Multi-line Vonage for small business?

Posts: 8 · New Forum Member Joined: Mar 20, 2009 Posts: 8

I called Vonage last week to ask what they offer for a small business that has about half a dozen lines, and is considering switching most of them to Voip, maybe connecting to PBX. They offered me the standalone adapter and the standard voice plan, multiple units for multiple lines. I asked if they had any special multi-line deals for business, and they said no. I asked if it was possible to make a direct internet connection from a PBX without the analog adapters, and they said no. But if I am reading these forums right, there are multi-line business options, and many people do connect directly to their PBX. What's the real story here? Am I talking to the wrong people at Vonage? Should I be asking about these things in a specific forum subsection?

Posts: 656 · Posted: Fri Mar 20, 2009 12:45 pm Post subject:

There used to be an SMB+ plan but Vonage stopped offering the plan in June 2008. In a nutshell, the SMB+ plans included 4, 8, 16, or 24 lines and started at $149.00 per month for the 4 line plan with 8000 outbound minutes included and price got much higher as you went up to the 24 line plan. Inbound calling is unlimited. Only those Grandfathered into these accounts can still use them as is. Even they don't have the ability to add more lines if needed.

All these plans consisted of is Vonage selling you phone numbers with minutes and releasing the SIP credentials to the end user to be provisioned by the end user on any hardware or software they wanted to use. The configuration of the 3rd party hardware IP PBX's/ software is not supported by Vonage support staff in any way shape or form. That part is all up to the end user.

The only way to do anything similar today, is to order a Residential or Business plan and order an additional Softphone line. The Softline line costs $9.99 a month for 500 outbound minutes and 3.9 cents a minute there after. Incoming calls are unlimited. Only on a Softline will you be able to provision a SIP based PBX since it is the only way to get your SIP crudentials needed to Authenticate with the SIP proxy. But once again, if you use a Softphone line on anything other then the X-Pro softphone offered by Vonage, there is no support from Vonage.

Posts: 8 · New Forum Member Joined: Mar 20, 2009 Posts: 8

Thanks, that helps clarify things. Any insight into why Vonage stopped offering SMB plans?

Posts: 656 · Posted: Fri Mar 20, 2009 12:55 pm Post subject:

Yes but I am not at liberty to discuss.