancel after their 30-day trial you are going to pay! 
Well, the first thing you'll need is a high speed internet connection if you don't already hav
it. You'll want to invest in a foot pedal that you can connect to your PC. I'd check out the pedals on transcriptiongear.com or check out Ebay. I've found a lot of useful MT equipment on ebay for really reasonable prices. I have an Infinity USB pedal that works nicely and I bought it off of Ebay. You'll need to download ExpressScribe or another program so you will be able to play back sound files using your pedal. That will make it a lot easier for you to test with some of the national companies as they generally have .wav files that you'll need to transcribe and send back before they will make an offer.
Once you've landed a job, the bigger companies generally will provide you with whatever software required to do their work and some provide you with all the equipment you'll need. However, some will require you to use your own PC and will want you to have the latest version of Word.
That should get you started.
VOIP
I think I'm going to try Vonage/VOIP, too, as I'm paranoid about getting back charged by a regular company. I already have used Qwest ULD before and got a letter after a few months threatening to terminate (there was no 5000 minute limit when I originally signed on), but fortunately I just cancelled it and there were no back charges. I don't see any minute limit with Vonage, but I have noticed that both the residential and small business plans have the same limitations which say things like continuous call forwarding (not sure that that is). I know a lot of transcriptionists use it and seem to not have problems, so I'm going to give it a try. I don't really know what else to do unless pay by the minute, but it'd cost me a fortune, even with a low rate plan.
VOIP
I have been using Vonage and yes it is true that if your internet goes out you have no phone service but you can set it up quite easily to automatically forward any calls to a cell phone or any number you want if your internet or electricity goes out. My internet rarely goes out and I have had no problems with my Vonage service. It did require some tweaking at first but I love it and I am saving so much money over Bellsouth that I had previously.
VOIP and 911
If you are switching to VOIP for telephone service, whether it is Vonage or another company, please make sure your 911 dispatch center can find you should you need them. The location of a land line phone and more and more cell phones (eventually all because they will all have GPS) will come up on computer-aided dispatch systems. This is not always the case with VOIP. When you choose your provider, give 911 a call in the late evening/early morning when they are not so busy, tell them you have a new phone system and inquire if a location comes up for you on their computer. Actually, anyone who moves or otherwise changes their phone number can (and probably should) do this. The middle of an emergency is not the time to find that 911 thinks you are somewhere you aren't.
VoIP
I use Vonage and I have that same problem. Sometimes it depends on the time of day. Let me know if it gets any better and with what company. I was told that AT&T does not like to help with that.
I have VOIP s/m
And yes, if the power goes out, so does your phone. Power does not go out that often. I do have a cell that is a prepay phone for when I'm on the road, etc., so in case of power outage, I can use that as well if I need to. Just think about it, if the power is out, your not working anyways...
Now I do have a generator as well, so if and when the power does go out, I can get that set up and use that as well.
Voice quality is just like the regular landline for me although I know some people that have had problems with different services. It is normally because of a setting that you need to adjust on your end.
AT&T VOIP has been great! (nm)
nm
Lanier and VOIP
I use digital phone with Time Warner for my Lanier account. I also kept my unlimited LD with Verizon as a back up, but use the digital phone service for my Lanier because I'm afraid that Verizon will catch up with me. Therefore, I have TWO lines, one land one (Verizon), and one VOIP (Time Warner). Both are unlimited LD, but if the cable goes out, I still have my land line. Hope this helps.
VOIP and internet - sm
Yes, the Lanier is plugged into the phone line just like your C-phone. The phone line is connected to the cable modem, so the phone line and your internet connection come through the same modem (I think...not sure of the technicalities). The VOIP is half the price of my land line with Verizon, and VOIP is truly unlimited, while Verizon watches the minutes.
I would go AT&T or Vonage VoIP instead
of hassling with unlimited long distance since ULD becomes an issue for MTs.
VoIP problems
I have had three different VoIP companies over the years, all at the request of my employer. I never lasted more than a week with any one of them and now I absolutely refuse to do that again. Had the same issues you have with the foot pedal and I was not using a C-phone nor a wave pedal. The audio quality would be choppy, there would be gaps where multiple words were missing, etc.
Out of those three different companies, not one could fix the problem, though they all acknowledged that the choppiness could be an issue "for some people". Lucky me!
Hope you fare better!
There is no way I would use any VOIP company
for dictation. I used Skype, and I used Packet 8 for home service. I have known people who have used Vonage. They are entirely too unpredictable and the sound most times is horrid. It might be okay for home use if you didn't call much, but there is no way I would use VOIP for something as important as dictation.
Anyone using VoIP (internet phone) with a
DVI or C-phone to transcribe, and does it work well? If so, what company do you use? Are those companies cracking down on transcription like the regular LD carriers?
My employers forbids us to have VoIP because...
it fouls up lots of things. Also, I have a friend with Vonage and we are constantly cut off, or it sounds like she is talking from the bottom of a fish tank. She hates it.
VoIP plans are the only ones without restrictions
x
Anyone use VoIP phone system
and are you having problems with connectivity? We switched to internet-based phone service a few weeks ago and recently I started having problems with downloading the voice. I get the report but without any voice. If you have had this problem, how did you remedy it? I'm about at my wit's end. Thanks!
VOIP as second phone line
Is it possible to use VOIP as an extra phone line instead of investing in a second land phone line? I'm going to be working at my mom's a couple days a week. She has one phone line and DSL. At my house I only have dial-up. I have an account that requires two phone lines with no DSL, one for dictaphone, one for Meditech. I really hate to ask her to pay for another land phone line and was wondering if I could use VOIP. Thanks for any input.
my concern with VOIP with a C-phone is
how is the voice quality? I would be interested in something like Vonage as I can take that with me and travel.
voip.com has true unlimited
I called this morning and questioned her extensively on whether it was truly unlimited, and she assured me it was. www.voip.com - not to be confused with the generic voip service like Vonage. She did say that satellite internet users would probably not be happy with the connection, but I have DSL and it works perfectly. One warning - it disconnects at exactly 5 hours, so you have to remember to hang up and re-dial in prior to that.
Question for Vonage/VoIP users
If you are using Vonage for MT, do you use the residential or small business plan, and how many minutes a month do you use?
Thanks!
VoIP in lieu of landline phones?
I read a little article in one of those free local trade publications which discussed ways of saving money on everyday household costs. VoIP was listed as a way to save a ton of money by using your Net connection for your phone service.
The article didn't explain how it all works. Is anyone doing this? Do you hook up your phone to your cable connection or are you using some speaker system/software on your PC to make calls? I just don't get it. All I know is that they said you can call anywhere in the world and it doesn't matter, it's a fixed inexpensive monthly cost. I also don't know if you trade your landline telephone number for something through thte VoIP service.
So, I'm intrigued but totally in the dark about this concept. TIA!
I had VoIP back in Nov with my cable provider and then went with another IP and just used..sm
my landline because they did not offer VoIP. Now my IP offers it and it works great other than the pedal. Thanks for your help!
VoIP and foot pedal issues
For anyone using VoIP, do you find that your foot pedal does not always respond? IOW, you lift your foot from the foot pedal and the dictation continues along? Or, you have to press the foot pedal twice to get the system to respond. Sometimes, I'll press the rewind pedal for a second and I'm thrown back to the beginning of the report. --- My C-phone and foot pedal are both new, so it's not with my equipment. And AT&T says they don't support my equipment (although they were helpful once before).
Any suggestions to resolve the problem?
Lingo that is who we use...VOiP, $22.95/month, six months already, no probs.
You might want to investigate further the post someone made about 2007 and VOiP. Seems the government is all hot and bothered because they need to tap phones and cannot do so with VOiP. They probably will end up taxing and surcharging eventually, as well, but for a while it can save you a lot of money...
Has anyone used Sun Rocket VOIP? If so, how is the voice quality and service? nm
I've heard C-phone with VOIP works well (sm)
and a lot cheaper, too. Forget the costly unlimited long distance and business plans! It may be a good idea to have another phone-line as a backup for your C-phone in case DSL/cable goes down.
cable phone and VoIP are the only TRUE unlimited
I can't find a single phone company that has TRUE unlimited. I've used VOiP in the past through Vonage with no problems. I got rid of it only because I didn't need ULD anymore, and they when I started needing ULD again I decided to switch to cable phone and internet. I bundle my cable, internet, and phone all together at a pretty reasonable price. Cable phone works great and no problems with heavy daily use.
trying to chose a laptop, please, re connection and speed
what please is the difference in ability to connect between:
802.11 a/g/n (cannot remember if it was wireless)
802.11 a/b/g wireless
802.11 b/g wireless
..................
Re speed, I saw somewhere the a/g/n is 5 times faster, true? or is the speed in the gHz or in the hard drive rpm...????
I would really really appreciate some input, and thanks.
Can you get high speed?
That's VERY expensive for dial up. Most high speed services cost about that.
My speed is really high but this job is not what
it was years ago. With being an engineer, it would seem that the money should really be good there. I have done this now for over 30 years and if I had to do now and raise a family, I would have to work more than 1 job, possibly 3-4. It is really not the money maker it was once, not at all. The work is not easy, not just a typist job, in fact after all these years I still am always trying to make sure my QA is not lacking, otherwise your job is lacking as in gone. My speed is around 140 wpm but the speed is not what is really important. I found it extremely difficult starting out and trained for over a year inhouse before I ever earned production. This would not be a job I would recommend now unless you just want to stay at home with a child, do part time, retired, in other words where you want to put in time and really don't need to make a living doing it.
High speed internet
If you have an internet-based platform, you don't need to use a phone line with high speed internet. I managed to get rid of a second phone line that way. The company pays for the intenet.
High speed internet
My high speed internet is received via a small satellite dish mounted on my house. It is pointed toward a tower where the signal is sent. It does not require a phone line at all. It works on the same principle as a satellite dish, only for internet.
high speed internet
I have satellite and thought it couldn't be used for MT work at home....do you use it for MTing? Thanks for reply!
high speed cable
Hi, I work for Medquist and they pay up to 50$ a month for high speed cable (DocQscribe platform).
Aced out no high speed
I think I am going to get aced out of my job because I do not have access to high-speed internet. Are there any companies out there that allow satellite? Any suggestions?
I only have dial up too - no high speed is available either - sm
for those of us in the boonies it is unfortunate we are limited in this way. Believe me if I could get DSL I would.
Yes, way too much! Try high-speed cable.
I use Comcast cable - introductory is 19.99 per month for the first 6 months, then 49.95 after that.
High-speed DSL or cable
I am posting for a friend and wanted to see if anybody else has run into this problem. We live in a very remote area where we are unable to get high-speed DSL or cable. My friend, who has a lot of experience and would be an asset to any company(over 15 years experience), cannot find a company that does not require high-speed cable or DSL. Also unfortunately because of our location, she really is unable to pick up tapes, especially as high as gas prices are - but that is another issue!! Fortunately for me, because of the location of my home in conjunction with a "main road" (in country terms), I was able to get high-speed cable, but because of how far her home sits off the road, she cannot. Any suggestions?
I doubt my speed would be as high as it is now, despite not having
a light touch keyboard....I'm from the old school -- learned on a typewriter many, many years where ago one had to pound the keys to get the text to show up. I'm not concerned about my keyboards not lasting long; they cost under $20.00.
Does your son have high speed internet???
If so get vonage for your long distance. I just unplug my Vonage and take my router and I have my own phone line anywhere I have high speed internet.
I have high-speed now, but only got it 2 years ago. Before that I
worked with dial-up and my company still allows dial-up. They aren't hiring though.
if you have high speed internet
you shouldn't have any problems - I typically download a 43 minute file in about 2 minutes ... the bonus is the file is always there waiting for me so I can take a quick bathroom break, I can "rewind" to hear problems again, etc. To me, downloading files is MUCH easier than doing Dictaphone but JMO.
With Vonage you need high-speed
internet so if that is not available to you then Vonage, voip another digital phone provider would not be an option for you.
If you buy a calling card at Wal-Mart it is 4 cents/minute and I think Sam's Club may be 3.5 cents. I couldn't afford to work if I had to pay 7 cents/minute.
High-speed conversion
see link.
Pricey. Maybe there's a cheaper one out there. Guess it would depend how much of this kind of work you'll be doing.
d
My telephone service is VOIP, but it s through my cable service, along with my cable internet. .
We have had VOIP for about a year now and I love it. I really can't tell a difference in traditional service, except the price. One of the best calls of my life was to Bellsouth to cancel our service!
Use high speed internet. No offense taken. nm
x
If they want that access, they would have to pay for the computer, the high-speed and the
portion of electric. Just my opinion. I own and run a national service and think this is ridiculous and a HUGE invasion of privacy. If worried about trust, how can they trust you with patient information. Refuse.
I am not yet networked, but I just download via high speed
and then disconnect and take my laptop where ever it is I want to work. When I get through with my work I go back in and upload.
In the mountains you might have problem with any type of wireless signal, but if you have high-speed internet there and you are using a wireless router and network card it shouldn't affect the signal as long as you are within range of the router. By wireless if you are thinking something like Clearwire which operates much the same as a cell phone then you'll probably have trouble, or if you are using an air card you might have issues too, provided there is even service in your area. A lot of people say wireless and they are using a router and network card and others think wireless is like the air card. No sure which you are thinking about.
Turn off - especially if you are on high-speed internet
This will prevent you from contracting various illnesses on your computer.
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