Upstart in a big city- a few questions not answered by CSR

Posts: 2 · New Forum Member Joined: Nov 02, 2005 Posts: 2

Soo.... I work with an new small business in a big city and my boss had some questions regarding Vonage which we have been unable to get the Vonage customer service to answer. We are 99.9% sure about switching to Vonage, but just want to see if these few things would work out....

1. Can we start a line of service with Vonage with some random phone number and then move an existing telephone number over to the Vonage service later (thereby replacing the original number we got through Vonage)?

2. What kind of phones can we use with Vonage? If I recall correctly, we can use any phone with the service, but we will need an adapter. If we buy a special Voip phone (e.g., the Cisco phone that everyone seems to have with Vonage), do we still need the adapter? Also, would we need special software or other materials to make the connection work?

3. Can we choose the 800 number that we use, if we get one through Vonage? Is that basically a vanity number (which we know Vonage does not yet supply)?

4. When using the Vonage system, could we have the option that when a caller phones in on the main line, they reach a voice that says "for Andy press 1, for Susie press 2, for Bob press 3" and then be directed to that person's mailbox? How is that related to the "call hunt" feature?

Thanks so much! I tried to look this up in forums before posting, but could never find the exact answers!!

Take care!

Posts: 2257

I don't work for Vonage, this is my understanding only...

bizisgreat wrote:

1. Can we start a line of service with Vonage with some random phone number and then move an existing telephone number over to the Vonage service later (thereby replacing the original number we got through Vonage)?

You set up Vonage if you want to try it, then you can transfer your existing number (provided it's in their service area) as a "virtual number" for $5 a month. You can add as many "virtual numbers" as you want.

bizisgreat wrote:

2. What kind of phones can we use with Vonage? If I recall correctly, we can use any phone with the service, but we will need an adapter. If we buy a special Voip phone (e.g., the Cisco phone that everyone seems to have with Vonage), do we still need the adapter? Also, would we need special software or other materials to make the connection work?

Vonage provides the adapter. It provides an RJ-11 analog line. REN would be in the range of 4 or so, maybe 5. No need for a special phone. I SERIOUSLY doubt that you could use a Voip telephone (Cisco or otherwise). You'll need Vonage's adapter, which are generally custom-modified Linksys routers with Vonage's "Special Sauce" firmware.

bizisgreat wrote:

3. Can we choose the 800 number that we use, if we get one through Vonage? Is that basically a vanity number (which we know Vonage does not yet supply)?

The 800# is a "virtual number" for the same $5 that includes 100 minutes a month, with 5 cents a minute after that.

bizisgreat wrote:

4. When using the Vonage system, could we have the option that when a caller phones in on the main line, they reach a voice that says "for Andy press 1, for Susie press 2, for Bob press 3" and then be directed to that person's mailbox? How is that related to the "call hunt" feature?

Not with the regular system, that I'm aware of. Of course, you could still disable Vonage's voice mail and get yourself a standalone answering machine that offers that capability. Then you don't get the cool email notifications, online voicemail access, etc, but an answering machine is a phone that picks up to Vonage...

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

Sorry, you can't choose the 800 number you want.

Also, you need regular rj-11 type phones. You can only use an IP phone if you sign up for Vonage's Business Plus Plan which requires you to have 4 lines at a minimum, and you supply your own equipment (all of it) with that.

Also, you are only going to get one voicemail box per line. If you want the feature you describe with multiple mailboxes, you will have to use some other method, possible voicemail stand alone system...

Posts: 4777 · Vonage Forum **MVM** Joined: Aug 30, 2005 Posts: 4777

bizisgreat wrote:

1. Can we start a line of service with Vonage with some random phone number and then move an existing telephone number over to the Vonage service later (thereby replacing the original number we got through Vonage)?

According to the Vonage web site, you can do this.

bizisgreat wrote:

4. When using the Vonage system, could we have the option that when a caller phones in on the main line, they reach a voice that says "for Andy press 1, for Susie press 2, for Bob press 3" and then be directed to that person's mailbox? How is that related to the "call hunt" feature?

The sort of service that you are talking about is generally provided by an internal phone system. If you had such a system, it should work with Vonage, but it's not a Vonage service. Call hunt is a nice feature, but it simply switches from one Vonage line to another when the number called is busy. It's automatic and I don't think the caller is notified.