Want to Switch - 2 Questions?

Posts: 4 · New Forum Member Joined: Jan 31, 2006 Posts: 4

I've been a Bell subscriber for years now and want to switch to Vonage but have 2 questions I hope I can get help with....

1. What would be the advantages/disadvantages of choosing an area code other than the one which I am currently living in...??

2. I have read the forums and I think that this question has been partially answered before but I will ask it again...I live in an apartment with a phone based intercom system. How can I get this to work with any new Vonage service...?

Much thanks!.

Posts: 56 · Posted: Wed Feb 01, 2006 10:24 am Post subject:

I can answer question 1 but 2 i cant help you.

The only advantage of having an area code other than the one you live in is if you have a virtual number, so if you live in toronto and your family lives in montreal, you could have a montreal area code so when your family calls you there would be no long distance charges for them. What I do is save the money on the virtual number and tell whoever calls me long distance to hang up and I will call them back since I dont pay long distance.

Posts: 37 · Vonage Forum Junior Joined: Feb 01, 2006 Posts: 37

everyman wrote:

{snip}
2. I have read the forums and I think that this question has been partially answered before but I will ask it again...I live in an apartment with a phone based intercom system. How can I get this to work with any new Vonage service...?

It depends on how your intercom works. Are we talking a system that's only in your apartment, or does it cover your entire building ?
If it's just in your apartment, you should have a switchboard (a modern switchboard is a mini-computer the size of a big box of matches - depending on how many phones it's capable of handling, the more phones, the bigger the unit) somewhere in the apartment where the landline connects to the switchboard. You'll need to disconnect the landline, and hook the switchboard up to the Vonage adapter instead. That way you should still be able to use the switchboard/intercom features, and phone out like normally.

Normally those kinda systems only have one hookup to a landline (or multiple landlines if you have more than one line), and then the switchboard connects all the phone plugs and provides intercom, call relaying, internal calling, and whatever else your system supports.
You don't need a landline to perform the intercom functions, you do however need a switchboard to interconnect the phones to provice the intercom functionality.

Posts: 4 · New Forum Member Joined: Jan 31, 2006 Posts: 4

Well, I think the intercom system covers the whole building...when someone in the lobby wants to contact me they look up my name then punch in a code on the keypad and my phone then rings. I then press '9' on my phone to let them in.

I guess this is something I should be talking to my Super about?

Posts: 4 · New Forum Member Joined: Dec 23, 2005 Posts: 4

I've got the same problem. My condo works the same way. Let me know if you get an answer.

Alek.

Posts: 4 · New Forum Member Joined: Jan 31, 2006 Posts: 4

am working on it as I'm typing this reply. Will let you know.