Introduction
Cable phone service or digital phone service is becoming more and more popular as people are looking forward to saving time and money. Most cable companies now offer cable phone service as part of a package bundle with Internet and cable TV. Choosing these types of packages can save you lots of money over normal phone companies. There are positives and negatives so it is important to weigh the decision to switch carefully. Know your options and the outcomes before you choose cable phone service and that way you won't be unpleasantly surprised. The important thing to know is that when your power or Internet is out; you will not have phone service. Many people do not realize this fact and expect that their phone will continue working in the event of a power outage. This is one of the major drawbacks that keeps people from choosing cable phone service.
Step 1
Cable phone service can work with both a home and a business phone. You will need a router phone box which your cable company will supply. This will have to be hooked up to both the Internet and your phone to allow you to make calls. Some people don't like the fact that they can't have phones in multiple rooms without more than one box. Most of the phone boxes do allow for two lines, but both phones must be in the same room.
Step 2
Most cable phone service has the same features that normal phone service has. You get caller ID, call waiting, three-way calling, and voicemail all included at no extra charge. You also get free long distance, which is the big plug that gets people to switch over. You can save hundreds and hundreds of dollars on long distance alone. Some of the cable phone service features do charge extra so it is important to check with your provider on which features are free. The most common of these is last number called and 411. This can vary by cable company so check with yours before you order the service.
Step 3
Many cable phone service providers have an interesting feature that people like to use while watching TV. Your caller ID can be programmed to display on your television. While watching TV, you will see a small box in the corner of your screen with the caller's name and number. This allows you to not even have to get up off the sofa if it is someone you would rather wait to talk to or not talk to at all! This is a cool feature that your old phone company could never offer.
Step 4
It is also important to note that when you choose a bundle package with your cable phone service provider that you are only getting the introductory price for the first year. After that first year, your bill can dramatically increase unless you add services or go on a two year contract. This is important to know so that you don't get a huge bill at the end of the year and not understand why.
Step 5
All in all, cable phone service is mostly hassle free. The few hassles that it does have, are far outweighed by the savings it can offer you. Be mindful of service issues and opt in for the inside wiring plan. It is usually only a few dollars and can save you tons if you ever need your cable phone service provider to come out and do work on the inside. They will charge you per hour if you don't have the maintenance plan so you better add it to your list in the purchase agreement.
Tips
Check all the details before you switch.
Check if you can keep your same phone number because you sometimes can't.
Be mindful that you are getting an introductory price.
Bundle your savings.
