I was in Tiger Direct yesterday and noticed that they now sell Packet8‘s 8×8 terminal adapter. Tiger Direct’s price for the DTA-310 is $59.95, plus you get two months of Packet8 service free and free activation!
I think the DTA-310’s are top-notch terminal adapters, and $60 is a fantastic price. Of course, would I want to pick up another, I would sign up for the two month’s free service, cancel, and then reflash it to use Asterisk. But that’s just me.
I think I remember seeing somewhere that Packet8 implemented some sort of early cancellation fee, if you cancel service in less than a year. That might be nasty, although I don’t know if the Tiger Direct deal would apply.
I don’t think the fee would apply in this case, since you own the hardware that the fee used to cover.
When I canceled my service, I expected to pay a fee or turn in the hardware. Since I’d subscribed for 3 months, I’d already paid for the adapter, so I got to keep it. I’m sure this arrangement with Tiger Direct works the same way: you cancel, you keep the adapter.
I don’t see anywhere in the Tiger Direct ad that you have to activate the unit with Packet8. Why not just buy the thing outright then turn around and flash it and reconfig for Asterisk?
Uh, that’s my point. You don’t have to activate it. But you will have to find the proper tools to flash it.