Behind The Fine Print Of VoIP Companies

We've all heard about how much we can save with VoIP, but which is the best voice over VoIP company in terms of overall value? With a newer technology such as VoIP that many are trying for the first time, it can be difficult even to know what points to compare. In this article, we'll dig beyond the marketing messages and compare VoIP companies Vonage and Sunrocket on several different critical points.

Compare VoIP Companies: Cost

Sunrocket named itself the "the economical VoIP" in its marketing messages. It's true; their base service costs only $9.99 per month, nearly $10 less per month than that of Vonage. However, that base service is quite bare and lacks many of the features to which most of us have become accustom. When you begin adding services and making calls overseas, you may find that you're not saving that much after all with Sunrocket.

Compare VoIP Companies: Features

Vonage's marketing messages highlight their rich selection of features in comparison to its rival Sunrocket. Vonage features like caller ID, click to call computer calling, and call transfer may be important enough to spend the extra $8 or $9 bucks per month on Vonage as opposed to Sunrocket. Unlike some of the marketing messages imply, Sunrocket does offer add-ons. However, once you begin adding them to your package, the Sunrocket price becomes much less competitive to that of Vonage.

Compare VoIP Companies: International Calling

Where these two VoIP companies really differ from each other is the cost of international calling. While much of the marketing material that compare VoIP companies state that Sunrocket does not offer calling to Eastern Europe, this is no longer true. Sunrocket does offer calling to Eastern Europe, though at a higher rate than with Vonage.

Sunrocket offers international calling "sunspots." These are predefined areas to which calling rates can be as a low as $0.03 per minute. While that is an outstanding rate compared a landline, it is tough for Sunrocket to compete with Vonage who charges $0.00 per minute to call many countries overseas.

If you call one particular country quite often, the cost of calls to that country will most likely sway your decision. Before making a purchase, check the rates to the countries you call most and compare VoIP companies on that measure. Regardless of which VoIP company you choose, you'll still pay hundreds of dollars less than what you're paying with your landline.