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Vonage Companion now available for Mac users

by Christina Warren Mar 23rd 2009 at 6:00PM

Vonage, the international VoIP provider, has just released its Vonage Companion software for OS X. Vonage Companion is available to users who subscribe the the Vonage Pro plan and it basically allows users to use their laptops or desktops to make or receive phone calls. Think of it as Skype but for your Vonage account.

You can use Vonage Companion to record calls, set-up conference calls (or separate conference calls into separate phone calls), selective call block, call transfers and more.

I don't have a Vonage Pro account, so I wasn't able to check out the features firsthand, but flipping through the manual (PDF link) it looks pretty powerful. The biggest benefit to a service like this is the ability to make and receive calls from the road, using your Vonage number and account credentials.

Vonage Companion is free for Vonage Pro customers (existing Vonage users will need to upgrade to a Vonage Pro account) and it works with OS X 10.4.11 Tiger and OS X 10.5 Leopard, though Vonage strongly recommends having the latest security updates and latest OS updates installed. You can download Vonage Companion here (direct .DMG link)

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Vonage, the international VoIP provider, has just released its Vonage Companion software for OS X. Vonage Companion is available to users...
 

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greggwsmith

My only issue with Vonage has been some really crappy connections and frequent call drops. It never happened when we lived in Texas so I assume it is our crappy bandwidth up here in NY or the fact that we have the same Linksys router for the past 6 years. I wonder if this app would improve that since it by passes the router piece?

March 24 2009 at 4:04 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
pgems

I like Vonage's service, but their business model is horrible. They push to have you subscribe for one year at a reduced rate, then if you upgrade by adding overseas service, they say you changed your plan and start billing you monthly. Oh by the way they keep you prepaid funds, no refund, no credit, no nothing, not even a kiss while they screwed you.

March 24 2009 at 11:55 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
george

I just can't get it that people want to spend 10 dollars a month while they can have the same for 20 dollars a year with MagicJack.

March 23 2009 at 11:04 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
2 replies to george's comment
Lee T L

I had to jump in here and defend Vonage. I have had Vonage for over a year and my mother just switched 2 months ago. I have not had a single problem. It works better and is way cheaper $25 than my old verizon land line which was running about $50 without call waiting etc....

Now to the article, I love the fact that vonage supports the mac. This seems like a really good feature if you travel with your macbook. I am guessing you can call for free from any hotel wifi. I suppose it doesn't mean much if you already have a cell phone though. Maybe you could use it for overseas calls.

May 13 2009 at 11:56 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Lee T L

@ George
my other reply was in general and posted wrong. anyway, I totally agree with you on this one. If you dont already have vonage then magicjack would be much cheaper.

I have not tried this product and also notice that you need to plug a regular old phone into it. I guess you can still find a 5volt phone somewhere?

The vonage software, along with a "softphone" fee, will let you call wireless using your computer microphone and speakers.

May 13 2009 at 12:05 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
shagfinger

I for one and happy with Vonage's service and have no plans of canceling them any time soon. I do wish there was a way for me to use my iPhone as an IP phone when I am on my own wireless network at home though.

March 23 2009 at 10:06 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
2 replies to shagfinger's comment
alfriede

i actually had no problems with the service itself, it worked great everywhere i took it to. it's just when you TRY to shut off your acct when the problems start!

March 24 2009 at 10:33 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Lee T L

I wish vonage would buy icall. This would be a kick ass business! It seems like a no brainer to me.

May 13 2009 at 12:13 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
alfriede

i 2nd....no 3rd that @ aelver & listservs. i too ended up doing the very same thing and cursing out some stupid bitch in china/india/indonesia - wherever they've outsourced to! i told her to close both of my vonage accts [i had one of my accts for 3 yrs for my biz, and one personal] and she continually just said "we give you two month free" over and over and over.....and OVER!!!!! i was so livid, i cursed her out, and told her i was going to turn off the acct via my bank [which i did]. she then proceeded to tell me they'd report me on my credit [which they never did], and i screamed and cursed at her and told her I DARE YOU TO!!! just before slamming the phone down. just the thought of those vonage assholes makes my blood boil and temp rise rapidly - can you tell?!

christina, don't ever try to cancel your vonage acct, or you'll experience the very same thing that we did :(

March 23 2009 at 8:15 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
1 reply to alfriede's comment
Lee T L

Sorry, off topic, had to comment on your rage. Cheeze guy/gal take a chill pill. We all know there are crappy overseas call centers. We have all had to deal with it.

May 13 2009 at 11:42 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
listservs

Vonage is one of America's truly horrible companies. I ended up in a shouting match with one of their online representatives because she would not let me close my account; she kept trying to sell me stuff, despite repeated (polite) requests to cancel the account. That is the company's customer retention strategy: never allow customers to close accounts. Utterly reprehensible. I hope the company goes out of business, and quick.

March 23 2009 at 7:35 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Alva Elver

Uggh, Vonage. Never again.

March 23 2009 at 6:52 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Adam

Or until they come out of Alpha and start charging for it you could just Vonage Talk Alpha for free and make and receive calls on your laptop already. Here's the link: http://alpha.vonage.com/VonageTalk.dmg

March 23 2009 at 6:08 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
1 reply to Adam's comment
Byran

I have been searching and searching and searching for that damn bit of software. Woot! I can get incoming AND outgoing calls! For the next 24 hours, you are my internet God. All hail.

March 23 2009 at 10:11 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
george

Nice that more VOIP companies get on the iPhone.

But why use this if you can call for free with MagicJack on your iPhone?

March 23 2009 at 6:05 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
2 replies to george's comment
Sriram Sarveswaran

Is it possible to use MagicJack with the iPhone? Or did you just mean using MagicJack on a mac?

March 23 2009 at 8:10 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
george

Yes you can use magicjack on your iphone.

Look at this story http://www.coolusbtoys.com/call-for-free-on-your-iphone-with-magicjack/ that tells you how to do it.

I use it and it works fine anywhere I can find WiFi. For work I am in places like malls a lot and often they have free WiFi and then I call for free :)

March 23 2009 at 8:16 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
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