Happy Sunday, from Chicago!
There seems to be a lot of controversy on the following word, but it has saved our Team about $100 a month. Ready for the word? Here it is -
VONAGE!
We started using this VoIP Phone Service about 18 months ago, after using a similar service, now defunct, for the previous two years. Here's how it works, in layman's terms, since I am not a techie.
You buy a special phone adapter, or combined phone adapter/router, and connect it to your high-speed broadband (cable or DSL) connection on your computer. You then connect a standard cordless phone to the adapter - one with multiple headsets works best - and activate the service either via toll-free number or over the internet. It takes about a half hour for the service to become active.
Once activated, you can make unlimited local or long-distance calls, including calls to Canada, Puerto Rico, the UK, and several European Countries, for a flat monthly fee of $24.95/month - with all taxes loaded, about $35.00. Calls to other countries are as low as one cent per minute. A second, fax line will cost you $10/month, with the same local, national, and international calling area.
The Vonage Unlimited Home Planincludes nearly a dozen special features that the traditional telco charges big bucks for, a few bucks at a time - features like voicemail, caller id with name, three-way calling, call forwarding, and a few more. You can also check and listen to your messages over the Internet, and change your set-up there as well, quickly.
No matter where you are, you can choose ANY area code you want, based on where your clients are. Then, for no charge, you can forward this number, after the desired number of rings you choose, or immediately, to your core office number.
Let's say you're in South Suburban Chicago, for example, but you are dual licensed and do considerable work in NW Indiana. Even though you reside and office in Area Code 708, you can purchase a Vonage account with Area Code 219.
Here in Chicago, this is very helpful for us - we have 7 local area codes now, 8 if you include Northwest Indiana, and, through our Team, serve the lion's share of the Chicago area. To our national toll-free 888-770-8326 Team Line, we added our Vonage number - 773-290-8393- and immediately forwarded it to our toll-free line. In Chicago, and the 773 Area Code for most North and South Side Neighborhood Residents - just dial the seven-digit phone number, no need to dial the area code - just like in days of old! Seamless!
Should you move to another home in town, across the country, our internationally - just bring your Phone Adapter or Router with you - keep the same number, no matter where you are, if you'd like. We have clients in Buenos Aries, Argentina - and call them on their Chicago Vonage Number, for a local charge, and sound quality is crystal clear. They call us in Chicago, from Argentina, for the local Chicago rate! No massive international calling charges!
To be sure, there are a few glitches.
If you're broadband service is down, you can't make outgoing calls. Also, if you have DSL tied to your local phone company, you still need a landline to which your DSL Service is attached. (Incoming Calls can be programmed to immediately forward to another cellular, voice mail, or landline number if your Internet is down, so you don't lose incoming calls). So, we keep minimal service on one landline here, and add the DSL Service to that landline number.
You have to program 911 service to your local area manually- since there is no standard identification of your physical location with VoIP Service.
A few folks that have tried VoIP Phone Service complain about sound quality and dropped calls. In our experience here in Chicago, however, the sound quality exceeds those of a cellular phone call by far - and no client or friend has ever complained about the sound quality of our calls.
Every once in a while, you drop a call. In my opinion, however, far less often than cell calls are dropped.
Customer service is 24/7, but often offshore. It takes a while to find a live human being to help you should you need support, although, during the few times I had a problem, they eventually solved it - although hold times are sometimes long.
AT & T charges have become ridiculous! Chicago is very spread out - should I call someone more than 7 miles away from me on my landline - many suburbs, for instance - I am often hit with big toll charges at the end of the month. Long distance charges are 10-12 cents per minute, plus taxes, depending on time of day. Calls to Canada during business hours run over $0.70/minute plus taxes. And, international calls - well, you'll need to draw an equity line against your home to call most overseas locations!
Simple services, like call forwarding, three-way calling, Caller ID with Name, Unlisted Service, add about $25/month to my landline bill. Not so with VoIP!
Many of my clients run businesses using VoIP, but with a business-class commercial provider - still, usually far cheaper than the telco. Some use Skype, but find using it for business unreliable.
Your thoughts here, please? Have you tried, or do you use, Vonage, Skype, or another VoIP Phone Service? Is it Good? Bad? Ugly?
Please share!
DEAN & DEAN'S TEAM CHICAGO
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