Vonage V-Phone Review

July 5, 2006

Vonage sent me one of their Vonage V-Phone USB devices to review. As you probably recall, I wasn't very keen on the V-Phone, but I decided to go ahead and test the V-Phone anyway. The concept of the V-Phone is that it's a small portable device that you can take anywhere and your phone number will follow you, as well as the added benefit of inexpensive VoIP minutes. I received my eval unit on June 30th (last Friday) and I attempted to install it on my work PC. I inserted the 256MB V-Phone into an available USB slot. I could see the device installing itself but the softphone client never popped up. I opened Windows Explorer and clicked on the newly created drive letter and received this lovely error message ("This operation has been cancelled due to restrictions in effect on this computer. Please contact your system administrator."):

Vonage V-Phone error

This error "can" be related to Group Policy restrictions on an Active Directory network, however I am the CTO of our network, so I don't have any Group Policy restrictions on my PC. It was partially installed since I now had a new USB audio device named "C-Media USB Headphone Set". I was able to listen to music using the included headphones that I connected to the headphones jack on the V-Phone.
In any case, I tinkered with it for a bit before finally giving up and then trying the Vonage V-Phone on another PC. One theory I have yet to try is to uninstall Daemon Tools, a utility for mounting ISO CD/DVD images, but it also reserves a drive letter, which may have caused a conflict. Although, I have never had a problem installing other USB Flash drives.

Vonage V-Phone contents
            Vonage V-Phone Box Contents

In any event, I installed the V-Phone on a 2nd PC (and later two laptops) and the installation went smoothly. The Vonage V-Phone client popped up in about 30s and I was able to immediately make and receive phone calls. The nice thing about the V-Phone software is that it doesn't install onto the hard drive, it simply runs the executable file directly from the Flash drive.

Here's a screenshot of an incoming call - notice how you can see the CallerID with Name and accept or reject the call.



The softphone client also features a History tab to show your call log as well as a Contacts page. The Contacts page lets you add contacts with phone numbers for speed-dial capabilities. You can also organize contacts into groups. During my test calls the voice quality was very good. I don't believe Vonage uses either GIPS's or Spirit DSP's voice engines for better voice quality, but I was still pleased with the voice quality.

Conclusion
Calling plans for the V-Phone are identical to their traditional service offerings. It costs $15 per month for 500 minutes, $25 for unlimited residential service and $35 for business use. The V-Phone isn't a replacement for a traditional Vonage phone line. In fact, if you are currently a Vonage customer with an existing Vonage number, you have to order a separate Vonage phone number for the V-Phone. Vonage doesn't offer the ability to have a single phone number married to both. This would actually be a nice feature - simply take the V-Phone when on the road and your home phone calls are automatically routed to your laptop/PC when you plug in the device.

Although, I had difficulty on one PC, the V-Phone performed flawlessly on 3 other computers. It does what it is advertised to do - namely give you the ability to carry your phone number with you for use on a Windows computer/laptop (no Mac or Linux client). Though arguably a cellphone can do the same exact thing (carry your phone number). You could argue that the V-Phone lets you make calls using inexpensive VoIP minutes instead of expensive cell minutes. However, many cellphone service providers offer a large bucket of minutes or even unlimited plans for a fixed price, which negates VoIP's advantage over cellphones. With this in mind, you have to wonder why a person would even need the Vonage V-Phone. I will say that the V-Phone could come in handy if you make a lot of international phone calls since cell phone calls to international destinations are still outrageously expensive. Then again, you can head over to Skype, download the Skype client for free and charge your SkypeOut account with $40 worth of phone minutes instead of paying $40 for the V-Phone.

Well, I guess for $40 you get a nice 256MB USB flash drive. Then again you can pick up a 256MB USB flash drive from Amazon for $13.99 or less. <sigh> Well, at least the V-Phone USB stick is a pretty orange.


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Comments to Vonage V-Phone Review


  1. Lily from CA :
    October 5, 2006 8:50 PM

    Thank you! You answered pretty all the questions I had about the phone.


  1. E-man :
    February 9, 2007 1:21 PM

    "With this in mind, you have to wonder why a person would even need the Vonage V-Phone."

    Well, my cell phone does not work in my house, which is a major problem. VOIP is an option, especially a VOIP tech that does not require a special router and is portable.


  1. CodyLoco :
    May 17, 2007 11:52 PM

    I travel a fair amount away from home (internationally) and that's where the V-Phone really makes a difference: to be able to walk into most internet cafe's or friends houses and stick a key in their computer to talk to people at home for free is pretty amazing. This would be the perfect "going away" gift for anyone going backpacking in Europe!


  1. RF :
    June 5, 2007 7:19 PM

    The real + for the V-Phone is for international travel. In fact, I got it to use as my main phone in my vacation home in Mexico. The only hassle with it at the moment are compatibility issues with Vista. There is a workaround but it is annoying.


  1. CodyLoco :
    June 5, 2007 9:42 PM

    Where did you find that workaround for Vista RF?!


  1. NoCostPrinting :
    July 20, 2007 2:35 PM

    I'm a current Vonage customer & I'll be in Costa Rica on vacation soon & I'm planning on making & receiving calls for free using the V-Phone. Vonage customer support is telling me that the phone will ring in Costa Rica whenever anyone dials my regular California Vonage phone #. If it works the way they say it will, I'll be saving the $2.00 per minute everyone else pays to call the states from there. I think it's very cool!


  1. Vinayak :
    September 29, 2007 9:49 AM

    Actually, you *can* use both the V-phone and another device. You have to buy the V-Phone separately in retail outlets, and then add the device to your account.

    Then, when you're on the road you go to your vonage account profile and switch devices. it's pretty easy.


  1. michael brown :
    October 6, 2007 5:10 AM

    I have not used this but as a expat living in the Philippines this could be a great way to call home and receive calls from home inexpensively. I am currently using skype and skype in and very happy with it. But hey, the women would find this very sexy when i'm on the road :}


  1. Creyme :
    October 10, 2007 10:24 AM

    hi.. i have this vonage phone and it's pretty cool knowing that you can call for free e where the v-phone is really choppy.. I hear anywhere as you bring it and plug unto pc but im having a problem.. There is a certain time when my mate's voice is really choppy! while my mate hears me clear and this occurs from 7:30pm to 2:30am.. Anyone help?


  1. Patrick Ortman :
    December 28, 2007 4:07 PM

    I got the V-Phone, which of course didn't work with our Macs. No problem, thought I, I can hook it up to our PC. Wrong. It didn't work. Going to the Vonage website, I found a tech note that Vista doesn't work with the V-Phone. But they have a workaround. A crappy workaround, which results in a whole lot of pop up security alert windows every time you use the phone.

    Then I realized that the mic wasn't working.

    I contacted Vonage, with the hopes of just exchanging this POS for the reliable Motorola device we used for our other 2 lines.

    No dice. Vonage "does not upgrade/exchange any device. Vonage does not provide an additional device or replace an active device. I apologize for any inconvenience that may have been caused."

    Inconvenience? I can't use my phone number! That's a bit of an inconvenience.


  1. Shirley :
    January 7, 2008 2:43 PM

    I signed up for Vonage on Nov. 30th, 2007, have not been able to start the services at all, yet, I am stuck with charges for:
    1) VPhone Purchase ($39.99 + tax)
    2) S/H charges for returning the original Motorola box ($9.95)
    3) 2nd month charge $31.99 ($24.99 + Taxes)

    All this could be avoided if the tech support personnel would simply ask important initial questions:

    1) What is your primary usage for your Vonage Service?
    2) What is the Operating System on the computer you'll connect your Vonage Service to?

    They recommended VPhone to me, only to find out later, it won't work with Window Vista Home Premium. Go figure! I wasted $80+ and had absolutely not a lick of service!


  1. Shahid :
    February 12, 2008 12:45 AM

    Would you please acknowledge me Which IP use for for Vonage V-phone(i.e. SIP etc.).


  1. Marc DeGiovanni :
    March 2, 2008 2:04 AM

    Reasons the V-phone is a good option out there.....

    You live in the sticks, and broadband is more prevalent than cell phone reception.

    You have a local wireless company that charges less for unlimited minutes in your region. The cost of the v-phone added on is still less than a cell phone with a major carrier. Now you have service when you travel out of your region, without ROAMING charges.

    You travel out of the country, and voila, you have your US number at your disposal in the privacy of your hotel room.

    You have a small business and would like to have the same number reach you at work as well as at home. Cell phone usage may be more expensive or undesirable.

    Hey, it is true that this is not a phone option for everyone, but it IS an option, and a good one at that. I am traveling South America by foot for the next three months. For $15 a month, my friends and family have the piece of mind that I will be within reach at any time I am hooked up to the internet in my hostel. Brilliant. Try and get service with your cell phone in South America, and for less than $25 a month!


  1. Bruce Burstein :
    March 22, 2008 9:11 AM

    I read your review, Mr. Keating, and held off bying a vPhone because I did not want to purchase another line subscription.

    However, I finally inquired further and learned that it is not neccessary to purchase a new subscription.

    I went to Best Buy and purchased the 39.99 v-phone and got a 30.00 rebate (=10 bucks).

    I called customer service at vonage and for 29 bucks had it activated on my already existing account.

    It now appears as a device in my account and I can move eaither of my two, already existing phone numbers to the (vphone) device at will through the web interface.

    I am travelling to Europe this summer and will definitely bring a line on the vphone device and I wish I got it last year when I was in Mexico!


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