How well does your phone hold up in an emergency?
Our recent blackout has brought to light how much of our communication relies on our personal power systems. Some UCAN members that thought their phones would suffice during a blackout found themselves without a dial tone. Let’s rate your blackout communication options and examine how they are affected by a blackout:
Home Phone Service Continues to Move Towards VoIP
While the phone you use may not be changing the network you are connecting to may no longer be the Plain Old Telephone System.
VoIP Phone Services -- worth the money?
Remember when Al Gore flicked the Internet on and we were all promised free phone service within 6 months? What happened to that? Politicians, I tell ya...when are we going to learn? Fortunately, there are people looking to make good on the promise to rob traditional landline customers form the Baby Bells by exploiting the Interent in order to offer free local and long distance phone service to deprived consumers across the country. Deprived...seriously. While the Baby Bells might argue against the term "deprived," UCAN begs to differ. The amount of competion in the local/long-distance marketplace is laughable. The Bells were broken up because of monopoly-type conditions, but mergers and acquisitions have steadily consolidated market power back into the hands of a select few. A new wave of Internet-exploiting phone companies could help change all that. Some you've heard of, like Skype, Google Voice, Yahoo Voice, Vonage, Ooma and others.
Time Warner Cable customers charged CPUC surcharges despite no requirement to collect fees
Recently, UCAN investigated Time Warner's decision to charge CPUC surcharges to it VoIP customer despite no regulatory mandate to assess those fees.
"I'm Getting A Phone Call From THE WHITEHOUSE!!!": Can You Really Modify How Your CallerID Appears?
Can You Change, On Demand, The Caller ID Which Displays When You Call Someone? You Can But Not On Your Own
VoIP Comparison Table [UPDATED]
With spring in the air, dust clouds twirl and dance to avoid the sweeping straws of the broom as San Diegans clean out garages and storerooms. Here at UCAN, it's not much different, but our dust clouds are of the digital persuasion. For our spring cleaning project, we're going to tackle our charts and guides and update them to this decade.
AT&T tells the FCC Google Voice is blocking calls illegally
AT&T and Google are currently engaged in an ongoing dispute about the rejection of the Google Voice iPhone application. Last Friday, AT&T pushed the spat further by filing documents with the FCC saying that Google Voice violates government Internet policies.
Putting All Your Messaging In One Basket
Nimbuzz intends to enable you to get your Skype, Google Chat and Calls, social networking, SIP calls, and Instant Messages in one convenient place. When it works.
MAKE IT STOP!!! When Phishing Becomes Vishing and The Phone Is No Longer Your Friend
Spam has moved to your phone line and one way they get past your personal defenses is by spoofing the Caller ID text
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