TotalPlay for DUMMIES

[Natasha]

Yes I know another thread is currently running... but people there are speaking a totally foreign language for people like me!🤪 SO... please... for present/former  clients of TotalPlay only IF you have all three --phone / internet + wifi / most basic TV..... and especially if you have 40 speed:

(1) are you happier with results vs: Telmex $389 pkg plus most basic $331 Wizz (Izzi) ?...   (I expect GDL and Mexico City news channels via TP basic TV package, which I currently get with Wizz.)

(2 I have a FIrestick, as does a friend who is recommending TP. She says 40 is good enough for FS at her house (Upper Riberas).   IF you have FS,  is that true for you? (Have already talked with Rich Guarino about this but want more input).  FYI we do not "game" nor watch movies.

(3) Is the phone line clear and reliable? ( our current Telmex land line is fine but as with many, internet/wifi  slow and more spotty)    

(4) If you HAD TP and got rid of all/part...... why??

I am aware you can get only part of the above with TP, but trying to chieve lower monthly costs over Telmex plus Wizz.

All comments /PM's welcome except those that get technical...  you will be WAY above my pay grade plus I don't want or need to know that much !!  Gracias

 

[bmh]

My young friends in CHiapas told me that it was the best service availablein Mexico if you can get it in your area.. I have not look into it yet but I would love your non tecnical comments too.

[AndyPanda]

Well, I'll try to help anyway, although I don't have the TV part... why? no English channels.

Telmex and Wizz reliability is zip/zilch comparted to TotalPlay. I have never had an outage. Customer service is far superior to iLox, Telmex, Wizz.

The VOIP phone sucks for me; not for others.

[Natasha]

1 hour ago, AndyPanda said:

The VOIP phone sucks for me; not for others.

Don't understand..... what is a VOIP phone???   And NOBODY laugh!!!!!

[Dan Hodge]

Voice Over Internet Protocol. One uses broadband internet connection for the call instead of analog (regular phone lines).

 

[Natasha]

1 hour ago, AndyPanda said:

Well, I'll try to help anyway, although I don't have the TV part... why? no English channels.

So how do you get your English channels?  (I DO want the Spanish for Mexican news but don't want to keep  Wizz if this is a go)

Only asking because IF you use a Firestick,  what speed did you buy.... and if 40, do you find it to be enough?

[lcscats]

My totalplay VOIP phone works fine.  My neighbors totalplay VOIP phone works fine.  Our ILOX VOIP phones never worked.

 

You plug your phone into the modem, into the jack labelled phone.  Same old phone jack same old phone as Telmex. Totalplay has much more stable internet than ILOX. ILOX you can't even run audio programming over the internet.  It just drops in and out constantly.  Total play drops out a few times a day no big deal.  Have you asked if you can get Telmex fiber??  It may be another option.  It may be cheaper.  Of course it also may not be available.

[Natasha]

Telmex fiber is not available in our area of San Antonio and they can't say when it will be..... too much re-wiring to do.

I have a Panasonic  base unit with answering machine (direct phone line connection) plus 2 other units (electric connections only). So -- 3 hand-held units in different parts of the house. Anyone want to weight in on this? We NEED the answering machine!!!

[lcscats]

Maybe you need to get some help.  

[AndyPanda]

Yes, it can be used just the same. But I have to say, the reason I said "The VOIP phone sucks for me; not for others" was in anticipation of lcscats comments, which he has made before. I can only report on my situation. There is no reason the phone should be superior on his system than mine, so I don't know what that means in terms of everyone else.

And 40 is more than enough for any Internet-TV-related device, as a rule.

[gwynne]

Finally gave up on Telmex......"Why do you want to cancel our service?  Because there ISN'T any!!!".  We're a little off the beaten track, so other providers didn't want to run a line.  TotalPlay said 'No problem'.  We've had it 4 months now....NO outages.  I took the basic package and it's fine for streaming movies.  Don't use Firestick....don't know about that.  Only one TV in the house and it's in the housekeeper's casita.....so all Spanish is Ok.  I understand you can get the English services if you buy the higher end package.  Kept the landline phone because cell service sometimes is iffy.  They said I could port my number (which I've had for 16 years) over but that didn't work.  Getting used to the new number took a while because I don't use it much.  Landline is always clear.  

Recommend?  Yes!

[Natasha]

27 minutes ago, AndyPanda said:

Yes, it can be used just the same.

To be CLEAR.... you mean you are using your "old"  (as in what you used with Telmex) phone equipment?  Gtacias

[AndyPanda]

Yes, I simply plugged in my cordless answering machine phone base (that also has other handsets around the house) out of the Telmex jack and into the totalplay jack on their modem. I then called my cell phone from it to verify the number it uses.

[happyjillin]

I have had Vonage Canada VOIP 3 years before we even moved here and still uses our Edmonton #. Works just fine with Telmex modem so should be fine with totalplay.

[Natasha]

31 minutes ago, happyjillin said:

I have had Vonage Canada VOIP 3 years before we even moved here and still uses our Edmonton #. Works just fine with Telmex modem so should be fine with totalplay.

You missed dthe point.... I don't WANT VOIP

[Natasha]

38 minutes ago, AndyPanda said:

Yes, I simply plugged in my cordless answering machine phone base (that also has other handsets around the house) out of the Telmex jack and into the totalplay jack on their modem. I then called my cell phone from it to verify the number it uses.

Thank you. My Riberas friend says they also use regular phones.Our Telmex main jack is over 40 feet away from our office where the modem sits..... and as far as I know the jack for the modem is ONLY for the modem???

Not sure I have room for the phone main base in here...... but what's life is not a challenge?🤪   I guess we'll have to figure that out if/when the installers come.

[happyjillin]

21 minutes ago, Natasha said:

You missed dthe point.... I don't WANT VOIP

But you asked what it was and I made the post about it in case others might find the info useful so I DIDN'T MISS THE POINT.  Buenos suerte in your quest-eh!

[AndyPanda]

1 hour ago, Natasha said:

Thank you. My Riberas friend says they also use regular phones.Our Telmex main jack is over 40 feet away from our office where the modem sits..... and as far as I know the jack for the modem is ONLY for the modem???

Not sure I have room for the phone main base in here...... but what's life is not a challenge?🤪   I guess we'll have to figure that out if/when the installers come.

Regular phone? You mean like an old fashioned, non-electric phone? Yes, any kind of phone. But remember that all modem-based phones are VOIP (Voice Over Internet Protocol), which simply means they use the Internet for signals instead of telephone lines (although of course if one is not using fiber then one is still using regular old phone lines for the Internet).

Whatever, you have to have a full phone plugged directly into the modem's phone jack. You could not, for example, plug in a cordless handset without the base.

[timjwilson]

3 hours ago, lcscats said:

My totalplay VOIP phone works fine.  My neighbors totalplay VOIP phone works fine.  Our ILOX VOIP phones never worked.

 

You plug your phone into the modem, into the jack labelled phone.  Same old phone jack same old phone as Telmex. Totalplay has much more stable internet than ILOX. ILOX you can't even run audio programming over the internet.  It just drops in and out constantly.  Total play drops out a few times a day no big deal.  Have you asked if you can get Telmex fiber??  It may be another option.  It may be cheaper.  Of course it also may not be available.

Interesting. My ilox rarely drops. I can stream video no problem. It must be location related.

[Natasha]

53 minutes ago, AndyPanda said:

Whatever, you have to have a full phone plugged directly into the modem's phone jack. You could not, for example, plug in a cordless handset without the base.

Yes, I understand that the MAIN handset with base (for answer machine) that is currently plugged into Telmex  jack is what would have to be plugged into the modem.  Yes?

[AndyPanda]

Correct.

[Natasha]

Thank you to all.  I think I have enough  now to move to the next step..... make an appt. for TP to come to the house.  Appreciate the input.

[Alpha1]

On 8/26/2021 at 12:45 PM, Natasha said:

So how do you get your English channels?  (I DO want the Spanish for Mexican news but don't want to keep  Wizz if this is a go)

Only asking because IF you use a Firestick,  what speed did you buy.... and if 40, do you find it to be enough?

40 Mbps is plenty...

• 5Mbps or less: Basic web surfing and email
• 5-10Mbps: Web surfing, email, occasional streaming and online gaming with few connected devices
• 10-25Mbps: Moderate HD streaming, online gaming and downloading with a moderate number of connected devices
• 25-40Mbps: Heavy HD streaming, online gaming and downloading with a lot of connected devices
• 40+Mbps: Hardcore streaming, gaming, and downloading with an extreme number of connected devices

https://leapfrogservices.com/how-much-internet-speed-do-you-need-data-speeds-deciphered/

[MtnMama]

I too have heard that TP's VOIP drops off after about 10 minutes. Unacceptable for me

[RickS]

6 hours ago, Natasha said:

You missed dthe point.... I don't WANT VOIP

Well THAT is the only phone service that TP or iLOX or Telmex fiber provide!  You *may* be saying that you want to use your old physical phone.... which folks have said you can.... but that does NOT mean that you won't be using a VOIP service.  IF the Internet goes down, you will have NO phone service. If you cellphone is not good enough for backup IF the internet goes down, then you should/can keep your Telmex physical copper landline for phone service only.