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AR15.COM
4/14/2012 7:16:20 AM EDT
Where our shop is and the business and house we have 2 choices of phone service.


We can either have Voice over IP or a land line from a very very small local phone company who does not even return our calls.





This is what we need


I need at least 4 lines that if the first line is busy is automatically switches over to the second or the third or fourth line.


Can this be done with voice over?


I would prefer the land line but I don't think this company even wants new business, they only have about 800 customers from what I have been told.


There is also a cost factor, I know of a business that has them and he said they kill him on any long distance, even incoming calls.





Help




 
4/14/2012 7:20:55 AM EDT
[#1]
VoIP will have no problem with that, but all the solutions I've seen require an expert pretty much.  What kind of bandwidth do you have?  DSL?  T1? Cable?

ETA: one thing to keep in mind, VoIP service can be no more reliable than your internet.  How has your internet been, and how important is your phone?
4/14/2012 7:22:55 AM EDT
[#2]
Quoted:
VoIP will have no problem with that, but all the solutions I've seen require an expert pretty much.  What kind of bandwidth do you have?  DSL?  T1? Cable?


this..


about the POTS...
if they don't return your call now, what will you expect when/if you become a customer?
4/14/2012 7:23:24 AM EDT
[#3]
Ooma had a business option, with 4 lines. You may want to look at them.
4/14/2012 7:35:11 AM EDT
[#4]
If you can get sufficient bandwidth, VOIP is the way to go.

If you have neighboring businesses, you might be able to share a high speed connection.
4/14/2012 7:46:56 AM EDT
[#5]



Quoted:


VoIP will have no problem with that, but all the solutions I've seen require an expert pretty much.  What kind of bandwidth do you have?  DSL?  T1? Cable?



ETA: one thing to keep in mind, VoIP service can be no more reliable than your internet.  How has your internet been, and how important is your phone?




  • Up to 50 Mbps download speed

  • Up to 5 Mbps upload speed





 
4/14/2012 7:53:18 AM EDT
[#6]
Quoted:

Quoted:
VoIP will have no problem with that, but all the solutions I've seen require an expert pretty much.  What kind of bandwidth do you have?  DSL?  T1? Cable?

ETA: one thing to keep in mind, VoIP service can be no more reliable than your internet.  How has your internet been, and how important is your phone?

  • Up to 50 Mbps download speed
  • Up to 5 Mbps upload speed

 


That's *plenty*, as long as you actually get that, and you don't saturate that.  (random calculator)  My recommendation would be to pick up a decent hardphone, and try one line out for a few months, before you invest in a full system.  I'd strongly recommend against "softphones" as I've never seen one that was better than marginal.  I have an account with Broadvoice which works fine for my very limited needs, and they'll sell you a complete package reasonably cheaply.  Subnet may have a better idea of more business oriented services.

ETA: I use the open source version of Switchvox along with a Cisco IP Phone.