Question for small business system needing 4 lines

Posts: 2 · New Forum Member Joined: Aug 29, 2007 Posts: 2

I will need three voice lines and one fax line. I would like to have one main number that when busy would roll over into line 2 and than line 3 and finally voice mail. How can I set this up with a 4 line phone so that every call starts on line 1 and than rolls over? Do I need one of those expensive phone systems to have vonage hardwired to? I would also like to have 4 phones hooked up in my office all with 3 line capability. They would need to just be able to plug into any available phone jack in any wall in the office and get all three lines. Is this possible for Vonage to work just like a normal system from the local phone company ? Thank you.

Posts: 4675 · Vonage Forum **MVM** Joined: Aug 30, 2005 Posts: 4675

It sounds as if you have a business application that could really use some professional help. However, to answer your question directly, you can get 3 Vonage lines (plus fax), each with its own number, but only give one number out to your friends/customers. Then use the Vonage call hunt feature to have the calls roll from one line to the next. Take a look on the Vonage site for a description of call hunt.

As for the phones, that's just a matter of wiring things to the jacks properly. You can certainly do that. Depending on how handy you are with this sort of thing, you may or may not need help. In the hard wiring forum, there's a sticky message at the top of the forum that's a good tutorial for wiring a home/office. Vonage will work just like a phone company setup once you get it wired properly.

Posts: 2 · New Forum Member Joined: Aug 29, 2007 Posts: 2

Thanks Steve. So it sounds like I do not need one of those PBX type phone systems things to make the whole thing work properly correct? If so what are those phone systems really for anyway? You know those boxes you see mounted on the wall near where the phone lines come into the office. Just curious.

Posts: 4675 · Vonage Forum **MVM** Joined: Aug 30, 2005 Posts: 4675

I'm sure that they have features that can be valuable to some people, but you don't really need one to just do what you described.

Posts: 81 · Vonage Forum Senior Joined: Feb 27, 2006 Posts: 81

Log into your Vonage account features page and scroll down to Hunt Groups. Here's the help page for call hunt set-up.

Vonage Call Hunt Help

In case the link function doesn't work, here it is again in text: http://www.vonage.com/help.php?keyword=CallHunt

Posts: 52 · Full Forum Member Joined: Jan 10, 2007 Posts: 52

PBX systems basically route calls from one number to phones on the system. They also allow the setup of IVRs and other functions that a call center might need. It's not for individuals or even small businesses.

You said you want one main number and it to roll over to other lines when busy. That sounds like you want to use a multi-line phone, which Vonage does not support. So, if you do it that way, you are on you own. Having the multiple phone numbers setup with call hunt would work.

Posts: 4675 · Vonage Forum **MVM** Joined: Aug 30, 2005 Posts: 4675

margulis9 wrote:

That sounds like you want to use a multi-line phone, which Vonage does not support. So, if you do it that way, you are on you own.

True since it would involve setting up house/building wiring and jacks. Vonage doesn't support that. But doing it yourself or getting a professional technician to do it is straightforward.

Posts: 2 · New Forum Member Joined: Oct 22, 2007 Posts: 2

My question is the following:

we're planning on using these phones http://www.amazon.com/AT-Business-Speakerphone-Digital-Answering/dp/B0002ZAYZ4/ref=pd_bxgy_e_img_b/105-4514322-4003637?ie=UTF8&qid=1193068248&sr=1-10

We only need 2 lines though. Would we be fine with the vonage adapter or would it require wiring?

Posts: 81 · Vonage Forum Senior Joined: Feb 27, 2006 Posts: 81

Quote:

My question is the following:

we're planning on using these phones http://www.amazon.com/AT-Business-Speakerphone-Digital-Answering/dp/B0002ZAYZ4/ref=pd_bxgy_e_img_b/105-4514322-4003637?ie=UTF8&qid=1193068248&sr=1-10

We only need 2 lines though. Would we be fine with the vonage adapter or would it require wiring?

Yes. It will work just fine with this phone.

Posts: 4675 · Vonage Forum **MVM** Joined: Aug 30, 2005 Posts: 4675

Agreed, except that this phone has two jacks- an L1/L2 jack and an L3/L4 jack. The Vonage adapters will have separate jacks for each line. To make your two Vonage lines line 1 and line 2 on the phone, you'll need to get an L1/L2 splitter so that you can run separate cords to the Vonage box from the phone. Alternately, you can run cords from the L1/L2 jack and from the L3/L4 jack on the phone to the Vonage jacks, and have the Vonage lines appear as line 1 and line 3 on the phone.