Review: netTALK Duo Wifi & Giveaway

It was not until a couple months ago that I finally got a home phone service. A company by the name of netTALK requested that I review their home phone service called netTALK with Duo Wi-Fi and after talking with my family we decided to say yes. NetTALK is a low cost wireless home phone service that is just $30 a year for their basic calling plan. If you want international calling it is extra. When you purchase the device for the first time you will also receive your first year of basic service for free.

I have a confession to make; I have not had home phone services in years because I refuse to pay the monthly fees. Phone companies love to double dip, you get charged for having the service, tax, surcharge, state fees, and more. It’s just stupid that we are forced to $15 or more in “fees” plus the monthly fee of $30 to $100 and up just to use the phone for a couple hours a week. For my family, I convenience did not justify the cost. Of course, we have cell phones so the home phone service was not used much at all which really sold the idea of disconnecting it. When I finally had the device up and running my daughter LOVED the device and has been living on it ever since.

netTALK with Duo WiFi includes the following features:

• Free phone number or porting
• Live customer service, free calls to any netTALK customer even if they are international
• Free long distance calling within the United States and Canada
•  Low cost international calls to those without a netTALK device
• Call waiting/call forwarding/caller ID
• 3-way calling, visual voicemail
• 411 directory assistance
• Enhanced 911 calling
• Videophone capabilities
• Fax friendly
• 

*This was emailed to me a couple days ago and asked to be included in the review

“netTALK also has a new and free Android App (works on most Android devices) that provides Free Calling throughout the US and Canada with the option to add low-cost international TALKcredits to make calls from anywhere to anywhere in the world (with cell phone / WiFi service) without running up cell phone minutes or roaming charges. Great for traveling and keeping in touch with family and friends abroad! The app is available free at www.nettalk.com  and at Google Play.” 

When you purchase the device it will have a device that looks like the below picture, there will also be cords in the box and located on the inside of the front part of the box is a password so do not throw the box out.

Setting Up the Device

Setting the device up was not a fun experience. When I received it I hooked it up per the instructions and I heard a busy tone when I called out.  I just thought I called a busy number. It was not until several days later that I discovered my device had not been setup correctly. I had to get help from another blogger who is also reviewing this device and she discovered I had not downloaded the correct files. I re-downloaded the files and  was stuck at  an error that I could not bypass no matter what I did.  The error said  “Error: Loading Hardware Adapter”. After WEEKS of going back and forth with their technical support, repeated calls during my work hours even though I told them I would be at work,  and 45 minutes on the phone it was discovered that I had old hardware on my device. It sounds like I was given an old device instead of a new one, and that really irritates me because all of this could have been avoided had I been given a new device.  As a review item it was very difficult to determine if this item was something that was worth purchasing because of the problems I had with setting the device up. Had I purchased this in the store you and I both know this thing would have been returned as soon as I discovered it was not working.

Quality of Sound & Reliability

So far reliability has been very good but sound needs some work. I am not sure if it is my telephone or the device but there is some static sometimes while talking.  The technical support person told me that it was my phone, so I borrowed a higher quality phone from  a family member and I still had some static when talking. There was also an echo one time but the echo has not returned. Based on the quality and reliability I would purchase this device and use it. I think for what it is it is definitely worth the cost if you do not use the home phone that much.

Where to Purchase 

You can find this device at most major retailers but I found it at Target. Amazon also carries it here.

The company has offered to host a giveaway for my readers. Please check back later for the giveaway as I am in the works of planning one

a Rafflecopter giveaway