For competitive rates, Phone Power serves every one, from a single-line residential customer to a corporate call center, and everyone in between. They also provider International calling plans that allow for unlimited calling to a specific number of countries (depending on the plan you select). Phone Power also provides helpful online quick links and e-guides to their customers seeking support, as well as support chat, email, and telephone number. They are even available for a select number of weekend hours!
PHONEPOWER OFFERS GOOD VALUE AND DECENT SERVICE
I've had PhonePower for a little over half a year, and I am pleased with my choice. There are some potential issues you need to be aware of, though: Setup was challenging, at least for me—without constant help from tech support I don’t think I could have managed it. I had to access the setup menu of the modem via computer in order to configure it properly for my particular IP. Just getting into the online menu of the modem was tricky because I have a router that uses the same IP address for administrative tasks. Don't be scared, but be willing to spend at least an hour or so to iron out the kinks. Some users will probably be able to just plug it in and start dialing, as one can assume that the default settings of the PhonePower modem are designed to conform to the broadest range of customers. Be aware that you will need a backup phone while you port over to this service, as you may need to call their tech support during setup. If PhonePower suddenly becomes your only means of contact with the outside world while you're still just setting it up, then you're up the creek without a paddle. Generally speaking, when you hear a dial tone, you know you're good to go--not so with PhonePower. The dial tone is a 0 one, since it is automatically generated by the modem itself. The dial tone on the PhonePower modem simply means, "Okay, go ahead and dial, and I'll see if we can connect." If you don't believe me, pick up the receiver without connecting the modem to the internet. You'll hear a dial tone, even though there's no way you can dial out. Kind of silly, if you ask me. Porting over my old phone number took longer than I thought it would, but this isn't necessarily the fault of PhonePower, since porting requires the cooperation of my old phone company, which was probably less than pleased to see me go. On the plus side, though, I was still able to dial out with my new PhonePower line while waiting for the old number to port, it's just that anybody dialing in to my old number couldn't reach me for about a week. There are two minor flaws with the hardware (meaning the phone modem): 1) The dial tone expires quickly, so you better know what number you're dialing as soon as you pick up the receiver, or you'll have to hang up and try it again. 2) As has been discussed in many other PhonePower reviews, the volume level is too high. Sometimes I have to actually hold the receiver an inch or two away from my ear to keep from hurting my eardrum. I signed up for the 2-year prepaid plan, with the second year free. They don't really tell you what you'll end up paying with this plan, since the taxes included in the price are only for the first year, but I've calculated it out to be $291.61 total for TWO YEARS SERVICE, including taxes and delivery. Assuming this number is correct, this would work out to $12.15 per month for a total of 24 months—but it’s prepaid, so you’re not charged by the month. I only mention the figure as a basis for comparison to other plans out there. After 24 months, of course, your account would revert back to their standard rate, currently (as of this writing on 22 July 2009) at $19.95/month ($23.40 with tax) on a month-to-month or $16.95/month ($20.18 with tax) with a 12-month commitment. The prepaid plan is only good for two years, but it's still the best deal going, unless you want to count SKYPE, which is not nearly as reliable as this service is. I asked PhonePower why I couldn’t renew on the two-year prepaid plan, and they said that they make very little money on the prepaid plan, so it has to end by a certain time. Given how low the price is, one can hardly blame them. Call quality is on par with any other VOIP out there. But for the increased volume, there really is no discernable difference between a PhonePower call and any conventional landline. Using the account features, I've been able to block unwanted calls from those pesky telemarketers, even that sleazy company that tries to sell extended car warranties. It's nice to have that online filter, since it still allows people I know to call me without any problem. Anonymous callers with no caller I.D. get a busy signal. Yay! I have experienced some echo problems on very rare occasions, but this can be caused by many different factors that are beyond PhonePower's control. Don't make any operator assisted calls unless you're willing to pay an extra $3/call (but this feature can be disabled). Overall I'd give them a solid B++ rating. They get an A+ for price and overall value. Truly, if you want the most bang for your buck, there's no better service out there.