Verizon Hub

[dave29]

www.verizonwireless.com/hub

Has anyone bought one of these yet? They look pretty cool and I am thinking about getting one.

[dorfd1]

I do not think anyone owould want a phone that would require both a phone line and cat 5

[machavez00]

I do not think anyone would want a phone that would require both a phone line and cat 5
video http://www.verizonwireless.com/b2c/vzhub/overviewdemolayer.jsp
Actually, it's a glorified cell phone. It has wireless
For $35 you get:


One, Consolidated Bill
Unlimited Calls and Text Messaging*
Tons of Great Features

* Unlimited calls to the U.S. and Canada. Unlimited messaging to Verizon Wireless customers only.

an internet connection is needed for the for web features

[dave29]

I do not think anyone owould want a phone that would require both a phone line and cat 5

Phone line, it doesn't take a phone line.
Cat 5, only if you want to hardwire it, it has built in wireless.

[Grentz]

It looks cool, just more expensive than my current landline and I would loose my home alarm (it is not VoIP compatible at all) and my landline fax (which I could substitute with online fax I guess).

[dave29]

It looks cool, just more expensive than my current landline and I would loose my home alarm (it is not VoIP compatible at all) and my landline fax (which I could substitute with online fax I guess).

Yeah, my fax is the only thing that I worry about.

[BubblePuppy]

Yeah, my fax is the only thing that I worry about.

Is there a different $rate for data only/fax only landline versus voice? I really don't want to use web based fax.
I just wish there was some way to fax using my cell, as I don't have a landline.

[dave29]

Is there a different $rate for data only/fax only landline versus voice? I really don't want to use web based fax.
I just wish there was some way to fax using my cell, as I don't have a landline.

The only difference in price from my carrier is that you would just get the most basic phone service that they have, w/o caller id, call waiting, etc.
I know nothing about web based fax.

[machavez00]

Is there a different $rate for data only/fax only landline versus voice? I really don't want to use web based fax.
I just wish there was some way to fax using my cell, as I don't have a landline.

Kinko/Staples/Officemax etc, have for fee fax services. I have no idea how much they charge, but cheaper than a LL if you fax occasionally.

[BubblePuppy]

Kinko/Staples/Officemax etc, have for fee fax services. I have no idea how much they charge, but cheaper than a LL if you fax occasionally.

Yea, you are correct, except a lot of job openings require faxing the resume/application instead of email, and it is just a wee bit of a pain in the tush to run down to the local UPS store to send the fax, but it is cheaper than paying for a landline that I wouldn't use that often. Of course one wouldn't be limited to the store hours.
Bring on cell phone fax capabilites.

[TheFigurehead]

I am thinking about buying a VZ Hub, but the sales guy said it would not work with satellite receivers needing a phone connection. I have a HR-20, HR-21 and a Hughes DirecTivo. I don’t think my newer HD DVR’s really need a phone connection (I do have them connected to my DSL router), but the DirecTivo displays a warning if I don’t connect/call in after a set amount of time. Is it really necessary to have receivers make these daily calls?

[tcusta00]

I am thinking about buying a VZ Hub, but the sales guy said it would not work with satellite receivers needing a phone connection. I have a HR-20, HR-21 and a Hughes DirecTivo. I don’t think my newer HD DVR’s really need a phone connection (I do have them connected to my DSL router), but the DirecTivo displays a warning if I don’t connect/call in after a set amount of time. Is it really necessary to have receivers make these daily calls?

You can network the newer receivers (HR2x) but not the Tivo. You won't be able to get future firmware updates on the Tivo, but that's about the only thing you'll be missing.

[Grentz]

You can network the newer receivers (HR2x) but not the Tivo. You won't be able to get future firmware updates on the Tivo, but that's about the only thing you'll be missing.

That and the nag message that comes up once a day after about a month of no phone line connected.

Not a big deal, but still something to consider. I actually had my Tivo dialing over the network connection, but it requires a serial converter cable and a computer close by to connect up...not worth it most of the time IMO.

[tcusta00]

That and the nag message that comes up once a day after about a month of no phone line connected.



:lol: Yeah, but he knew about that.

[TheFigurehead]

I got a notice from DirecTV that my old Tivo would be losing some of its programming (local Peoria-Bloomington network channels, I think)… so they told me I was eligible for new/replacement equipment. Is it safe to assume any new receiver would be able to function without a telephone connection?

[tcusta00]

I got a notice from DirecTV that my old Tivo would be losing some of its programming (local Peoria-Bloomington network channels, I think)… so they told me I was eligible for new/replacement equipment. Is it safe to assume any new receiver would be able to function without a telephone connection?

The notice that you got from DirecTV is referring to the older MPEG2 channels going away. Since the Tivos are not capable receiving the newer MPEG4 encoding then you will lose those HD channels that are exclusively MPEG2.

Any HD receiver from DirecTV that's NOT a Tivo (so, anything beginning with HR2x or Hx) will be capable of receiving all HD channels. And yes, any of these newer receivers will be able to function just fine without a phone line. A network connection will allow you, with some of these, to receive DirecTV on Demand as well and may be useful for features yet to be released that require networking to be setup.