Metrocast Phone Service

[SteveA]

I'm considering the Metrocast phone service. Has anyone tried it?
The "math' is better than the deal from FairPoint.

[Paugus Bay Resident]

We're having it installed next week. The package deal was attractive. I'll let you know how the service is.

[angela4design]

I got the Metrocast VIP Package over the summer (formerly a Dish customer), and I've been very satisfied with installation, services and support.

I HATED Fairpoint's transitional difficulty. SO glad we switched.

[Lakepilot]

We switched to Metrocast's digital phone service the day we got our first Fairpoint bill. We are very happy with the service. We particularly like the fact we can check our messages from anywhere in the world as long as we have an internet connection. We can see every call into and out of our house, whether anyone answered or not. We can easily block telemarketing calls. Everything is included. Our first Fairpoint bill had so many more line items then Verizon, even we could read the tea leaves. Plus our bill was much higher then with Verizon.

[upthesaukee]

Those of us who have Union Telephone can not get the phone service through Metrocast because of FCC regs, so I have not really looked into it too much.

However, at work today, I had a lady say she needed to get some new phones that would work with Metrocast. I assured her that her current phones should work just fine, but she said that after having a problem with a little box where the lines come into the house, a couple of her phones stopped working. I suggested contacting Metrocast.

Her big concern was during a power failure. She has always maintained one corded phone for use during power failures. One of the phones no longer working is her corded phone. I again referred her to Metrocast, because by my pea-sized brain, it would seem if the power was out, your internet connection would be down, and thus no phone. She, like me, has poor cell service at her house, so cell phone backup is not the answer.

My question is: Have any of you getting this service raised this question about power outages and phone coverage? (the question of phone types is answered on Metrocast's website.)

Thanks

[Fishy Cover]

We converted on October 1 with absolutely no problems.

On a Monday in June of 2007 a tree fell across our road and downed all wires at exactly 9:30 AM. NH Coop had the power back by 11 AM. Metrocast cable was back up at 11:45. I thought that this was very responsive, not much more than 2 hours. Verizon (now Fair Point) had its service back up on FRIDAY at 1PM-- FIVE days later. I do not know what their reason was but I know that they were notified because I called them on my cell phone at 9:45 AM. Glad I have a cell phone. This performance by Verizon made it easy to choose Metrocast. Remonded me of Lily Tomlin's skits about the "Phone Company"

The metrocast installer told me that company-wide they are averaging 1000 conversions per week.

[brk-lnt]

Originally Posted by upthesaukee

Her big concern was during a power failure. She has always maintained one corded phone for use during power failures. One of the phones no longer working is her corded phone. I again referred her to Metrocast, because by my pea-sized brain, it would seem if the power was out, your internet connection would be down, and thus no phone. She, like me, has poor cell service at her house, so cell phone backup is not the answer.

My question is: Have any of you getting this service raised this question about power outages and phone coverage? (the question of phone types is answered on Metrocast's website.)

Thanks

The cable modems used with the phone/VIP service have a battery backup in them. This is pretty standard across all MSO's.

So, if you have a power outage, your phone service should work.

If a communications cable is down, you have no service.

Same basic principles as the phone service from a LEC.

FWIW, I bought a couple of APC UPS's a while back, and I keep 1 at each place plugged in an charged. A $200 UPS can run things like a cordless phone or radio for 24 hours (or more).

[Lakepilot]

I agree, our modem has a battery but we also have an APC battery backup system. All of the phones, whether corded or not, that we had before switching to Metrocast, work after the switch. It was absolutely seamless.

[Argie's Wife]

Because much of Alton (and other surrounding towns/areas) has Union Communications for a landline service provider (LEC), we are unable to get the Metrocast phone service.

We'd like to get it just because of the savings we'd have with their three-in-one service and because we find Union's rates are high. We already subscribe to internet and digital cable via Metrocast.

We don't use our landline for anything other than local calls but use Skype or our cells for our long-distance calls and our bills still end up at about $35.00/month.

Anyone else on this board who has Union Communications for a landline?

[RLW]

Originally Posted by Argie's Wife

Because much of Alton (and other surrounding towns/areas) has Union Communications for a landline service provider (LEC), we are unable to get the Metrocast phone service.

We'd like to get it just because of the savings we'd have with their three-in-one service and because we find Union's rates are high. We already subscribe to internet and digital cable via Metrocast.

We don't use our landline for anything other than local calls but use Skype or our cells for our long-distance calls and our bills still end up at about $35.00/month.

Anyone else on this board who has Union Communications for a landline?

YEP, you bet ja. I called the other day and Metro is still negotiating with Union Comm. Each time I speak to Metro they say it should be any week now. That has been the last 3 months now.

[wifi]

Originally Posted by RLW

....Metro is still negotiating with Union Comm......

Any idea what this negotiation is all about? Did they have to negotiate with Verizon? How about Merimac Telephone in Melvin (544), did TW have to negotiate with them as well?

[upthesaukee]

I had conversation with someone who works in the Rochester Office of Metrocast, and she explained that small local phone companies are currently protected against having to "portage" their phone numbers to VOIP carriers, and in fact the cable/DSL providers in the town(s) cannot offer the service.

VOIP providers such as Vonage can offer the service, but you will notice that when you ask to "portage" the phone number they will not be able to. We were going to go with Vonage a few years ago, we would have had to choose a Wolfeboro exchange, a Laconia Exchange or other exchange. it would have meant intrastate charges for our local friends to call us, so we opted not to change.

Our Union bill averages about $30 per month, as we do very little long distance calling.

And we also have been told "the service should be available in a month or so".....

And everytime I get the email that says it is now available in my area, I reply that I am interested, and then get the reply that says it is not available in my area, to which I reply " Why send me the email " and they tell me it is mass mailing, which is just like the junk mail I get from Metrocast also telling me about the service being available, so I call...

[wifi]

Oh, its porting your number thats the problem, I get it now. Implementing porting is expensive for the company owning the exchange. So you can get VOIP, just not keeping your current number. According to:

http://www.fcc.gov/cgb/consumerfacts/numbport.html

Its a state waiver to Union Telco, et al. You might want to file a complaint with the state PUC. Unless Metrocast wants to pick up the tab to fund portability across all of Union's exchanges, there is little reason for Union to give in - might be a long wait.

[Senter Cove Guy]

What about this new product. Is anyone using it? Seems like a good answer.

[Argie's Wife]

The cons to MagicJack is that it is a VOIP service. (Voice Over Internet Protocol). It means that you have to have your computer on all the time to make and receive phone calls. You cannot get your regular phone number transferred to the service if you have Union Communications, as we have already discussed here. If you have an interruption in your internet service, then your phone will also be OUT.

The service is about $20/year and there's no telling how much longer that will continue if there are VOIP taxes, as is being proposed. (Skype is free, for the most part, and even offers video teleconferencing.) VOIP quality just isn't as good as landlines but generally better than the quality you get from your average cell phone.

Right now MagicJack is not available to Mac users - PC only for now - because of a driver issue, although most Macs can now run Windows thanks to the Intel 2 Duo chip so that's not really an issue... It conflicts with media recording software like Nero, so that would be a problem for most PC's these days.

Finally, there is little/no customer support for this product. If you have a problem - it's YOUR problem.

[wifi]

This morning, Metrocast is reporting television, internet and phones are down in NH with no estimated time of repair.

I remember in the recent past Verizon/Fairpoint having fiber cut problems taking down phone and data service in the north country.

Here's hoping they get it fixed soon.

Update (0900): Looks like they are trying to reroute traffic in thru Boston. It used to go via upstate NY (where this storm came from). I can see into the Bemont NH office now, so its not far away

[gtxrider]

I my line of work I deal with lots of telephone providers. We find it hard to refer troubles to both wireless and cable companies. One person I worked with on the wireless side said as long as some calls get thru it's OK.

I have yet to lose dial tone but my cable seems to go out quite often.

I guess I am old fashioned, still remember rotary phones.

[Merrymeeting]

Hi,

I'm interested in hearing from others who may have switched to Metrocast digital phone service recently.

I changed over our phone a few weeks ago. We already had internet and tv from them, added the digital phone. There was no installation fee, the service is working fine, and we are very happy with it.

Yesterday I called to perform the same switch for my mothers service. When I finished supplying the call agent with all the necessary info, she informed me there would be $69 in installation charges. This surprised me given there had been none for me. I asked if I had been covered by a special promotion and was told no, there should always be a fee.

So, my question... did I get lucky in avoiding the fee, or did I get a bad call agent when calling about my mothers service. If the $69 does apply, I may just cancel the install and stay with her current service. It's not worth switching at that price.

Thanks