I need a "business" line.

[Chilipepper]

Hey everybody.

I've decided to get a second phone line for all things business/marketing related. Mainly because I do not want to answer my phone like a secretary but at the same time I would like to give my clients the curtosy they deserve.

I'm fairly young and live with my girlfriend we have no interest in getting a landline. Naturally I thought my best solution was Skype. However I would prefer for my clients to be able to get ahold of my ASAP, using voicemail as a last resort. This makes VoIP over the computer immpractical as I am not always infront of my monitor. So heres the problem.

I'm Canadian. I've looked into Online Numbers that Skype offers and it seems you are now allowed to have a phone number from a foriegn country. Worst case scenario I will grab a US area code. I originally wanted to do that to begin with and I just figure I dont want to have to deal with the potential of millions of inquiries as to why my area code is not in the same country as my mailing address.

Apparently here in Canada (god knows why) we're pretty protective of our phone numbers. Any other "alternatives" to Skypes Online Numbers service seem far too poorly put together for me to bother with.

Ideally I would like to have a phone number (Canadian) that when called automatically dials my desktop Skype and if thats not available will call Skype on my iPhone.

Does anybody have any idea how I can do this? As ridiculous as it sounds, I'm actually considering getting a $20 a month cell plan and just use it to forward calls.



Sorry if this is in the wrong board guys, I couldn't really decide where to put it..

 

[Dri\/en]

Hi there. This is my first post actually! So if I were in your situation I would use Google Voice. Especially if you are getting a US number anyway.

So here is the setup: Get google voice number "Google for googlevoice" and have that number point to your cell phone. Then make sure it is CLICK TO DIAL setup in the settings. Now have your cell phone as the number googlevoice calls. Google Voice will call to verify.

Next: Program your google voice phone number into your cell phone as a contact ...title it "Business Line"...

Go back to settings in google voice and tell it to NOT display the caller ID ... then have it also text you and email the results when a call comes in. You will have a record of all calls to follow up with!

We use it all the time! Hope this helps!

 

[sanjeev2010]

Would Grasshopper work?

 

[Nekojin]

I use Google voice as a business line and it works great. One feature that was left out of the previous post though is the fact that you should turn off the feature that asks callers to state their name and then Google voice will try to connect you. I prefer to leave this feature off in order to keep the line a bit more professional. You can do this in Settings>call>turn off call screening.

 

[Chilipepper]

Hi there. This is my first post actually! So if I were in your situation I would use Google Voice. Especially if you are getting a US number anyway.

So here is the setup: Get google voice number "Google for googlevoice" and have that number point to your cell phone. Then make sure it is CLICK TO DIAL setup in the settings. Now have your cell phone as the number googlevoice calls. Google Voice will call to verify.

Next: Program your google voice phone number into your cell phone as a contact ...title it "Business Line"...

Go back to settings in google voice and tell it to NOT display the caller ID ... then have it also text you and email the results when a call comes in. You will have a record of all calls to follow up with!

We use it all the time! Hope this helps!

Best first post ever. Thanks so much man. I'll rep you when I get home if I can.

 

[aftershock2020]

Best first post ever. Thanks so much man. I'll rep you when I get home if I can.

Beware with google voice in the point that the numbers are notorious for being used, abused and passed off. I would recommend an alternative of


http://www.phonepower.com/services/voip/resdetail.aspx?pid=128

or

http://www.voipo.com/nextadvisor.php

I use both of these services and have had no problem with them at all. Unlike that of my google voice number, which tends to get a little old lady calling, asking for her friend that is dodging her and gave her some random numbers that happened to be my number.

They both forward straight to any number you put into your control panel as the current forward location.

Just thought I'd throw these affordable choices in the mix. They aren't bad for unlimited minutes for US and Can, as well as 60+/month in free international everywhere else.

Best of luck with it.

 

[Chilipepper]

Why would a differant provider result in more misaddressed calls?

 

[Raven13]

try this one! U'll get a toll free number and they have many other good options for a cheap price www.ringcental.com

 

[Techxan]

Magic Jack. $20 a year, buy it at best buy, gives you a local number, and you can take it anywhere you have electricity and broadband.

Just plug it in to the elect, place it on the router or switch, instant phone. I can even send faxes over mine. If you need three different lines for 3 different businesses, just plug them all in side by side.

 

[Chilipepper]

Magic Jack. $20 a year, buy it at best buy, gives you a local number, and you can take it anywhere you have electricity and broadband.

Just plug it in to the elect, place it on the router or switch, instant phone. I can even send faxes over mine. If you need three different lines for 3 different businesses, just plug them all in side by side.

I'm looking for something 24-7 and could forward to my cell