Use same phone (phone number) in 2 locations?

Posts: 10 · Vonage Forum Associate Joined: Mar 08, 2004 Posts: 10

Pre-newbie trying to get my hands around the Vonage concept. One of the examples Vonage gives is taking your ATA with you when you travel so that your local number travels with you.

I travel alot for work while my family stays at home. In this scenario am I able to bring an extra ATA with me while my family uses our primary ATA? In other words, can I bring one extension with me while my other extension stays at home? Or does this scenario require two seperate phone numbers?

If there's a source for questions like this that I'm missing, please speak up so I'm not continuing to bother everyone! Eek

Thanks!
Malcolm

Posts: 427 · Posted: Mon Mar 08, 2004 11:09 pm Post subject:

You would need two (2) separate numbers. The idea is that the "number" moves with you (via the ATA).

In your case, an ATA cannot be used as an "extension".

Posts: 10 · Vonage Forum Associate Joined: Mar 08, 2004 Posts: 10

Houuser,

Thanks for clarifying that.

Do you have to purchase the ATA's seperately or do you get an ATA with each phone number you sign up for?

I have the sense that I would have to sign up for a completely seperate account in order to get another ATA.

What about using a softphone (a concept I just stumbled upon)? I'm just starting a search for more info on Vonage softphones as the official Vonage website appears mum on this topic.

Any sense of what's the best strategy?

Thanks!
Malcolm

Posts: 427 · Posted: Tue Mar 09, 2004 3:05 am Post subject:

To my knowledge, you can request a separate ATA for each number.

The soft phone which uses your computer (laptop I guess you have) is available for $9.95 per month. This gives up an extra 500 outgoing mins each month.

You cannot combine or share your minutes between the two numbers.

The softphone is mentioned in the feature tab on your account "dashboard".

Hope this helps.

Posts: 110 · Vonage Forum Senior Joined: Mar 06, 2004 Posts: 110

It seems to me that the best strategy is to get a cell phone with a good national calling plan and enough minutes for you to use on the road!

Do you really want to lug an ATA all around the country with you?

And how certain are you of the quality of your internet service while on the road? You'd have to be getting good upload speeds wherever you are in order to use either a second number w / ATA or even the softphone option.

Not sure why you think Vonage is the best solution to this. The traveling option is really best suited more for people who, perhaps, have a second home or something like that in my opinion.

Posts: 10 · Vonage Forum Associate Joined: Mar 08, 2004 Posts: 10

Plyons,

Thanks for introducing a little common sense into my facination with VoIP and Vonage! Blushes

I already have a cell phone - why not use it?!!!

Still, there are scenarios where I would like the flexibility of being able to use VoIP (vs. celluar) because I'm already sitting at my laptop working and ...

1. I don't want to burn cell minutes (or battery life) when an alternative access system is available

2. When VoIP offers a higher quality sound than a cellphone w/poor reception

3. When VoIP has a richer feature set than my cell phone (this may or may not be true - gotta think about which features I REALLY use)

Malcolm