'virtual' Landline

[DeeJay]

Hi chaps not posted on here in a while due to personal circumstances.

Anyway, been looking at getting a Landline that forwards to my mobile as I don't want to advertise my own house number.

Does anyone use these? Any companies recommended? I don't have a business contract just a personal contract so unsure whether I can add this to my contract, or even whether Vodafone offer it to be honest.

Anyway, good to be back.

Cheers

 

[NozSpark]

I have a Sipgate number and use CSipSimple on my phone (android)

While I'm out it's set to not connect, but to take messages which are then emailed to me (as a sound file).... While I'm home (or connected to WiFi) calls get put through.

The good thing about sipgate is that they only charge you for making calls,,,, receiving calls and message emails are free,,,, oh and you can get local numbers

 

[sellers]

I use draytel.

It cost me 45quid for my phone and £10 for my number. Draytel offer it as pay and go. I pay £10 credit and get a local number, if I never call out I never lose that credit. Allthough it does go down if you redirect. to your mobile.

I set mine up so if I don't answer they can leave a message and it emails it to my phone. So when out in the day I can still receive my answerphone messages on the landline. I did however need canoeboy to give me a hand with setup!

 

[DeeJay]

Thanks for the replies guys, had a look at sipgate and think I have it setup right.

Tested it out and it went to a standard voicemail, so just need to record a custom message and see how it goes.

Hopefully make myself look more professional with a landline.

Cheers

 

[SLIPSHOD & SLAPDASH]

I got a letter from talk talk today thst they are offering a landline number that calls your mobile. Free but in the small print your paying for the divert

 

[Sidecutter]

Thanks for the info ive just set up a sipgate basic and it seems to work fine ive just set it up to forward voicemails at the moment but i will see how it goes i might change the settings at a later date

 

[tim82]

I have Sipgate too, PAYG and pretty cheap. No initial outlay except the £40 box that you plug in to any regular phone and your internet router (then you can just pick up the phone and get a dial-tone, no need to even have your computer turned on, although you can use it with a software phone such as x-lite for mac or see above without having the box). You can get multiple lines too (with a better box) so if your 'office' is your house you can have different home and office numbers (or offer your clients a freephone number, or different numbers for different areas of your business) with different settings for each. I just have a cable internet connection, no need to pay any land-line rental in my house.

My only gripe with Sipgate is that when forwarding to a mobile, I cant distinguish between forwarded calls (ie they dialled your sipgate number) and someone who's just called your mobile whose number you don't have saved. I answer the office number something like "Good morning, [my company name], how can we help?" don't want to answer my mobile like that unless I know they've rung 'the office'.

 

[NozSpark]

Just use cSipSimple or similar and take the call while your out direct to your mobile

 

[tim82]

Yeah but how do you know if the incoming call to your mobile has been forwarded from the other number or if someone has just dialled your mobile number direct?

 

[NozSpark]

The incomming SIP call will come straight through to your phone (no need to forward it), you can then select a different ringtone for your SIP app....... Simples

 

[NozSpark]

The only problem with having your SIP calls come direct to your phone is that your network operator might not be happy that your using VOIP over 3G (even with an all inclusive calls and data plan)

 

[tim82]

Ah right I get you now. I'll need to set that up, not tried that yet.

 

[sammers230]

Sipgate make an app for iOS that can be setup to take calls over wifi but direct them to voiemail if not. It can be set to just take the calls over 3G but again it might eat up any data plan your on.