Help! My Home phone bill just went from $10 a month to $65 a month!!!

Guys, I need guidance asap. I live in a co-op and they just renegotiated our TV-internet-cable service with RCN. I've lived here for 6 years and my bills always had a line for phone and internet (no cable) for $10 each. So total bill was about $40 a month.
Since the renegotiation, the coop is paying bulk rate for internet, meaning I pay 0 for internet. But the phone went from $10 to $65. I've been on the phone with RCN trying and asking how to get my phone bill down.
The options are kill the Landline - which I don't want to do and only use the cell phone. I don't want to rely on my cell phone as my main phone. Or find another phone provider. So I went to comparison shop. In Chicago we only have ATT & Comcast, and they are the same rates (bundled TV+internet) as RCN.

So I'm on the internet looking at the Magic Jack, ObiHai, and OOMA, and vonage. They seem much cheaper. But it also seems that I have to keep my computer on 24 hours/7days for those devices to work with my phone.

Okay, so I need to know from someone who has the Magic Jack, et al, if it's a good alternative to getting my phone bill down. What other devices & services should I look at.
Thanks all.

It's called VOIP telephone service and not all require your computer to be on or used at all. I used to use a Canadian company called Teksavvy for my VOIP... they rent or sell you a small interface to connect to your modem/router and you plug your phone into that. There are probably some companies in Chicago you can call for info.

eg:

https://www.thedigest.com/voip-providers-chicago

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Sal_gal

Guys, I need guidance asap. I live in a co-op and they just renegotiated our TV-internet-cable service with RCN. I've lived here for 6 years and my bills always had a line for phone and internet (no cable) for $10 each. So total bill was about $40 a month.
Since the renegotiation, the coop is paying bulk rate for internet, meaning I pay 0 for internet. But the phone went from $10 to $65. I've been on the phone with RCN trying and asking how to get my phone bill down.
The options are kill the Landline - which I don't want to do and only use the cell phone. I don't want to rely on my cell phone as my main phone. Or find another phone provider. So I went to comparison shop. In Chicago we only have ATT & Comcast, and they are the same rates (bundled TV+internet) as RCN.

So I'm on the internet looking at the Magic Jack, ObiHai, and OOMA, and vonage. They seem much cheaper. But it also seems that I have to keep my computer on 24 hours/7days for those devices to work with my phone.

Okay, so I need to know from someone who has the Magic Jack, et al, if it's a good alternative to getting my phone bill down. What other devices & services should I look at.
Thanks all.

---

Thank you, I'll try it the price is right.