Q: Why should I use a VoIP Phone System?
A: With VoIP you can:
- Avoid buying an expensive phone system
- Have phone extensions in multiple locations
- Make calls between remote offices without cost
- Have inbound numbers in different area codes - be local in yellow pages but a single office
- Have a flexible voicemail system with SMS and Email
- Have unlimited capacity for calls - grow quickly
- Get detailed call statistics
- Ring different phones in your office at different times of day
Q: What about call quality and reliability?
A: We and approximately 1000 other customers run our businesses on our VoIP service.
We find that as long a customers have sufficient bandwidth to operate the service correctly, they experience excellent call quality. We are able to advise on the bandwidth necessary for an optimum experience.
Our use of the service also means we are acutely aware of any problems with service which means that we resolve any issues immediately.
The only other issues can be to do with your equipment and connection to the Internet which we can help ensure you are setup correctly.
Q: Do I have to have broadband to use it?
A: Yes, ISDN and dialup modem users may find the sound quality is much more variable. It’s important to make sure you are using the correct codec to compress the voice data if you are using a lower bandwidth line. g729a or GSM are codecs recommended for dialup and ISDN use.
On an ADSL line with 256k upstream, you can get 3 to 4 concurrent calls. When using our service in a busy office of upto 10 people, customers typically dedicate one broadband service to their phone provision.
Q: Can I use my existing numbers?
A: Yes, if you have a BT number with an area code in this list. Please note we can only port BT numbers. These numbers can, subject to survey, be ported to our system. Please contact us with the number and we will be happy to advise you. If your number is not in the list, we can provide you with a new number in your area to which you could redirect your existing number. You can use your existing number as your caller id to be displayed when making outgoing calls.
Q: What sort of new number can I have?
A: We provide a number in your local geographical area (01 or 02), or you can choose memorable number from £20, with Gold Silver & Bronze costing more. We also provide Spanish numbers.
Q: How many numbers do I need?
A: It depends on how many calls you expect to have at anyone time and whether you want DDI in which case it's one per person. A no. gives you 2 calls.
Q: Can I redirect to another phone number or Voicemail?
A: Yes. You just pay the cost of diverting (which is a standard outgoing call).
Q: How much does it cost?
A: The Centrex package is £7 a month. Other packages vary.
Q: What do I need?
A: ADSL which will give you three to four simultaneous calls with a router plus either:
Q: What about my fax machine?
A: Yes, you can plug a fax machine into one of the ports on the Sipura SPA2002 Adaptor to allow it to send and receive calls.
Q: Will my VoIP phone work if the power fails?
A: No - Your ordinary phone doesn’t need a separate power connection, but as VoIP relies on your internet connection, if your broadband router has no power, your phone won’t work either.
Q: I installed a VoIP service but I can’t hear anything from the other end when someone rings. What could be the problem?
A: Chances are that your firewall doesn’t have all the necessary ports open. Check with your service provider and make sure that your firewall is not blocking UDP ports that it needs to use. But - if you just read the previous Q, you might have your phone set to use only one codec. Most services can use several codecs and pick the one the caller is using. But if you’ve disabled all but one codec, and someone calls you using one of the disabled codecs, silence will result.
Q: Are there any phone numbers that VoIP phones can’t call?
A: You can phone most phone numbers, apart from premium numbers. The big exception is the emergency services. You can’t call 999 on a VoIP phone at present, so in an emergency you would need to also have a mobile or landline. |
