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  1. #1
    Join Date
    Mar 2007
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    Spring City/Surrounding Philadelphia area
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    3,509

    Default Landline Service For Office Line

    While compiling my business expenses for 2010, I noticed I paid over $1,000.00 in long distance charges for my office line. It seems the bulk of this comes from when I forward my office line to my cellphone when I'm out of the office. These forwarded calls are recognized as toll calls due to the switching area where my cell phone exchange is based. I definitely need to do something about this and was thinking about switching the service I use for my office line while to Comcast Voice. The service I currently have is Verizon for the basic service and AT&T for long distance. The first 6 months of Comcast would be $27.00 per month and $47.00 per month after the promo with unlimited calling.

    Does anybody have Comcast Voice? If so, how do you like it and is it reliable? I obviously want to save money but the service has to be reliable.

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    "It takes a big man to cry. It takes an even bigger man to laugh at that man". - Jack Handey

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Mar 2007
    Location
    Columbus GA
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    3,747

    Default Re: Landline Service For Office Line

    I stoped my land line about 1-2 years ago.
    The office was always forwarded to my cell anyhow.

    My old office # is now my cell phone #.
    Since my cell has unlimited minutes, saves me about 500-600 a year.

    ' correct a wise man and you gain a friend... correct a fool and he'll bloody your nose'.

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Oct 2003
    Location
    Rockwall Texas
    Posts
    4,521

    Default Re: Landline Service For Office Line

    Why not just get a Verizon wireless phone and have your Verizon landline number moved to be your cell phone number?

    rick


  4. #4
    Join Date
    Mar 2007
    Location
    Atlanta, Georgia
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    1,088

    Default Re: Landline Service For Office Line

    There are landlines still in service?

    "The Code is not a peak to reach but a foundation to build from."

  5. #5
    Ted Menelly's Avatar
    Ted Menelly Guest

    Default Re: Landline Service For Office Line

    I still have a land line for the sake of giving it to folks I never want to talk to and about 3 to 4 faxes every six months.

    The wonders of never picking up that phone knowing that It was from others I never wanted or intended to talk to is wonderful. I do not even have the ringer on and check the messages on a rare occasion. I get so few messages that it will tell you that it is marketers that never make it to the message recorder. The nessages are those that would never have a response anyway.


  6. #6
    Join Date
    Mar 2007
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    Spring City/Surrounding Philadelphia area
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    Default Re: Landline Service For Office Line

    I'm not looking to ditch the landline. It has been my office number for 8+ years and is on every business card I have out there. I just want a cheaper landline option. I'm just not interested in conducting my business entirely through my cell. Like Ted, I only give my cell # to people whom I want to have it.

    "It takes a big man to cry. It takes an even bigger man to laugh at that man". - Jack Handey

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Mar 2007
    Location
    Chicago, IL
    Posts
    2,797

    Default Re: Landline Service For Office Line

    Over the years, there have been various times with various carriers when either my cell phone was dead or there were problems with the carrier. Its been nice to be able to forward to a land line,and pick up the calls immediately when I'm in the office, but I'm not sure how much longer I can justify the additional expense.

    Michael Thomas
    Paragon Property Services Inc., Chicago IL
    http://paragoninspects.com

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Mar 2007
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    Spring City/Surrounding Philadelphia area
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    Default Re: Landline Service For Office Line

    I just checked my 2010 business expenses. Between monthly charges for my office and fax line and long distance changes, I spent over $1,800.00 and it's just me. Tolls charges alone were over $1,200.00 Ouch!!! Defintely time to make some changes here. I might bag this fax machine too. The only faxing I do is for radon and termite orders but I can covert those order forms to PDFs and e-mail them.

    "It takes a big man to cry. It takes an even bigger man to laugh at that man". - Jack Handey

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Mar 2007
    Location
    New Mexico
    Posts
    1,352

    Default Re: Landline Service For Office Line

    A few people I know are using Google Voice, and really like it.

    Jim Robinson
    New Mexico, USA

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Mar 2007
    Location
    Lake Barrington, IL
    Posts
    1,367

    Default Re: Landline Service For Office Line

    My fax was on a dedicated line. I dropped the line and moved the fax onto the personal house line for outgoing messages. I use MyFax for $10.00/Mo and messages go to the business email account which I also get on the phone.

    I'm also weening off of the business land line. Have changed the phone # on printed stock to my cell # as I have to reprint cards etc. Right now any call to the land line gets a recording to call my cell. I'm at the point now where almost no (desired) calls are coming in on the land line and I'll soon be dropping that as well.

    Eric Barker, ACI
    Lake Barrington, IL

  11. #11
    Join Date
    Mar 2007
    Location
    Capistrano Beach, CA
    Posts
    1,510

    Default Re: Landline Service For Office Line

    I use MagicJack for my business line. $19.95/year and messages are forwarded to my email as an attachment which I also get on my cell.

    Here is an idea:

    If you want to keep your old business # and land line get MagicJack or something similar and make all your outgoing calls from that phone. That way you will only be paying the base rate for you business land line since you will only use it for incoming calls. After time you can phase out the land line if you wish.

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  12. #12
    Join Date
    Dec 2008
    Location
    Maryland
    Posts
    2,809

    Default Re: Landline Service For Office Line

    Quote Originally Posted by Bruce Ramsey View Post
    There are landlines still in service?

    Haven't you seen the Pergresso soup commercial????


  13. #13
    Join Date
    Dec 2008
    Location
    Maryland
    Posts
    2,809

    Default Re: Landline Service For Office Line

    Keep your present cell phone and #.
    Convert your cell plan to a family plan where the 2nd line would be $10/m additional.
    Carry over business (land line ) # new (2nd) cell phone.
    Get a cell phone that can be hooked via USB to computer and have computer handle fax.
    May be a way to have 2nd # transfer calls to 1st, not sure.

    Have wondered about the Magick Jack.
    Not heard from real user for a true use review that I could trust.
    The " If it sounds to good to be true, it is."


  14. #14
    Join Date
    Mar 2007
    Location
    Anacortes, Washington
    Posts
    415

    Default Re: Landline Service For Office Line

    I have been using Vonage for about 7 years now. I have a 866 number, 2 voice lines and dedicated fax. One of the cool features is simultaneous ring. When a call comes in, it will ring the office line and designated numbers. This way if my partner is away from the office an incoming call will automatically ring to her cell phone. If I happen to be in the office whoever picks up first grabs the call. It works out cheaper than Comcast and the quality is good.

    //Rick

    Rick Bunzel
    WWW.PacCrestInspections.com
    360-588-6956

  15. #15
    Join Date
    Mar 2007
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    Spring City/Surrounding Philadelphia area
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    Default Re: Landline Service For Office Line

    Rick, I like the sounds of Vonage. I checked out their prices and you're right.....much less expensive than Comcast. I sent you a PM.

    "It takes a big man to cry. It takes an even bigger man to laugh at that man". - Jack Handey

  16. #16
    Join Date
    Oct 2003
    Location
    Rockwall Texas
    Posts
    4,521

    Default Re: Landline Service For Office Line

    Quote Originally Posted by Nick Ostrowski View Post
    I'm not looking to ditch the landline. It has been my office number for 8+ years and is on every business card I have out there. I just want a cheaper landline option. I'm just not interested in conducting my business entirely through my cell. Like Ted, I only give my cell # to people whom I want to have it.

    Nick,

    You don't have to give up the number associated with your landline if your with Verizon.

    I once had a landline with Verizon and went I went with them on a Verizon wireless phone, they linked my landline to my cell phone which cancelled out that monthly bill for the landline itself.

    My cell phone still has a separate number but when my clients call my landline it is forwarded to my cell. If I don't answer it just rolls into a voicemail just like your landline does if you don't answer.

    I don't care if they call me on a landline or cell as long as they call me, right.

    rick


  17. #17
    Join Date
    Oct 2003
    Location
    Rockwall Texas
    Posts
    4,521

    Default Re: Landline Service For Office Line

    Quote Originally Posted by Nick Ostrowski View Post
    Rick, I like the sounds of Vonage. I checked out their prices and you're right.....much less expensive than Comcast. I sent you a PM.
    Everyone I've ever talked to about Vonage says the quality of the call reception is poor.

    rick


  18. #18
    Gary Smith's Avatar
    Gary Smith Guest

    Default Re: Landline Service For Office Line

    I use Google Voice - One phone number rings my home in off hours, my office 9-4 when staff is working and my cell during the n-between hours. We hardly every miss a call.

    Comcast for phone (dig=no long distance)
    Google Voice (free)
    Cell (regular charges for cell)

    Collectively I think I pay about 150 bucks a month. Smart money since I have total control of phone system up and down time.

    Google voice sends me an email of all recorded missed calls (I don't have that many) and I can forward the emails (voice recording is attached) to anyone I want. Recording has voice-2-text feature so I can read the email (that part sucks as software does lousy job).

    All-n-all I'm happy with office lines...


  19. #19
    Join Date
    Mar 2007
    Location
    Cape Cod, Massachusetts
    Posts
    614

    Default Re: Landline Service For Office Line

    After having moved a few times, I've ported my business land line to a cell phone. That way if I move out of the area my business phone number will never have to change. It moves with me.

    I also have a land line that I forward my cell phone to - for coverage from home/office. I can also forward the cell to my wifes phone, If I need her to cover for me. I like the land line because it's easier to talk on. You don't get that cross-talk delay thing that you get with cells.

    I use Comcast voice. It's perfect!! Dependable, clear and cheap. I have the bundled services, and the business land line is a no frills, no long distance, no white pages listing no nothing phone. I use it only to forward my cell to. (I don't even no what the number is?)

    Ken Amelin
    Cape Cod's Best Inspection Services
    www.midcapehomeinspection.com

  20. #20
    Join Date
    Jan 2011
    Location
    Utah
    Posts
    112

    Default Re: Landline Service For Office Line

    There are several websites for FAXing. Depending upon the number of pages, you can send FAXes for FREE. One example is faxzero.com, 3 pages FREE, two times each day. If your only need for a landline is FAXing, then consider internet FAXing.


  21. #21

    Default Re: Landline Service For Office Line

    It may not be available in your area but check out ClearWire.
    I recently dropped my house/office landline, my Sprint hotspot dongle for my field internet access and saved about $40 a month.

    It's a 4G system and even my house internet connection is via a wireless/wired router and access point. Wicked fast, much faster than the old DSL. Typical speeds are 3-6 Mbs whereas the DSL was >1 mbs on a good day.

    Breakdown:
    Previous setup; Wired DSL service for Internet
    Wired land line for phone/Fax
    Sprint AirCard for mobile broadband
    AT&T for long distance
    Total cost: $140/month

    New system: Clear 4-G for home internet for both wired Cat-5 and Wireless, home/office phone on Voip & a Clear Mobile hotspot that uses 3-G or 4-G depending on availability and up to 5 connections at the same time. In other words, others can use my hot spot while I'm using it.

    Total Cost: $109/month + much faster speed, unlimited FREE long distance to US and Canada and Mobile access almost anywhere for my laptop. I can even use the WiFi with my Droid phone. (Wifi can be faster for downloads than cellular)

    I also use the Google voice system as my voice mail. Sweet, love not having to call in to check the VM, Text shows up and I can decide when it needs to be handled. Ya, the voice transcription is crappy but you can glean the gist of the call at least and decide. You can access your Google Voice on the web and actually listen to the call if needed. Plus it stores all the calls and you can keep or delete as you wish for your records.
    Love technology, especially if it saves me money, works better/faster or is FREE as in free beer.

    True Professionals, Inc. Property Consultant
    877-466-8504

  22. #22
    Tom Camp's Avatar
    Tom Camp Guest

    Default Re: Landline Service For Office Line

    Vonage has worked great for me , about $25 a month and no long distance charges, works great for a fax line as well.


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