[colug-432] Digital Phone?

[Rob Funk]

tom wrote:
> I am not familiar with the term "digital phone" I believe she has a land 
> line.

"Digital phone" means making the phone use VoIP (voice-over-IP), i.e.
similar to Google Voice. Except that unlike most do-it-yourself VoIP,
there would be various special provisions to give better service and
integrate it more into the existing home phone system.

It no longer uses the traditional copper wire pair to leave the house,
and instead sends everything over an internet connection (though
likely partitioned off from the other internet traffic).

Personally I still don't trust VoIP as my only phone connection, and
have worked hard to keep a copper line. (Also VoIP may have problems
with fax machines, if that matters.) But my dad has had Time-Warner's
digital phone system for years now. The way the cable/internet
companies bundle things these days, it appears to be getting very
common.

Of course I also don't trust AT&T, especially for internet service,
and also prefer not to have too much dependent on a single
connection or company.

>  I am thinking about 
> suggesting google voice, or chrome browser with hangouts for her if she 
> knows somebody local that can help her with it.

What would be your purpose in her using Google Voice or Hangouts?