Q:  Does the U.S. & Canada 300 plan include 300 inbound minutes a month?

A: You actually get unlimited inbound and Vonage-to-Vonage minutes with the U.S. & Canada 300 plan. The “300″ in the name refers to how many minutes of outbound calls you can make a month.

U.S. & Canada 300 includes 300 minutes per month of outbound local and long distance home phone service across U.S., Canada and Puerto Rico (and just 5¢ for each additional minute).  You can call both mobile and landlines with your minutes.  And at just $11.99 per month (plus taxes & fees), you’ll probably be saving money over your current phone service.

Q:  Do I have to leave my computer on for Vonage to work?

A: Absolutely not.  Vonage operates independently from your computer, so whether it is on or not doesn’t affect Vonage service. You use Vonage just like you would a regular phone service–pick up the phone and dial.  The people you’re calling won’t notice a difference between Vonage and a typical landline connection.

In order for Vonage to work, you will need high speed internet like DSL or cable, a Vonage phone adapter and a touch tone phone.  For more information about Vonage, please see our How Vonage Works section.

Q:  How do we keep track of the minutes used with a Vonage plan?

A: Vonage customers have access to Vonage Online, a secure online management tool that gives you a birds-eye view of your account features and calling history. With Vonage Online, all you need to do is login and check how many minutes you’ve used.  This is an easy way to keep track of your minutes.

Q:  Currently, I get my messages from my answering machine. Can I still use my answering machine with Vonage?

A: Yes, you can still use your answering machine.  You don’t have to use the included Voice Mail service with your Vonage account.  Once you’ve signed up for Vonage, you’ll be given access to Vonage Online, your one-stop-shop for managing all your account and service details.  You can easily disable the Voice Mail feature from your Vonage Online account.  Then you can connect your answering machine, and start getting messages directly on your machine.

Q:  Will Vonage work if the power goes out?

A: Vonage requires a high speed internet connection to function, and if the power goes out your modem/router (which uses electricity) will stop working, thus interrupting Vonage service.  If you’d like to be uber-prepared, you can purchase a backup power supply.  This is commonly referred to as a Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS), and you can usually pick one up at your local electronics stores.

An easier way to deal with a potential power outage is to use Vonage’s Network Availability Number service.  This is a backup number that Vonage will automatically forward your calls to in case your internet connection is interrupted.  If you have a mobile phone, you can have your calls forwarded to it and you won’t have to worry about missing a call.  You can set up your Network Availability Number in your Vonage Online account, which is an included feature for Vonage customers.