That's right, Embarq. I am talking about you! If you are using AT&T, SBC, Verizon, or Embarq you are overpaying for less service. These companies offer local calling, local-toll calling, ridiculously over-priced long distance and God-forbid-you-have-to-call-internationally-please-fax-us-the-loan-document-
with-a-co-signer international calling. If you are paying them, you are paying too much. End of story.
Within the past 2 years, the advancements of Smart Phones and VoIP are changing the "call me at home" mentality. Phone numbers are no longer anchored to specific phones or locations. Vonage and Sunrocket offer free call forwarding. Not at home, simply forward the call to you cell. I know call forwarding isn't really that new. It's been around on the analog lines. DHTML and XML have been around but it took us 6 years until we finally started using AJAX. VoIP has the ability to ring 6 phones at once. This is call forwarding 2.0. Do you have a business partner? Starting a small call center? Have multiple field techs? The ability to call 1 number and have it ring 6 phones all for the price of included, is the future of Telecom.
Businesses have embraced VoIP not only for the low cost but the mobility it provides. More and more hotel rooms offer VoIP. Grab your handset (home users have a small router looking device) and plug it in. Not only will your phone number travel with you, so will your company's phone directory. The receptionist can transfer calls directly to you as if you were in the office.
Embarq currently offers two DSL packages: 768kb down for $29.99/month or 1.5mb down for $34.95/month. Cox Cable provides 3 packages, 6mb $34.95/month, 8mb $45.99/month and 10mb $59.99/month (down). What was once touted as the "slower, open network" is kicking DSL's ass. Why am I paying $34.99 for DSL when I can have 4x T1 speed with a cable modem? Seriously, why? Why am I paying an additional $15 for services that are included with VoIP?
Are you doing the same thing? Take a look at your phone bill. My average monthly bill from Embarq was $145. Regardless of the mysterious additional charges, what am I getting for that each month? Vonage is $20 per month and feature enriched. After the rude treatment and lack of explanation for the mysterious additional charges, not to mention the consistent lack of connection from the DSL modem, I am done with the local Telecom company.
Wake up and bring your products and prices up to par. Your users are starting to realize and will be forced to leave you if you don't embrace Telecom 2.0.
