While our cable companies have pushed triple play packages, sometimes making plans with a phone cheaper than those without (go figure!), after our last move, we never signed up for home phone service.

It would be nice to have a home phone, but only if at a decent cost. I have a multi handset system which would be nice to use. I had used it with Cox cable in Virginia. Here we have Comcast.

I looked at MagicJack Plus, Ooma, and Obihai boxes. I read several posts here on FT, but none seem to compare these services.

Do each of these allow faxing? Use with a home alarm system? The alarm company will charge extra each month and to install a module to allow 3G monitoring if no home phone.

My brother was pretty happy using a standard MagicJack during his time is Australia and it worked great for us calling him from the US. Does MagicJack not work with faxes, though (not that that is all that important these days)? I see that it is possible to get MagicJack Plus for 20 dollars a year if I buy 5 years. No additional taxes or fees and a startup cost of about 45 dollars. No need to hook up to a computer now.

I have a Google Voice number which I give to work contacts, but could sign up for a new local one. I could buy an Obi202 box, as they are fairly reasonable. Free after the box purchased for about 60 dollars.

I did pick up an Ooma box at Costco for about 130 plus tax. Used to be free after initial purchase, but now with taxes of just under 4 dollars a month. Premier service is 10 dollars additional monthly. Some nice features in the Ooma Premier service. It's more expensive, but cheaper that traditional landlines and many additional features.

Obviously, long term, the Obihai box and Google Voice is cheapest, then MagicJack Plus, then Ooma. What do you all recommend? Any others I did not mention?

Thanks, all.

fuzz