Why VoIP Modem?

[BishopRictor]

I was looking at buying my own modem. I noticed that some of the new Cisco modems support VoIP. What do you gain from this? Would I still need to pay for services like Vonage and Magic Jack?

[paolo bevilacqua]

Cisco doesn't make modems.

[BishopRictor]

Really?

http://www.cisco.com/web/consumer/products/prodcat-modems-gateways.html#~highdefinition,

[Leo Laohoo]

What kind of "modems"?  Dial-up modems or ADSL modems?

[BishopRictor]

Cable, like the ones listed in the link above.

[Leo Laohoo]

Ok.  Not familiar with the cable modems product.

Whether or not you should get a VoIP-capable cable modem is up to you and your ISP.  IF your ISP doesn't support VoIP then there's no need to get one.

For example, here in Australia VoIP solution is slowly on the rise because our land-line provider keeps rising the "line rental fee".   The more people dump their landlines the higher the fees go to those who have landlines.  The landline provider call it "keeping up with the costs" but we call it "punishment".

Other than cheaper local and international call costs, VoIP is the way to go.

The downside with VoIP is power:  No power, no VoIP.

Then again, that's what mobile/cell phone is for in the first place.