Lingo Review
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- The Good
- Directory assistance
- Free international calling
- Mobile add-on service
- The Bad
- Limited-minute nationwide plan
- No fax
A few of the features that are uncommon for VoIP services are directory assistance and three-way calling. However, Lingo falls a little short in relation to some other home phone VoIP service providers. It does not provide a dedicated fax line and Lingo does not function as a softphone, but for people without a home business, neither are essential. About the only major drawback with respect to Lingo’s home phone service is the fact that Lingo Essential has a limited nationwide plan whereas most other home phone VoIP service providers offer nationwide calling for free.
- Lingo Essential
- $9.95 per month
- Lingo Unlimited
- $14.95 or $19.95 per month
Lingo offers price points comparable to the most competitive in the home phone VoIP industry. While not the lowest price for an adaptor-to-router VoIP home phone, there aren’t service providers that offer lower rates. Lingo has three plans: Lingo Essential, Lingo Unlimited without a contract and Lingo Unlimited with a one-year term. Lingo Essential is $9.95 per month, Lingo Unlimited without a contract is $19.95 and Lingo with a one-year term is $14.95.
- Features
- Call waiting
- Caller ID with name
- Call relay
- Three-way calling
- Directory assistance
- Simultaneous ring
- Voicemail anywhere, anytime
Lingo’s three-way calling and directory assistance are both services that many home phone VoIP service providers do not offer. Caller ID, simultaneous ring and caller ID with name often cost extra, but not with Lingo. Some non-essential features Lingo offers with all three plans are anonymous call rejection, call forwarding selective, caller ID block and do not disturb.
- Equipment
- Lingo Adapter
The Lingo Adaptor is typical of most home phone VoIP adapters. Like most, it is not a modem. Instead, it converts the internet signal from your modem into a VoIP signal that you can use to make local, nationwide and international phone calls.
- International Service
- Yes
Regardless of the plan you select — Lingo Essentials or one of the two unlimited plans — you can add an international plan. For $9.95 per month, you can make international phone calls anywhere in the world with unlimited minutes.
- Support
- Customer care phone operators
- Tech support phone operators
- Customer care email
- Support page with indexed explanations
Unlike some companies that offer home phone VoIP services, Lingo has more than one support number. Lingo customers have one number to call for tech support, another for general questions and billing, and a third for sales. While Lingo does not have tech manuals per se, the support page is very extensive and explains how to set up most options and features, and even gives some troubleshooting solutions.
Lingo: User Reviews
Lingo: Comments
Lingo offers all the standards associated with a home phone VoIP service with a couple of minor extras. The price is very reasonable with respect to the industry standard and — with the exception of the minutes limitation — the Lingo Essentials plan is not a great deal different than the Lingo Unlimited plans. The biggest difference between Lingo and other quality VoIP service providers is the international plan. It is unlimited once the low monthly rate is paid. The no-contract options also set Lingo apart from other home phone VoIP service providers.
How Does Lingo Work?
Once you decide on the plan you want, you receive the Lingo Adaptor in the mail. Connect the adapter to your internet router and your home phone to the adapter and you are ready to begin making phone calls. Once the home phone is set up, you can connect it to your iPhone or Android via the Lingo App.
Dialing nationwide is as simple as entering the area code and pressing the send button. Calling internationally is no more difficult. You simply add the country code plus the area code and the seven or eight digit number.
What Makes Lingo Stand Out?
What makes Lingo different than other home phone VoIP service providers is the fact that both the basic and premium plans are available without a contract. While you pay a little more for the Lingo Unlimited No-Contract plan, you can rest assured that anytime you are not satisfied with the service, you can stop using it.
While there are home phone VoIP service providers who allow you to sign up for the basic plan without a year-long contract, almost no others allow you to take advantage of their premium services without signing up long-term.
Another component of Lingo that sets it apart is the international plan. It is simple and affordable. Pay $9.95 a month and call anywhere in the world and talk for an unlimited amount of time.
Common Reviews of Lingo
Almost everyone who reviews Lingo gives the company props for being a pioneer in the VoIP home phone industry. However, most reviews are average at best and ugly in more than a few cases. The biggest complaints are outdated and unintuitive interfaces as well as average to poor call quality and voice clarity.
Another complaint is the fact that Lingo Essentials only allows for 500 minutes of calls per month. For many people reviewing Lingo, that is a major sticking point.
Is Lingo for me?
Lingo is definitely for you if you are the type of person who wants to test a product before making a long-term commitment. Since you can sign up for the Unlimited plan without signing a long-term contract, you can try Lingo’s best and most attractive features for a couple of months and decide if you are happy with what Lingo has to offer.
Lingo is also for you if you need a home phone VoIP service that allows you to make international calls with unlimited minutes.
But, if you are someone whose internet is spotty or slow, Lingo might not be the home phone VoIP service provider for you. Lingo needs a strong internet connection to provide high quality connections and voice clarity.
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