Lingo is one of the largest VoIP providers in the world. What follows is a balanced report on the pros and cons of choosing Lingo’s VoIP solution.

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With VoIP providers fighting for market share amidst increasingly stiff competition, Lingo has emerged as a leading alternative to the more well known VoIP providers. Its growing popularity is due not only to the many call features it offers, but also the most important feature, price. But that is not to say, that everything about Lingo is appealing or even that it is the best service for every user.

How it Works

Lingo functions a little differently than most of its major competitors, in that with Lingo you can use your same land line handset. Lingo simply provides an adapter that converts the signal from your broadband connection to function through a land based telephone. But this does not mean that the system can function adequately with anything less than a solid DSL or Cable connection. Nonetheless, the convenience of being able to make good use of your home telephones is a major advantage of the Lingo system. But that same advantage, does have some drawbacks.

The setup for systems like Skype and Vonage is extremely simple whereas the setup process for Lingo can take a bit of time and requires some close care and reading. Users must connect their modem, internet router, and converter in a precise order to avoid problems with the system. While the process is by no means arduous, for those completely unfamiliar with computers and internet connections, this may pose some difficulty.

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Features

Once connected, Lingo offers a great variety of services and features that surpass that of its competition. With Lingo you get to pick your phone number from over 220 different area codes and can add on an international virtual number that will allow individuals to make local calls to you from that area code. This can be particularly beneficial if you live in one country but frequently call and receive from a city in another. With this service you essentially have a local number for both cities, meaning no long distance charges for those that call you. Lingo also offers a wide array of additional features like voicemail, call forwarding, call waiting, redial, 911, 411, local number portability and the ability to receive voicemails as attachments to email. But by far the most attractive feature of Lingo is the price. Lingo offers a monthly payment structure that is significantly cheaper than competitors like Vonage, and because these plans include much of Western Europe you will also save on your international calling bills.

Limitations

But all that savings comes with a downside.  Lingo struggles with quality in ways that its competitors simply do not.  We experienced a few momentary drops during test calls.  While this never proved to be a serious problem, those individuals who spend a good deal of time on the telephone may find these quick blips annoying.

Pros: Includes Western Europe in "local" calling area, allows you to keep your telephone handsets, is cheaper than the rest.

Cons: Quality concerns and some difficulty in installation

Our rating: * * * * (out of 5)

The bottom line: If you make a lot of calls to Western Europe, want to keep your telephone handsets, or if you are simply on a budget, then Lingo is the VoIP provider for you.

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