Residential phone line for a business

[TallBox]

Hello,

Does anyone know the legal implications (if there are any) of having a residential phone line instead of a business phone line? We are a small business looking for a landline mainly to receive incoming calls and install broadband. We will be renting a unit in a commercial building. I have been advised by Sky to avoid using a residential line for business, however, BT have said that it's up to me?

Any thoughts will be appreciated.

 

[The Mutz Hut]

will be waiting for answers on this one as I'm in the same position, about to sign a lease on a unit, definately need broadband and some sort of landline number for clients to phone through on.

 

[faradaykeynes]

get a broadband and VoIP number on it, no phone line required for phone, voip number cost about say £2 a month with option to make out going calls at some charge.

 

[cjd]

Hello,

Does anyone know the legal implications (if there are any) of having a residential phone line instead of a business phone line? We are a small business looking for a landline mainly to receive incoming calls and install broadband. We will be renting a unit in a commercial building. I have been advised by Sky to avoid using a residential line for business, however, BT have said that it's up to me?

Any thoughts will be appreciated.

You can use any kind of line for business but BT will only provide a business line into business premises. But there's nothing stopping you from using a residential line for business if you have one or can get one.

But, as always these days, you're far better off using VoIP - cheaper, more flexible, more and better services and can work anywhere.

 

[FutureNetMedia]

get a broadband and VoIP number on it, no phone line required for phone, voip number cost about say £2 a month with option to make out going calls at some charge.

Just wanted to say the same thing. Having a VoIP is (imho) the best option. And you take your landline with you wherever you go (as long as there's the Internet there )

 

[Alan]

I'll add to that vote for voip as the way to go. And being a client of Voipfone (as posted above) I would happily recommend them as a voip supplier, very helpful people, very cheap and very simple to get up and going.

 

[SharksDeployed]

You can use a residential line for Businesses. But a Business standard analogue line will not only have priority in terms of faults and engineering visits but will also be cheaper.. maybe £10 per month ex vat, which is more competitive than the £14.50 BT Retail/TalkTalk charge you.


The only difference is that residential lines in terms of broadband have a higher contention ration 1:20 whereas you can expect atleast 1:10 with business broadband. Also that it will be more costly for you.

 

[SharksDeployed]

You can use any kind of line for business but BT will only provide a business line into business premises. But there's nothing stopping you from using a residential line for business if you have one or can get one.

But, as always these days, you're far better off using VoIP - cheaper, more flexible, more and better services and can work anywhere.

In calls charges voip is cheaper, you still need the broadband line. which if you have high traffic (alot of users) then you will find the quality of a voip call is Horrendous. Leased lines and EFM (Ethernet First Miles) will increase this at a cost.

For a small business Analogue will always be better unless you have amazing internet (Fibre)

If you don't get a business line from a business reseller. there are hundreds.

 

[cjd]

In calls charges voip is cheaper, you still need the broadband line. which if you have high traffic (alot of users) then you will find the quality of a voip call is Horrendous.

Yeh, amazingly, if you have a lot of phone users and a lot of traffic, you need a bit more than a single DSL. ie you need two DSLs. Phew.........

 

[SharksDeployed]

Also there comes the fact of Security, if your calls are of a sensitive nature then VoIP phreaking/hacking is a big issue. For instance a hosted or voip system can become vunerable easily whereas it takes a lot more to listen in on analogue lines. You'd need a system with the features of call recording.

 

[cjd]

Also there comes the fact of Security, if your calls are of a sensitive nature then VoIP phreaking/hacking is a big issue. For instance a hosted or voip system can become vunerable easily whereas it takes a lot more to listen in on analogue lines. You'd need a system with the features of call recording.

This is garbage. Pure garbage.

 

[Leo-InstallingIT]

Also there comes the fact of Security, if your calls are of a sensitive nature then VoIP phreaking/hacking is a big issue. For instance a hosted or voip system can become vunerable easily whereas it takes a lot more to listen in on analogue lines. You'd need a system with the features of call recording.

I'm not saying there are no issues with VoIP in terms of security (but you can encrypt it). But I can listen into your landline calls with a phone and a screwdriver so not really very secure.

In answer to the OP's question, if you are just looking for a single phone line I would go with a business phone line purely because the few advantages outweigh the little extra you pay (we charge £2 more per month).

If you need more than 1 simultaneous phone call I would definitely look into VoIP as a solution.