Telephone direct to mobile phone

[Onlyme123]

Hi there,

I'm currently freelancing and show my mobile number on my website for customers to contact me. I don't want to put my home number on as I also share the house with other people. I am also not really looking to put in another phone line, so I wondered if there are any other options such as call forwarding to my mobile number (preferably free or low cost to customers).

If anyone can recommend any ways to do this, that would be great!

Thanks.

 

[MartinCivil]

A VOIP phone redirection will be able to sort this.

We use Vonage, forum member @cjd will be able to help I'm sure

 

[ldjames]

You could try Grasshopper by Citrix, Skype or a conventional VOIP systems. We use (and love) dial9.co.uk.

 

[Onlyme123]

Thanks for the replies. I am going to look into dial9. Does anyone know if there are any free providers out there?

 

[cjd]

This is how we do it.

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

 

[Wheelhorse]

Hi, I am in a similar position to the OP.
I want to show a landline looking number so it looks professional but for it to be forwarded to my mobile. I don't need it be freephone for the customer but I would prefer to not have to pay much (if anything) myself.

 

[Darren C]

This is how we do it.

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

So to have a UK number is £2 and any calls diverted to a spanish mobile number (+34) would be what?

I have a UK mobile I could use but I just wonder if the cost difference is negligible or massive?

And, also, is there a technical barrier to diverting to a Spanish network because regular +34 mobile to +44 mobile calls aren't exactly reliable?

 

[cjd]

So to have a UK number is £2 and any calls diverted to a spanish mobile number (+34) would be what?

Diverting to a number is the same cost as calling the number directly, so a Spanish mobile would be between 10p and 14p per minute depending on the network. If you put the number into the call cost calculator here it will tell you exactly.

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

And, also, is there a technical barrier to diverting to a Spanish network because regular +34 mobile to +44 mobile calls aren't exactly reliable?

I'm not quite sure I get this point but the divert from the VoIP number to the Spanish mobile will be exactly like calling the Spanish number from a landline. The quality of the call will be dependant only on the mobile signal in Spain.

I don't know precisely what you want to do, but if you're living in Spain you could simply answer the call there using VoIP and there would then be no divert cost at all. You could even use our mobile app to do it, but you'd need to experiment to see how that works where you are.

As this is getting a bit complicated, it might be best to give us a call on Monday 020 7043 5555 - to talk it through with the support guys. They're not sales, they'll just advise you of the various options.

 

[cjd]

Hi, I am in a similar position to the OP.
I want to show a landline looking number so it looks professional but for it to be forwarded to my mobile. I don't need it be freephone for the customer but I would prefer to not have to pay much (if anything) myself.

Yeh, I'd like free beer too

There may be companies out there that will still give you something like an 087x number that diverts to a mobile for free but it's a really bad idea as people hate calling those numbers. For £2 per month and 10ppm for a divert you're getting a customer that maybe wants to buy something from you because you're presenting a professional image.

 

[Darren C]

Diverting to a number is the same cost as calling the number directly, so a Spanish mobile would be between 10p and 14p per minute depending on the network. If you put the number into the call cost calculator here it will tell you exactly.

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



I'm not quite sure I get this point but the divert from the VoIP number to the Spanish mobile will be exactly like calling the Spanish number from a landline. The quality of the call will be dependant only on the mobile signal in Spain.

I don't know precisely what you want to do, but if you're living in Spain you could simply answer the call there using VoIP and there would then be no divert cost at all. You could even use our mobile app to do it, but you'd need to experiment to see how that works where you are.

As this is getting a bit complicated, it might be best to give us a call on Monday 020 7043 5555 - to talk it through with the support guys. They're not sales, they'll just advise you of the various options.

OK, thanks but I think you've answered my questions well enough.

Ideally I should answer calls with Voip and, failing that, divert to my UK mobile. And the call quality and reliability to mobile is dependent on local factors only.

I had already signed up, btw, I just haven't got around to doing anything about it yet.

 

[Wheelhorse]

Yeh, I'd like free beer too

There may be companies out there that will still give you something like an 087x number that diverts to a mobile for free but it's a really bad idea as people hate calling those numbers. For £2 per month and 10ppm for a divert you're getting a customer that maybe wants to buy something from you because you're presenting a professional image.

so on the voipfone I pay £2.00 per month and 10ppm and get a 056 number which I can forward to my mobile. I do not need a landline or a voipfone as I do not want to make calls on that number just receive them. does that sound correct? does it have to be a 056 number?

 

[cjd]

so on the voipfone I pay £2.00 per month and 10ppm and get a 056 number which I can forward to my mobile. I do not need a landline or a voipfone as I do not want to make calls on that number just receive them. does that sound correct? does it have to be a 056 number?

If you just want an 056 number it's free and you get one automatically when you sign up. It's £2pm for an 01, 02 or 03 number - any you like. You can forward calls from any of our numbers.

The rest is ok. You don't even need broadband if all you're doing is forwarding calls - forwarded calls don't touch the internet.

 

[cjd]

Ideally I should answer calls with Voip and, failing that, divert to my UK mobile. And the call quality and reliability to mobile is dependent on local factors only.

You should probably have a look at our free GeoDivert app as it will do it all for you. If you're near your desk phone the call will go directly to that so no charge, but if you move away it's be diverted to your mobile, when you return to the office it'll switch back again. It's pretty damn smart.

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

I had already signed up, btw, I just haven't got around to doing anything about it yet.

Yeh, we get that a lot

 

[Wheelhorse]

if I used a local number ie 0115 would the customer have to put the 0115 in as well as the rest of the number or can they just put the number excluding the 0115. hope that makes sense.

 

[cjd]

if I used a local number ie 0115 would the customer have to put the 0115 in as well as the rest of the number or can they just put the number excluding the 0115. hope that makes sense.

He'd have to use the full dial code just like using a mobile.

 

[Wheelhorse]

ok, thanks for the info.

 

[Wheelhorse]

the difficult thing is to have a local number but a note to ring the full number where as people generally do not use the area code or to use a 033 for example and for it not to be very personal looking. or do I have a mobile and a 056 number.

 

[cjd]

Is your business so local?

Anyway, an 01 or 02 number is by far the best number to have if you want people to call you. People know what it is and know it doesn't cost much if anything to call. There's no real substitute unless you're a plumber where you can get away with it.

03 numbers are excellent and eventually people who will get to know and trust them but at the moment public knowledge of them is low.

It's much the same with 056 except virtually nobody knows about them.

If you're selling to Joe Public get an 01 or 02 number, for £2 per month it's not a decision you should think twice about.

 

[Wheelhorse]

my concern is that if you have the area code local people may not dial it has they wouldn't normally unless they are using mobile.

 

[cjd]

my concern is that if you have the area code local people may not dial it has they wouldn't normally unless they are using mobile.

I think I've misled you.

A VoIP number is an absolutely ordinary bog-standard OFCOM number, it will do whatever any ordinary number does. So if you have an ordinary BT landline you can dial just the local part of the VoIP number if you like (i.e. without 014444 etc).

It's only if the call originates on a VoIP telephone that you need to dial the full number, this is because, like mobiles, VoIP phones are location independent. All VoIP users know this so it's not a problem.

There is a second way that just dialling the local number doesn't work and that's in the 6 areas where it's been disabled by OFCOM because they've run out of numbers. If you do it there you get a message telling you to dial the full code. This has nothing to do with VoIP.

(There's another 23 area codes at risk too, so people are going to get used to it http://www.area-codes.org.uk/more/areas-without-local-dialling.php)

 

[Wheelhorse]

so if I have for example 0115 12345678 a local user from a normal landline would only need to dial 12345678. is that correct. they would only dial the 0115 part if they were calling from a mobile or a voip phone?

 

[cjd]

so if I have for example 0115 12345678 a local user from a normal landline would only need to dial 12345678. is that correct. they would only dial the 0115 part if they were calling from a mobile or a voip phone?

Correct

 

[Wheelhorse]

right, that makes it far more appealing. very interesting.

 

[Wheelhorse]

I am now up and running on Voipfone. no commitment, very small costs, full control. really does seem a fantastic way of getting a small business up and running.
thanks to CJD for the info.
I must admit I am sometime reluctant to posts on these sites as on occasions you can be bombarded with pm and pushy sales but this experience has been great.
CJD just gave me the facts and left it to me, my choice.
Thanks All.