[Shop-talk] Off topic VOIP phones and services

[eric at megageek.com]

As you know, I'm stuck here in Afghanistan.  I have been tasked with 
finding a VOIP provider and phone to use.

Since I have no friends back home that want to talk to me, I haven't used 
any of these services to any extent.  I do have a free "Voxalot" account 
to call an IP phone in my house to talk to the housesitter, but it's a 
pain to use and maintain.

So my first questions is, can anyone tell me which is better Vontage or 
Skype?  (and why?)

I have a pretty good internet connection here finally (1mb down and 512 
Up), but we need a REALLY good speaker phone for calls back the US.

Which company is better and which speakerphone works the best with them? I 
know that "magic jack" lets you use any standard phone, but it has 
advertising built into its paid service.

So if you can recommend a speakerphone as well, that is cool.

Price really isn't a big deal as I would image the phone and service 
shouldn't be more than $500.

(BTW, I'm looking into getting a Polycom system as well, is there one of 
those that works on VOIP?)

Thanks.

Moose (Who still has no idea how long I'll be stuck here.  I even started 
to take Dari language lessons!)

"Be as beneficent as the sun or the sea, but if your rights as a rational 
being are trenched on, die on the first inch of your territory." Ralph 
Waldo Emerson