Uniden UIP165P Packet8 Compatible 5.8 GHz Digital VoIP Internet Telephone with Speaker Phone
By: Uniden Average Rating: 2.0 Total Reviews: 6
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 On: 2008-04-15
When the service is working then of course the service is okay but most of the time it is not working.That is the problem. And that is after ensuring that all possible obstacles are taken care of. I ran several tests to see if everything on my pc was up to speed. I ran and downloaded upgrades etc.. I know that voip is not perfect like anything else. But this is ridiculous. Online customer service is decent but when you try to speak to someone via the phone they are very rude and take you through a bunch of uncalled procedures such as needing to see how many e-mails were made between you and tech support before they will assist you any further. . If you want out of the service they tell you all of a sudden that you have to keep the service for a year or pay an early termination fee. I read the fine print and that was not stated in the terms when I signed on. If you want great servie with great features and a great rate then go with Vonage. There telephone features leave Packet 8 in the dust. Packet 8 would be decent if they did a few upgrades and trained their reps how to be professional and pleasant. They need to be upfront and remember that they are trying to get and maintain customers and not send them running to Vonage!
 On: 2008-03-24
I started with packet8 2 years ago. I have been very heppy with the service and have saved a minimum of about $10/month for the last 2 years over other Vendors.
About 6 months ago, I started having some line problems. I started a case on the website and was emailed the next day by a technician that told me I should check the software version of my packet8 "box". I followed the directions and updated the firmware, which cleared up the problem.
Lastly Packet8 recently sent to their customersout a "VOIP Quality & Connectivity Speed Test". What I found out is that voice quality is directly proportional to total line speed and amount of throughput available during the call. Meaning if I am downloading a big file, streaming music and talking on the packet8 line, I better have a big "pipe" of internet connectivity or my call will not sound very good.
I recommend that everyone consider that VOIP (no matter what company you deal with) is dependant to your internet connection. If you are paying for the cheapest, lowest DSL connection available, dont blame Packet8 for spotty calls while you surf/download/stream.
On: 2007-09-02
This is the second VOIP provider Ive used. The first provider was good--a couple of hiccups here and there, but I used them for more than two years, and havent had a landline for most of that time. It was more than adequate. However, there were some changes, including that Id moved out of their service area. Packet8 didnt offer local numbers in my area, but that wasnt very important to me, and since they did have E911 service for my location, I gave them a try. The experience was so bad I almost went back to a landline (but ended up moving to Callcentric, which Im still testing, but thus far am fairly pleased with it). The only thing Packet8 manages to do successfully is charge your credit card. They dont provide customer service (in any form!), they dont respond to help requests (when complaining that I never received a response to my request, from several weeks before, I learned "tech support doesnt make outgoing calls." Well, then, why wasnt I told to call them? "Well, we should have told you we (customer service) couldnt help you and you should call tech support, but...") I cancelled my services with Packet8, which prompted them to claim I was "in a contract" which would result in a equipment/disconnection fee. I have an evaluation period, but they think I broke the terms of the evaluation period (I told them I was willing to pay for the service Id used, but not the equipment fee, since the equpment--the UIP165P didnt ever work properly). They told me that wasnt allowed. I asked who could allow it, and was told "only corporate." I asked for corporates contact information, and received information for the billing department. I submitted a dispute, and theyve finally (I talked to four people before submitting the dispute, and all claimed it was impossible to get it waived) agreed to waive the fee, but it will take 4-6 weeks. In my dispute, I stated that if they did not waive the fee, I would dispute the charges on my credit card, which may be why they finally agreed to waive the fee for the non-working equipment (I also contacted the BBB, which may also contribute to their change of heart). It remains to be seen if they will refund the fee or if I will have to dispute it with my credit card company. In any event, I do NOT recommend Packet8 service to anyone, particularly anyone using the Uniden UIP165P, which has minimal troubleshooting information available. AVOID!!
On: 2007-07-18
SUMMARY: VOIP is great for second lines, but not your primary line. At just $19.99 per month, Packet8 is cheap, but the audio quality is poor and customer service is terrible. If you want better quality, Vonage has much better sound quality and marginally better customer service for $29.99 per month.
REVIEW: There are a number of companies that offer the ability to use your broadband internet connection to give you a telephone jack that you can plug your regular phone into. This technology is known as Voice Over IP, or VOIP for short. When you sign up, you get an adaptor you hook up to your internet connection and to a regular telephone. When it works properly, you can pick-up your phone and make calls just like you normally might, but the call gets routed over the internet.
A lot has been said about using VOIP as your primary phone line, but Id sum it up this way: Dont use VOIP as your primary phone line. VOIP lines can go down for many reasons, including power failures, internet outages, or VOIP network problems. But, if you want a feature-laden second-line, VOIP is the only way to go.
The technology is a fantastic idea and is loaded with great features, including the ability to get a telephone number in just about any area code, even if it is nowhere near where you live. Most VOIP providers give you the ability to have more than one number (in different area codes if you want) ring to the same line. They also provide caller ID, call-waiting, call-waiting caller ID, three way calling, call forwarding (including forwarding to multiple numbers at the same time), voicemail, and, some include the ability to transfer calls. These features are usually free, along with unlimited local and long distance calling. You can also take the adaptor with you when you travel and plug it into any internet connection (such as at a hotel) anywhere in the world, and use your phone to call anywhere in the U.S. for free.
Ive tried Packet8 (this one) as well as Vonage.
Because the quality of the audio is very important to me, I was very disappointed with Packet8s performance. The voice quality sounds noticeably computerized. I also use Vonage, which charges more per month, but has audio quality which matches a traditional telephone line. Vonage also has the ability to reduce the sound quality if you want to reduce the bandwidth required, while Packet8 offers no option to increase the sound quality.
I also found that Packet8s support was terrible. I wanted to find out if the sound quality I was experiencing was the result of a defect or just a characteristic of the service. So, I called Packet8s "24-hour" support line. Although I placed my call at 1:30 a.m. and several times later in the morning and the following afternoon, I always reached an answering service who could do nothing other than take a message and promise a return call. The return call never came. In my view, a 24-hour answering service does not qualify as "24-hour" support, even if the calls had been returned.
I also sent several e-mails complaining about the sound quality, and the only response that I got asked me to send another e-mail if I wanted support. I did, but it was never returned.
I finally called Packet8s main number and asked to speak to a manager. The switchboard operator transferred me to a line that nobody answered. When I called back, she transferred me to a voicemail. When I called back again, she transferred me to a very rude person who insisted upon finding all of my e-mails before he would help me. When I suggested that he help me first, and find the e-mails later, he hung up on me.
I called again and the operator transferred me to the director of technical supports voicemail, where I left a message promising to cancel my service if I didnt get a return call. Five minutes later, I got a call from a senior technical support representative who said that he was asked to call me by the director of technical support. He called me on my regular phone line from a Packet8 line in their headquarters. The call had the same mechanized quality that my Packet8 line had, which led me to conclude the audio problems are normal.
All that said, if you wont need support, and you dont mind the digitized sound quality of Packet8, you cant beat the price. If you want better quality, Vonage (which you can buy at Amazon.com) offers better quality at a higher price.
On: 2006-07-15
I have ordered their IP phone service one year ago. They asked my credit card for direct deduction for monthly payment. I asked them to keep my phone number. Packet8 told me that SBC service would be automatically disconnected when the number was ported. It took more than two months for them to transfered my phone number from SBC.
The voice quality of packet8 phone is very bad. So, I had to switch back to SBC at last Decemember. However, in March I found that my credit card still be billed. So, I contact Packet8. Packet8 told me that it was the customers responsibility to explicitly notify them to stop the service. I did not understand how they can still bill the customer for phone service without phone number. I asked them to stop my phone service.
Today, I found they still billed me on my credit card for another four months after I called them. I contacted the customer service again. He told me that he can not found any record for my last call.
I can not believe that a company could lie to the customer like this.
Please think about clearly before you order them device and service. They are cheap.
 On: 2006-04-01
I just got my UIP165P today. Very easy to set up, especially compared to other internet related equipment. Within 10 minutes I was calling my spouse and pretending to be a stalker. (Dont worry, she figured it out in 2 seconds.)
We use packet8 at work so I was not worried about the quality for my home service. Quality is top notch. I have to boast to people that Im using VoIP. They dont believe me. I grin when I think Im calling them for a flat rate fee of $19.99 a month. Packet8 quality is amazing. The phone to my wife is just like a regular phone. Dial 7 digits for local numbers, 11 digits for long distance. Unlimited calling to those numbers for the $19.99 a month. The service comes with a bunch of call features. My favorites are "follow me, find me" which calls your office and/or cell phone if youre not in, and "email notification of new voicemail". Sweet! When are Qwest and Verizon going to do things like that for $19.99. NEVER. And then theyll die and no one will care. Ha. They stole my money for too long and now Im VoiP and free.
I got Packet8 to replace my Skype service. Skype is not wife friendly for several reasons. Two main reasons is that it requires the computer to be on and you need to dial an international number to call your next door neighbour. Ive written to customer service and they are really stubborn about making it easier. Also, they dont support 911. I didnt get Vonage because they dont offer my 970 area code. I cant expect my neighbours and close family to call me long distance just when I live down the road. Besides, Vonage charge $25 a month and their customer service is REALLY bad.
Packet8, Ive decided, is the very best VoIP can be. Great quality, easy to use (just like a traditional phone) and a great deal. Highly recommended.
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