Customer Reviews

8x8 Packet8 Broadband VoIP Service with Adapter 410

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(10)

 

 

As a former Vonage customer (for a year-and-a-half), I must say that I am mightily impressed with the service I now receive from Packet8. As soon as I received my Adapter 410 device from Amazon.com, I opened the box, read the short instruction card, and was talking VoIP in under 10 minutes.

I live on the West Coast (Portland, OR) and began making a number of local calls and calls to Maryland, Georgia, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, and one call to Halifax, Nova Scotia (Canada). Each call had, to the best of my perception, identical quality ... and the quality was nothing short of superb.

On the billing end of things, they told me there'd be no activation fee and my first month was free. In actual fact, however, I'll end up getting close to 45 days free since customers signing up in mid-month are apparently given the "benefit of the doubt" on this issue. I called up their customer service department to make sure (3 minute wait only). Mind you, I only mean free of Packet8 charges. Until my first paid billing period starts on February 3rd next year, I still have to pay the $1.50 monthly regulatory recovery fee (Federal) and starting in January, a monthly $1.99 fee for e911. So, assuming my math is correct, this will be the makeup of my first normal bill from Packet8 - and subsequent bills that do not include calls outside the US/Canada:

$19.99 - Packet8, unlimited US/Canada calls
__1.50 - regulatory recovery fee
__1.99 - e911 fee
___.60 - Federal Excise Tax
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$24.08 - total monthly cost of plan

I suspect Vonage's "total monthly cost" has gone up since I left them in July ... but compare that with Vonage's $27.24 "total monthly cost" I paid before I left them. Vonage does have one benefit over Packet8, though. You can call numbers in Puerto Rico free. With Packet8, I'd have to pay 3-4 cents a minute for such a call (assuming I knew someone in Puerto Rico to call, hehe).

There is one complaint I have about Packet8, though ... but it's kind of a funny complaint. When I called up their customer service department, I was appalled at the quality of the call. The automated menu voice wavered in and out and I thought the call might drop. But, when I hung up and dialed them up again, I noticed that the wavering was consistently in the same places. In short, it was not a "call" quality issue. They just have lousy automated-voice menus that need to be re-recorded, hehehe. When the human customer service rep answered (3 minute wait), the wavering magically went away. Every other call I've since made from my Packet8 phone has been fantastic and, at this point, I have no complaints whatsoever.

Some closing comments. For VoIP to work properly, you must have a true "high-speed" connection. I have 3-megabit broadband. If you have a more marginal broadband connection (like most DSL providers give you), your results may vary. The slower a connection speed is, the more 'artifacts' you'll hear. In short, don't blame Packet8 because you've chosen a cheap broadband provider. Electrical (radio, TV, computer, etc.) interference near your modem or router could be another culprit causing marginal quality. Again, a personal issue, not a Packet8 issue. Finally, I've seen a number of complaints regarding the porting of an existing number to Packet8 ... that it takes a long time. Again, this is not a Packet8 issue. While competing phone companies are required to surrender an existing number to a competitor when asked, they take their own sweet time about it. I suspect they're hoping users will blame the NEW provider for the delay and throw up their hands in frustration, choosing to stay with their CURRENT provider. In fact, delays in porting an existing number to a new service are largely the fault of the CURRENT provider, not the NEW provider.

Solution? Dump your old number and get a new one. Problem solved. In the future, I hope the FCC will address the issue and impose a porting "deadline" on providers. Complaints on porting time delays are inherent with many providers, not just Packet8. And, like I suggested, customers blaming the "accepting" service provider for the delay are blaming the WRONG provider in most cases. It's basic consumer logic. Who is more likely to give you the worst customer service ... a new provider eager to have your business ... or an old provider you're abandoning? Think about this.

P.S. One thing you may notice. All VoIP calls are routed through hubs. Vonage's hub is in New Jersey so caller-ID stamps are Eastern time. Packet8's hub is in California so caller-ID stamps are Pacific time. This can also create some confusion with people who dial "region-based" toll-free numbers. Example.

I occasionally call into the Coast-to-Coast AM radio show, originally done by Art Bell. They have two toll-free lines. One is designated for callers East of the Rockies, another for callers West of the Rockies. When I was with Vonage, and even though I live in Oregon, I could only call in on the "East" of the Rockies line (because Vonage's hub is in New Jersey). But now I'm with Packet8, I can call in using the proper line.

If you normally dial "region-based" toll-free numbers as a matter of business, you'll probably have to start dialing a non toll-free number (which is free with Vonage or Packet8 anyway) if your provider's hub is located outside the region specified by the business's phone.

BTW, if you're wondering why I left Vonage, it was because I was paying (in part) for 911 service I was NOT getting ... and found out I wasn't alone. Three state attorneys general, so far, have filed deceptive marketing practices suits against Vonage for 911 "irregularities" (Texas, Michigan, Connecticut). And, I waited until after the November 30th FCC deadline mandating e911 coverage to start shopping around for a new provider. Packet8 is e911 compatible.

One final cautionary note. If you have a power failure or if your broadband ISP has a service interruption, your VoIP phone will not work. This can be dangerous if you need to make a 911 call during such a time. The solution is to buy a $19.99 Nokia 1100 TracFone which comes with 20 minutes of airtime (through TracFone.com or at local Target and WalMart stores). Just keep it charged up and, if you NEED to make a call during downtimes, you can. Also, keep this in mind. Once, I had a power failure but needed to make a call. I went next door to my neighbor to use her landline phone - but it was out, too. The same falling tree limb that cut our power also cut her phone line. So, I recommend ALL users of landline or VoIP phones to have this cheap alternative handy. Between the time I dumped Vonage and enabled Packet8, it was my only telephone. And, I still use it as an emergency backup phone on the rare occasion it's needed.

I got rid of my home phone because my bill was about 65 dollars a month. I thought I could survive on just my cell phone, I was wrong. Then I found packet 8, after tax 21 dollars a month and it sounds just like my old home phone. The disconnecting that has been posted I never had that problem I think in the 6 months I have used this service for over 2000 minutes a month I dropped 1 call, because my cable internet went down. There are firmware updates on there website so some kinks are worked out. The only difference between the packet 8 phone and your home phone is the cost and you have to dial 1 and the area code before every number. NO BIG DEAL.

I don't usually write reviews on products, but I really wanted to share my experience with others. I got my broadband phone adapter home and followed the instructions included with the package to start making internet phone calls. It was sooo easy! My cell phone doesn't work in my home and my telephone bill was getting ridiculously expensive. The Packet8 service is AWESOME! I can place calls to my mom in Arizona and talk as long as I want -- with no extra 'per-minute' charges. I can call my sister in Florida just to say 'hello' and it's still just one low fee per month. The sound quality is perfect. It's like the person I'm speaking to is right across the table 'face-to-face'... I'm not a real 'technical' person, so I thought VOIP would be way out of my league. My husband talked me into the purchase and I'm so glad he did!

I've had this service as my primary home phone for about a year, with superb results. I have never lost a call, and the voice quality is better than my old land line. I have no idea why some folks have problems, but it sure is not the 'speed' of your internet connection (see below).
There are 2 things that aren't clear in the description concerning this adapter. Unlike the old 310 Packet8 adapter, with the new 410 box you do NOT need a router - it's built in. Granted it only has 1 'out' port (IN is modem to 410, OUT is 410 to your computer) but for most folks that's all that's necessary. In other words, if you don't have a router now, you won't need one with this adapter.
Second, you can take this thing with you when you travel, including overseas. I am working in the middle of the Sahara desert (28 on/28 off) and this thing works GREAT. We have crappy local satellite internet in the camp (80 kbps versus 4800 at home with cable) and there is NO difference in call quality or service. First I brought the box with me, and because I specified a local area code and number, my family can call me in ALGERIA as if it were a local call for them (for everybody else, it's just a normal long-distance call to another US area code). Last month I got a second account: read the fine print - it's FREE to call another P8 subscriber, anywhere in the world. I can now both make and recieve calls for free.
Again, I don't know why some have problems, but it's not the quality of your internet. If it works in the Sahara at 80 kbps, it will sure as hell work in Poughkeepsie.

I had POTS service, and I was running a huge bill a month (includes DSL rates). I was so frustrated with this high bill that I switched to Cable modem and Packet 8 service. Even though cable modem is more expensive than DSL, I save overall, and I have better download speeds.
The only problem(s) that I have are that Packet 8 does not provide names with Caller ID, and Packet8 has Pacific time on the Caller-ID, even though I live on the East coast. Minor set backs. You have to dial a 1- before all the numbers, which does not bother me at all. I make a lot of international calls, and they offer a very good rate on these as well. My wife said the quality is not good some times, but I have not noticed it. I don't mind paying the $1.50 for E911 access.
Overall, I am completely satisfied with Packet8 service.

I've had Packet8 for two months or so. It has been tremendous. I was concerned that voice quality wouldn't be good, but it is great. Setup took just a few minutes. I was amazed that I was making calls after two minutes of setup. I have never had a service outage since I got it.

Caller ID doesn't show the name, but that doesn't bother me much, because old phone company's caller ID often didn't show the name.

I have ordered their IP phone service one year ago. They asked my credit card for direct deduction for monthly payment. I asked them to keep my phone number. Packet8 told me that SBC service would be automatically disconnected when the number was ported. It took more than two months for them to transfered my phone number from SBC.

The voice quality of packet8 phone is very bad. So, I had to switch back to SBC at last Decemember. However, in March I found that my credit card still be billed. So, I contact Packet8. Packet8 told me that it was the customer's responsibility to explicitly notify them to stop the service. I did not understand how they can still bill the customer for phone service without phone number. I asked them to stop my phone service.
Today, I found they still billed me on my credit card for another four months after I called them. I contacted the customer service again. He told me that he can not found any record for my last call.
I can not believe that a company could lie to the customer like this.
Please think about clearly before you order them device and service. They are cheap.

I've had several internet phone services and this is the worst overall company I have ever dealt with. The phone service doesn't work half the time and there are so many dropped calls that it's unbelievable. Maybe it works better if you don't have a home network. I have a professionally setup Comcast Home Network and this service doesn't work very well with the router and wireless network. It takes up to a minute after you have dialed a number for it to ring through, then half the time you'll get a busy signal and have to redial upto 3 times to get through. The other half of the time I can't even dial out and I have to reset the modem just to get a dial tone. Then you get noise & echos over the phone and it sounds like you're talking in a tunnel. If you talk more than 5 minutes it'll drop the call. If you move and walk around the house it'll drop the call. The Packet8 customer service department is the worst I have ever dealt with, when and if you can even get through after 25 minutes of waiting on the phone. I know more than the techs that I have talked with on the Packet8 customer service line. Then on top of all that if you decide they are way to lame, and you want to cancel the service after the "trial period", you have to pay a hidden $59.99 charge. I do not recommend this company unless you like equipment that doesn't function properly & poor customer service, for $5 buck more I highly recommend Vonage.

Very easy to install and worked well for few days. Used with Comcast residential service (the only available option for me). After 2 weeks --- every 2-3 days many hours of interruption, when power LED is blinking, Link LED is solid and there is no dial tone. Customer service could not suggest anything better then powering off and on cable modem, router and adapter. This works sometimes, usually after 2-3 hours of fiddling (powering off and on all 3 devices in different sequence), but never immediately. Updating firmware does not help either. Customer service representative mentioned that "after internet connection is lost, adapter needs to resynchronize to SIP server". Why it can not resynchronize on its own without manual fiddling is beyond me. SSH sessions and slow downloads were not interrupted when phone connection is lost, so looks like there were no serious internet internet outage either as much as I'd like to blame Comcast.

In July, 2008, Packet 8 cold-called me about switching from Vonage to their service. Buying the sales pitch, I agreed, provided they could port my current number. They assured me they could. I told them from the beginning I would not activate until the number was ported, as I didn't want to switch phone #'s twice, plus a phone number has to be active to be ported.

After the 30-day trial ended, I began getting monthly service charges. A couple of months went by before I found they made a mistake and linked my LNP request to a canceled account. A couple of months later (Nov) they stated I had to fill out a LOA form, which they said they'd email me to, but never did. By December, they told me I had to submit a LNP request online AGAIN. Several times that I called I was told the LNP specialist wasn't available, but they'd call me right back (THEY NEVER DID).

By January 13, 2009 (6 mos later!),the number still wasn't ported, nor had I activated the service. That did not stop them from charging me $143.49, over 6 months, in fees for a service that I had not used a single second.

I had to cancel the account. For that, they wanted to charge me an additional $70!!! Fortunately - in the one thing they did right - they waived the disconnect fee.

I have tried to work with Packet 8 on two separate occasions, and have been unable to make it work. I have paid them over $170 but they have never provided me with a single minute of phone service. I strongly urge you to think twice before purchasing their service.