Internet phone line for business calls

[Eileen Joy]

Hi. I am reluctant to use my home phone number as a contact number for my new online store. How do I go about getting a separate number over the internet? Do I just contact my provider how does it work? Also, can I set up some sort of voicemail system for times when I am not at home? Thank you!

 

[Leo-InstallingIT]

It's dead easy, basically pick a VoIP provider and sign up for the services you need. But go for one with good support.

Most (like us) will be able to provide you with a preconfigured phone you can just plug in and go!

Yes, you can definitely setup a voicemail on the line to take messages, and lots of other flexible things.

The main consideration is the quality of your internet connection. A good start is to go to speedtest.net and see what the download and upload speed come up as (upload is the most critical one to look at).

If you put it in the tenders section on this forum I'm sure lots of providers on here will be happy to give you prices

 

[Jayser100]

If you're with BT, you need to tell them you want a VOIP (Voice Over Internet Protocol) phone. They are dead easy to set up, but you will need a router that can handle a VOIP phone (some have sockets built-in), or you can buy one of BT's recommended Cisco VOIP phones that simply plugs into your normal phone socket and can then be set up to receive / make internet calls.

Just a small word of warning - the old BT 2700HGV business hub has two VOIP sockets on the back, but it doesn't work well with modern broadband - I believe BT still offer them to customers but I would strongly recommend you don't get one. I used them for a long time, but then we started getting intermittent lagging on the connection. It was due to the fact the country's broadband system was upgraded, and it left this router behind in a technological sense. BT denied there was an issue but there is stuff all over the internet about how the 2700 doesn't work well anymore, so don't get talked into having one!

Their newer Hub 5 works very well but it doesn't have VOIP sockets. We have one of these now and I had to buy the VOIP phone to go with it. BT's Cisco VOIP phone is pretty good, but it has two drawbacks - firstly, it doesn't have an answer machine, and second, the handset is on a chord, so you can't wander round whilst talking to someone unless you put them on speakerphone (which does work well to be fair).

If you have a router with VOIP sockets, you don't need a special phone - you can use any normal handset, including one with an answer machine built-in. It is slightly annoying that BT have actually gone backwards IMO with their VOIP options by making a new router without VOIP sockets. Presumably this was always a cunning ploy to make us buy the handset.

The good news is, you don't have to buy your VOIP phone from BT. They sell Cisco VOIP phones and you can get refurbs for as little as £27.50 (the telecomshop.com) elsewhere on the web. There are also other makes that are probably just as good.

The phone number will start with 05, and that tends to confuse people. For an extra fiver a month, BT can allocate a local area STD number for you and I would recommend you consider that as it gives customers a lot more confidence when calling. One plus point here is that, if you move, you can take your number with you, regardless of where you go in the UK. We moved last year from one STD area to another but I still have the old STD number because with VOIP, normal rules of numbers don't apply!

 

[TPTele]

Hi Eileen,

If you just want a contact number for your website and don't need to make calls from that number I would recommend a Number Translation Service (NTS). In short this is a number that simply redirects to another number (landline or mobile). It can also have a Call Whisper so that when you answer the phone it tells you it is a business call and gives you the option to accept or reject the call. If the call is rejected it can go to a dedicated business voicemail that can also be emailed to you.

We can also provide call stats so you know how many calls your website has generated.

If this is of interest Private Message or call me on 033 33 58 33 33.

Stuart.

 

[cjd]

Simples

http://www.voipfone.co.uk/How_to_Get_A_Telephone_Number_For_Your_Business.php

 

[Paul Kelly ICHYB]

Jayser100

'If you're with BT, you need to tell them you want a VOIP (Voice Over Internet Protocol) phone.'

Why do you need to tell BT?

They would be the last VoIP supplier I would choose - jeez, I would use SkypeOut over BT!

 

[exom_expert]

The easiest way would be to buy a phone number from Skype
It would cost no more than few bucks per month
You will receive calls directly to Skype, and you can also configure voicemail and record a message to be played when you're offline

 

[HazelC]

I have a mobile phone that my office landline (by VOIP) is connected to, I can answer the phone when I'm out and about or it can go to voicemail.

Costs me £10 a month plus minimal amount per call that goes to that number, but if I'm honest.... I rarely get called... normally emailed on via social media

 

[LinkBright Media]

I use Skype and have a dedicated landline number, voicemail etc. It's really cheap and these days the quality is pretty good too.

 

[andygambles]

Hi. I am reluctant to use my home phone number as a contact number for my new online store. How do I go about getting a separate number over the internet? Do I just contact my provider how does it work? Also, can I set up some sort of voicemail system for times when I am not at home? Thank you!

Highly Recommend Dial9. Easy to get going, flexible we just use softphones on our computer.

www.dial9.co.uk

 

[Tier1Logistics]

Hi,

Someone on the forum currently recommended for me to use voipfone.co.uk for something like this, and its worked well and is instantly set up...

For the cost of having a new line installed costs line rental around £15 and then having a telephone package which will give you so much....

Using Voipfone has saved money already really. £2.40 for a 0151 number is really beneficial and looks more professional then using your mobile etc.

 

[CompuGlobal-Hyper-MegaNet]

I bought a skype number and was a big advocate of it due to the fact that you can install an easy to get app and carry it around with you at all times
I'm not sure how reliable it is - I may occasionally not receive a call and only a missed call notification. I use it so infrequently it's difficult to gauge how bad it is, however I wouldn't be confident recommending it on reliability reasons. That said, if you're just looking for a number to stick on an eBay ad and think the odd customer who does call it will be happy to redial, then go for it

 

[cjd]

I bought a skype number and was a big advocate of it due to the fact that you can install an easy to get app and carry it around with you at all times
I'm not sure how reliable it is - I may occasionally not receive a call and only a missed call notification. I use it so infrequently it's difficult to gauge how bad it is, however I wouldn't be confident recommending it on reliability reasons. That said, if you're just looking for a number to stick on an eBay ad and think the odd customer who does call it will be happy to redial, then go for it

Why would you do that when you can have a proper, business class, reliable number and phone service from a UK company that costs less and does a lot more?

 

[Jayser100]

I don't trust the reliability of Skype based on past experience. We have two VOIP lines plus a fax on the landline number and that works well for me. Every business has different requirements, and I agree that anyone who takes very few calls could manage with a Skype phone. We get quite a lot of customer calls, so I need the system to work reliably - which it does. We use BT Call Minder to get around the answer machine problem.

 

[antropy]

Why would you do that when you can have a proper, business class, reliable number and phone service from a UK company that costs less and does a lot more?

Agreed, we use voipfone.co.uk and they're awesome. We switched away from Skype for various reasons including they no longer allow you to transfer calls.

 

[japancool]

I use Skype, and it's absolutely fine. I'm in a shared office with a BT connection, and I've never had any issues with it, or at home over my BT Infinity (FTTC) connection.

Only issue is on my Samsung Note 5, when it cuts off when I try to answer a call, but that's going to be something to do with the phone. It works absolutely fine on my Motorola Moto E.

 

[antropy]

I use Skype, and it's absolutely fine.

Have you never needed to transfer a call?

 

[japancool]

Have you never needed to transfer a call?

No, and I'm fully aware that Skype does not have this facility. But I don't need it at present, and many people don't.

The criticisms about reliability are overblown, and at 7.2ppm to UK mobiles, it's cheaper than most regular VOIP providers.

 

[antropy]

No, and I'm fully aware that Skype does not have this facility. But I don't need it at present, and many people don't.

It used to ... until Microsoft bought it *facepalm*

The criticisms about reliability are overblown, and at 7.2ppm to UK mobiles, it's cheaper than most regular VOIP providers.

I used it for many years and in my experience, it's no less reliable than your Internet connection.

 

[japancool]

I used it for many years and in my experience, it's no less reliable than your Internet connection.

Mine's with BT.

 

[123 IT Solutions]

+1 for voipfone. Can connect it to a VOIP phone or mobile phone. They also have great extras such as queue management and call blocking for telemarketing calls

 

[serendipitybusiness]

Voipfone all the way, they really are excellent in every way. I can't recommend them highly enough and everybody I have recommeded them to is equally impressed. They were recommended to me on this forum just over a year a go and I am very glad they were, I just wish I had gone down this route a lot earlier.

Hope this helps