Post: #1

Hey guys,

I've been doing a lot more traveling and plan to continue doing so-- because of this i'd like to add another "office" number to forward through to my cell phone.

I don't want to give clients or prospects my cell phone number as that opens up a lot of after hour conversations and they tend to get pretty needy... so I'd like to put an "office number" on my business card that would be a separate line that would forward to my cell phone so I can attend to business calls while being on the road.

I know there are services like Magic Jack, Google Voice, etc. but I wanted to hear any reviews or testimonials that you guys may have.

Thanks much,

CC

Post: #2

I would say no for Magic Jack, they are way too "no frills" and users cannot leave you a voicemail when you are not available. As far as I know, if you are not connected then you cannot receive any calls. I'd say GV is leaps and bounds better than Magic Jack. This is just from my experience calling employees over the past 2 years. Also, to GV comes with a web interface and apps with easier human interaction.

Post: #3

Callcentric.com if you want to pay out a little, they have an ass-load of extra features like customizable IVR and voicemail:

http://www.callcentric.com/features/

http://www.callcentric.com/features/ivr

http://www.callcentric.com/features/voice_mail

Standard white-label SIP service that works with pretty much any phone.

Post: #4

(10-31-2016 01:49 PM)DJ-Matt Wrote:  Callcentric.com if you want to pay out a little, they have an ass-load of extra features like customizable IVR and voicemail:

http://www.callcentric.com/features/

http://www.callcentric.com/features/ivr

http://www.callcentric.com/features/voice_mail

Standard white-label SIP service that works with pretty much any phone.

Ringcentral is excellent with reasonable prices for a fair number of features in addition to the extra line, such as email to fax

Post: #5

I use both Google Voice and Twilio.

Google Voice is probably your best bet because it is easy to setup and you can send text and answer calls directly from your phone with their apps.

I use Twilio for several other numbers. I setup a toll free number with call menu "You reached (xyz) business. For our location press 1. For sales press 2." etc.. You can setup voice mails that forward directly to your email or have the calls forward to your number. I don't have much call volume so it is like $3 a month for the toll free.

Post: #6

Try Google Voice.

http://www.Google.com/Voice

It's free and you can add a second number that forwards calls to any phone you choose. Including your cell phone.

Post: #7

I second Google Voice. Free and easy.

Post: #8

Google Voice is what I use.

You can also take your number (as long as you only have one) from Google Voice directly to Google Fi, if you get to a point where you want to have a second phone just for work.

https://support.google.com/fi/answer/6242352

Of course, it has to be a Google phone like the Nexus or Pixel. Google Fi phone service is $20/mo plus $10/GB. Calls made from outside the US are 20c/minute, but WiFi calls while roaming are free to the US and substantially cheaper to other countries. International texting is free, and your data charges don't discriminate domestic vs foreign.

The only other service I would consider for an international cell right now is T-Mobile, but their roaming data speeds are low and an unlimited plan starts at $75 instead of $20 for Google Fi (not including device costs).

Post: #9

Ok--- I got a local number for Google voice. It's actually a very fitting number.

The only thing is--- when I call from another phone number to my GV #; it says "please wait while Google Voice tries to connect you"... and that may seem a little jankie, no?

Post: #10

Somewhere in settings you can change that I believe.

Post: #11

Talkatone for a US number.

Or Fongo for a Canadian number.

Post: #12

Don't get magic jack, or google voice the service is kinda shitfty with no frills as cattle rustler mentions. I'd also stay away from callcentric, ring central, etc These services are all fine and dandy but you're paying too much for not much in return. You should got a prepaid sip service like Flowroute which charges you per minute, contrary to popular belief it's always cheaper to pay by the minute. Setup an free phone system (there are plenty out there FreePBX, 3cx, Elastix) in a Amazon web services server you get one year free service for each instance after that year just kill that instance turn up another. With these systems you get every feature known to man at zero cost and the minutes with a Flowroute are soooo cheap it's a fraction of the cost as one of those hosted services such as a ring central ( where you pay on average $20-$24 per call path) as you're paying for the minutes you'll be unlimited call paths not that you'll need unlimited call paths but you most likely need at least two. You can use a deskphone, a soft phone (an phone app that can run on a laptop, desktop, or cell phone) also many cell phones Coke with their own sip phone option androids and iPhones both. I would suggest anyone using GV here trash that shit tbh I'd not go with any of these services mentioned here by anyone there so many better, and less expensive options and at the end of the day best service for best value is what you want. I guarantee your clients will have a much better customer experience you'll have a more feature filled service at a lower cost l.

Post: #13

Check out http://grasshopper.com/, they might do what you want.

(my largest client uses it and has a toll free # forwarding to my cell)

Post: #14

Hushed has always been good for me - and good for veryfying accounts that you don't want linked to your real number.