Based on my VoIP gotcha, Lockergnomie David Scott…

The technical problems you mention seem significant enough to make me question the reliability of VoIP – at least in your situation. There are other considerations. Does the phone work when you lose power? Most VoIP does not. How are you going to call the power company to let them know you're in the dark? You do point out a 911 problem with VoIP but there is more. Can your local 911 operator know where the call is originating? Some land-lines are hard to locate their origins and cell and VoIP often isn't locatable with many 911 systems. With cell phones the phone must have GPS and the 911 center be equipped to use the GPS signal on your phone or the 911 center has to be able to use triagulation with cell towers to appoximate your location.

With regular land lines, there is a good chance the operator will be able to determine where you are calling from because a land-line is fixed to a specific address and dispatch help whether you know your own address or not … or whether you can speak or not. Something to think about. I hope you never find yourself in the dark with no power and someone trying to break down your front door! I also hope your teenage babysitter knows your street address when your child has had an accident. No, I'm not a phone company employee nor do I own phone company stock. I don't own cable stock or work for them, either. I do appreciate those who are early adopters of technology so the bugs can be worked out for the rest of us.

I'm still likely to stick with a VoIP solution, despite today's drawbacks. Sure, I've gotta get land lines for the show, but that doesn't mean I care to despute my telephone bill with the local phone company every single month. Everybody else says Skype, but… I'm not sure Skype is “there” yet.