I have been a Packet8 VoIP user for several months, and have logged over 10,000 minutes of calling time on this service to date. During this time, I lost my dial tone 3 times and had around 6 incomplete or dropped calls. Two times, the person I was talking to said I sounded like I was in a "tunnel". Other than that, the call quality has been excellent and I have no complaints. Other than the "tunnel" sound that happend twice, the other problems were due to my local network setup and had nothing to do with Packet8 at all. Since the length of my average call is about 45 minutes, I've used Packet8 for around 220 calls so far. With only 2 of these calls having quality issues that I can attribute directly to Packet8 service, I can safely say that Packet8 VoIP service has proven to be over 99% reliable. With unlimited local and long distance calling for $19.95 a month, Packet8 unlimited local and long distance service with +99% reliability is the bargain of the year!

My Packet8 experience has been absolutely wonderful so far. When I received my Uniden 1868P VoIP adapter/telephone combo device, I was able to install it in minutes due to the excellent instructions that were enclosed. After making the necessary cable connections, I lifted the receiver, dialed the special code that was provided, and had an email confirming my activation within minutes. I made my first "live" internet phone call within 15 minutes of unpacking the adapter. As an IT professional, I have installed hundreds of new hardware devices and have never experienced a setup as quick and easy as this one. Installation is so simple that I firmly believe anyone can do it!

Most questions can be answered by reading the technical support postings on the Packet8.com website. For issues that are not covered, you can call a customer support number and talk to a "real person" or send an email. I emailed a question regarding the password to my VoIP adapter device, and had an answer within 10 minutes. This is perhaps the quickest response I have ever had from any company's tech support! Packet8 is also very good about keeping subscribers informed of upcoming changes via email. I get an informative email from them every 3-4 weeks, telling me about enhancements they are adding to services or upgrades that are available for my adapter/phone combo device.

All account management can be done through the user section of the Packet8 website. I can logon and see invoice history, download updates and manage my services. The simple online control panel allows me to tailor services to meet my needs. I can set the number of rings before voicemail picks up, change my voicemail password, and turn voicemail on/off. I can also turn call waiting on/off or forward all my calls to a number of my choice if I'm going to be away from home for awhile. Beginning November 2005, I'll be able to enter an email address that voice messages will be forwarded to. This is a great service that I think I will use often; voice messages will come to me via an email attachment that can be forwarded to anyone I wish.

The features I get for free with Packet8 are awesome - call waiting, call forwarding, caller id, distinctive ring (this is a feature on the Uniden 1868p phone), 3 way conference calling, call blocking and voicemail. I never paid the extra price for these features with my old land line service, but I sure do enjoy them for free! I think voicemail is one of the best features with VoIP. I was able to get rid of my answering machine and I can now check my voicemail from anywhere with a toll free number that Packet8 provides. If I want, I can add an 800 number or "virtual numbers" in another area code for a few dollars per month, and the distinctive ring service will tell me which phone number is ringing.

Needless to say, I am totally satisfied with Packet8 VoIP service and highly recommend this provider. Their main competitor is Vonage, who offers comparable service for about $5 more per month. If you want high quality, VoIP service for $60 less a year than Vonage, Packet8 is definitely the way to go.

Debbie Jacobsen is an information technology professional and author of SaveOnPhoneService.com