How important is it to have a landline number for a small business these days?

[Lucky8]

OK, back again. What is the difference between voipfone, sipgate and zoiper in terms of benefits to the customer, prices etc? I've been through past threads and I'm getting a bit lost on these layers of products.

For example, first when I look at voipfone, I see that it has no encryption and I see other posters here use Zoiper. So I look at Zoiper and then I read a post which says they use Sipgate with Zoiper with VOIP provider. That's 3 layers of products, all adding something I'm not clear about.

Simply, we have a mobile, we want a landline number for incoming and outgoing calls. We want to 'own' that landline number and not have any issues in keeping it in the future. The outgoing calls will be few but probably not quick 1-2 minute calls, probably 30 mins long to both landlines and mobiles. Security and privacy of the calls is an important factor to us. We also need a voice conferencing solution - so if there is one bundle all with one company, that's something we'd like to consider too.

What's best?

 

[Gordon - Commercial Finance]

Voipfone have an app that you install on your iPhone (or whatever), and calls to and from your landline go through the app.

If you want to also have a calling interface on your computer, you could use Zoiper's desktop app, although I don't really rate it.

If you just want it all to go to your mobile, Voipfone's app will do the trick. I think its called Softfone or something.
On voipfone's website, get in to the live chat with support, and they will guide you.

 

[pbdesigns]

I'll let voipfone answer directly.

I user Zoiper as the software on my phone to answer calls.

But use Voipfone for all my voip calls.

Zoiper is software, voipfone is the actual 'telephone network' if that makes sense.

Like using BT, but buy a Panasonic telephone.

I also use Cisco voip telephones on the desk, as I prefer that over software on a mobile.

I paid voipfone to port across my existing telephone number, so you don't need to start from scratch with a new landline number.

 

[cjd]

OK, back again. What is the difference between voipfone, sipgate and zoiper in terms of benefits to the customer, prices etc? I've been through past threads and I'm getting a bit lost on these layers of products.

Voipfone and Sigate are telphone companies; Voipfone is UK based, Sipgate is in Germany. Zoiper is a sofwaree telephone that can be used with a VoIP network. (We provide it free). Hardware phones are much better. Our preferrence is snom.

For example, first when I look at voipfone, I see that it has no encryption

No one - except very specialist and/ore proprietary services - have voice encryption end to end.

and I see other posters here use Zoiper. So I look at Zoiper and then I read a post which says they use Sipgate with Zoiper with VOIP provider. That's 3 layers of products, all adding something I'm not clear about.

Zoiper is a product, Sipgate is a German telephone company that you can use it over. (You can use it over ANY VoIP network - excluding Skype.

Simply, we have a mobile, we want a landline number for incoming and outgoing calls. We want to 'own' that landline number and not have any issues in keeping it in the future. The outgoing calls will be few but probably not quick 1-2 minute calls, probably 30 mins long to both landlines and mobiles. Security and privacy of the calls is an important factor to us. We also need a voice conferencing solution - so if there is one bundle all with one company, that's something we'd like to consider too.

We do all that but you're very confused about things - no mobile call can be encrypted. VoIP is at least as secure as your mobile telephone.

I suggest you give us a call and talk it through with one of our support people 020 7043 555 - they're not sales people.[/quote]

I should add that pretty much all calls use VoIP these days somewhere in the network and by 2025 ALL calls will be VoIP end to end as BT switch off their old networks.

 

[Lucky8]

Right. Well Voipfone were looking good. We looked at them, checked out their awards, read replies on here (thank you), phoned and livechatted our questions, and told them we wanted an 0207 London number and were told £2/month to provide us with the whole solution which we requested. Confirmed no other charges - no we were told.

We'll we've just been through the set up and were about to buy the 0207 number, to find we'll be hit with a £150 set up charge which nobody mentioned. And an extra £2/month for the phone number. Feel well and truly you-know-what.

 

[Ben @ FreshMaids]

I use CirceLoop for my number (I can't link as I'm a newbie, so you'll have to Google it).

It's an app you install on your mobile that sets you up with a landline number and you can receive calls on any mobile with the app installed.

They're a UK company with a decent app and good customer service and the prices aren't bad. Plus IIRC they do a free week's trial so you can test it out.

 

[StevensOnln1]

Right. Well Voipfone were looking good. We looked at them, checked out their awards, read replies on here (thank you), phoned and livechatted our questions, and told them we wanted an 0207 London number and were told £2/month to provide us with the whole solution which we requested. Confirmed no other charges - no we were told.

We'll we've just been through the set up and were about to buy the 0207 number, to find we'll be hit with a £150 set up charge which nobody mentioned. And an extra £2/month for the phone number. Feel well and truly you-know-what.

I'm pretty sure @cjd has posted before that there are very few 0207 numbers left and as such there is a premium cost to have one. If you choose a number from the 0203 London expansion range (or any other area code) there isn't a setup fee.

 

[cjd]

Right. Well Voipfone were looking good. We looked at them, checked out their awards, read replies on here (thank you), phoned and livechatted our questions, and told them we wanted an 0207 London number and were told £2/month to provide us with the whole solution which we requested. Confirmed no other charges - no we were told.

London numbers are now 020 and have been for many years. The correct way of presenting them is like our number 020 7043 5555.

020 7 number - the old 'central' London number group - ran out nationally in 2005. They are still available but they are scarce and recycled - they are now only available at a premium one-off fee as we have to buy them from specialist wholesalers.

We'll we've just been through the set up and were about to buy the 0207 number, to find we'll be hit with a £150 set up charge which nobody mentioned. And an extra £2/month for the phone number.

There are no set-up costs for 020 3 numbers. All you pay is the £2 monthly rental. You can see all our prices on the website here:

https://www.voipfone.co.uk/prices_new.php

 

[Lucky8]

London numbers are now 020 and have been for many years. The correct way of presenting them is like our number 020 7043 5555.

Whether the number is presented as 0207 or 020 7 makes no difference. This is an irrelevance to the point in hand which is we were not told by Voipfone that there would be a £150 set-up fee for a telephone number beginning 0207. Something you fail to address.

0207 is how most voip operators list the inner London number, and you yourself cjd have used this format on this forum. It would be rather silly to infer the incorrect information was given to us because of formatting.

The bottom line is when I asked voipfone how much I would pay for a softphone solution with an 0207 number and was told it's £2 a month, that was clearly incorrect. When I asked if that was it, and checked there were no other charges, and was told no, and no mention was made at all of a £150 set up fee, that was blatantly incorrect.

The Voipfone website also states the following:

"Voipfone allows you to have a normal, everyday, Ofcom-issued telephone number that anyone can call - from any telephone network, anywhere - for just £2 per month. No installation or set-up charges..."

 

[Ian J]

You might not want to give your clients the impression that you work all hours and they can call you whenever they like. Who wants a phone call at 11pm on a Saturday night because someone has talked to their mates down the pub and have a brilliant idea you can help them with?

I switch my mobile off at night so any calls go to voicemail

 

[cjd]

Whether the number is presented as 0207 or 020 7 makes no difference. This is an irrelevance to the point in hand which is we were not told by Voipfone that there would be a £150 set-up fee for a telephone number beginning 0207. Something you fail to address.

If you were told that 020 7 numbers had no set up charge, then it was a mistake. It's not a mistake that's easy to make though as everybody answering the phones would be fully aware of the extra costs of 020 7 numbers. But if that's what you were told I'm realy sorry, I'll try to put that right.

We spend a lot of time and effort on customer support so I'd like to get to the bottom of this. We record all calls and keep all Live Chats and emails and can see that you contacted us enquiring about the service and a number but the records we have don't contain anything mentioning 020 7 numbers until after you contacted us complaining about their cost. The discussions we have on your account are all about general numbers, not 020 7 numbers.

Perhaps you called us earlier from a number not now on your account? If so please contact us again - or PM me here - with the number you used and I'll get the supervisor to retrieve the record. If we have it on record that we told you that 020 7 numbers have no set up charge i'll be more than happy to give it to you for free plus 12 months free rental because it'll highlight a training need and we have absolutelty nothing to gain and everything to lose by misleading people.

0207 is how most voip operators list the inner London number, and you yourself cjd have used this format on this forum. It would be rather silly to infer the incorrect information was given to us because of formatting.

I'm not saying that at all. I'm just trying to explain that the dialling code for London is now 020 and that's how it should be displayed. The 4th digit no longer has any geographic meaning and hasn't done for many years. The reason people generally ask us for 020 7 numbers is because of their perceived prestige as a central London address. That prestige does still linger but it's not as valuable as it used to be because new numbers issued in London, are from the 020 3 range and have been for many years.

Just for completeness, 020 8s (the old outer London area code) have been long defunct too and we used to charge them too, but we got our hands on a lot of them so they no longer have a set-up change either. 020 7 is the only range we have charge for.

It's a common mistake to list London numbers as 0207, 0208, 0203 but it *is* a mistake. This is Ofcom's number on their contact us page

Switchboard:0300 123 3000 or 020 7981 3000

 

[Lucky8]

If you were told that 020 7 numbers had no set up charge, then it was a mistake. It's not a mistake that's easy to make though as everybody answering the phones would be fully aware of the extra costs of 020 7 numbers. But if that's what you were told I'm realy sorry, I'll try to put that right.

Thank you. I'll PM you.

 

[MandaBarnes]

Hi, I work from home (when 'in the office'), so we have a landline for our broadband, which is used for both work and personal use.

I've put the BT landline number on our website, and used to have it set up so that the call would divert to my mobile if not answered in 15 seconds. Eventually, I decided that it would be easier if all calls were diverted to my mobile instantly, which is where I'm currently at.

I'm now wondering how important it is to have a landline number, as it costs to have calls diverted (both the call diversion feature and the cost of the call to my mobile). I suppose the one pain is that the landline number is featured all over the place (all on-line), so would take a bit of effort to completely remove.

The only thing I got out of having a landline for my business when I started was a higher than quoted phone bill and a bunch of telemarketers trying to sell me things... My mobile works just fine for my purposes!

 

[datahound]

I was made aware by K0608 (thanks!) of a £25 joint reward for referrals to Tamar so here is a link.

https:/www.tamartelecommunications.co.uk/r/dh25

I have no connections with Tamar other than being a completely satisfied customer and saving £400 a year since moving from BT redirect to mobile service.

 

[NathanGrieve]

It depends on what you're selling. If you're selling a £10 toy i dont think people would really feel the need to call. If you're selling a £1000 washing machine - consumers may want some additional information before they feel comfortable making the purchase.