Using the $9.99 extra fax line for voice?

Posts: 15 · Vonage Forum Associate Joined: Nov 23, 2005 Posts: 15

I'm in the process of starting a small business and was thinking of adding a $9.99 fax line to my Vonage account. Is there anything stopping me from using it as a voice line instead of a fax line?

Posts: 400 · Vonage Forum Evangelist Joined: May 05, 2005 Posts: 400

Yes, the line would only be authorized for data only and no audio,

Posts: 2257 · Posted: Fri Feb 17, 2006 10:58 am Post subject:

If you have a "business" account, your included FAX line has 500 minutes. For a "residential" account, the $9.99 additional FAX line has 250 minutes. Any additional minutes are around 4 cents a minute. This is of course for outbound calling. Inbound is free.

http://www.vonage.com/features.php?feature=fax&refer_id=to0ce1l019nswtc-1c5y

Other than that limitation, which means you don't want to use it a LOT, I don't see why there would be anything stopping you from using it for anything you darned well please (subject to law, of course (grin)). I sincerely doubt that Vonage is going to be listening in to see what you are using the line for. They charge less because they are heavily-restricted lines in terms of outbound minutes.

Posts: 2257 · Posted: Fri Feb 17, 2006 10:59 am Post subject:

taylor2767 wrote:

Yes, the line would only be authorized for data only and no audio,

Really? Hmmm... I didn't realize that. In that case, I stand corrected. I assumed they were simply offering low-minute lines at a discount for FAX machines.

Posts: 409 · Posted: Fri Feb 17, 2006 12:31 pm Post subject:

I had the $9.99 dedicated fax line for a lil while, until I figured out that I could use a line splitter and use both phone and fax off one phone port.

Granted my business requires very little faxing also though.

If you will be recieving and sending quite a bit of faxes then the dedicated fax line is kewl, keeps everything nice and organized.

Posts: 423 · Vonage Forum Evangelist Joined: Oct 03, 2005 Posts: 423

Quote:

Yes, the line would only be authorized for data only and no audio,

Not true - you can use the fax line for voice, but the thing to remember is that that fax line is measured by outbound minutes, and there may be settings on that fax line that don't make it as conducive to voice conversation as a normal 'voice' line would be. namely, fax lines don't have call waiting or voicemail, and outbound minutes count, whereas your voice line may, depending on your rate plan, be unlimited. Also there may be echo on your fax line, making it easier to fax, but more difficult to conversate.

Posts: 409

Edited By Author for bad advice Wink

Posts: 2257 · Posted: Fri Feb 17, 2006 4:04 pm Post subject:

So, basically, your decision for a second line boils down to this:

If you will be using it for mostly a FAX line, with the occasional light use on voice, the FAX line sounds like your best bet since it is optimized for a FAX machine but can be used, albeit imperfectly, for voice. But you have a 250 minute outbound calling cap, so you have to decide if that's OK. Incoming calls would be unlimited, of course.

If you have no FAX machines but instead want a cheap secondary Voice line for casual outbound calling, you may be better off getting a 500-minute $15 a month line. You get twice the oubtound minutes and a line optimized for Voice, plus an extra voicemail box, call waiting, etc etc. Order a separate device and you can take the extra line on the road with you.

If you want a second line to make lots of outbound calls, then you'll likely burn through 250 *or* 500 minutes in a hurry, and you're better off with a second line the $25 "all you can eat" plan.

Posts: 24 · Vonage Forum Associate Joined: Jan 30, 2006 Posts: 24

taylor2767 wrote:

Yes, the line would only be authorized for data only and no audio,

Faxes are audio. They communicate with each other via audio tones.