(Very) Small business phone solutions

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jbard

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#74582 2-Jan-2011 23:32

so i am starting up a very small business and i want people to be able to call me for free or very cheap.

At the moment the business is just run from home but i don't want to use my home number for a number of reasons.

I would like to be able to use my cellphone to answer the calls but i don't want clients having to pay the mobile calling rates.

is their some service i can use which means people can call me for cheap but i have to pay to recieve the call?

also as i only anticipate 1-2 calls/month at this stage a service like 0800 number which $20 +GST minimum a month is really sutible.

Thanks

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#423570 2-Jan-2011 23:45

Vodafone offer an 0800 number which is less a $17 set up fee, no monthly fees, and a flat rate of $0.45 per minute when people call you, no matter where they call from. Linky.

jbard

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#423575 3-Jan-2011 00:02

timmmay: Vodafone offer an 0800 number which is less a $17 set up fee, no monthly fees, and a flat rate of $0.45 per minute when people call you, no matter where they call from. Linky.

That sounds perfect, but if i read it right you have to be on a business landline or mobile account plan to get this?

richms

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#423580 3-Jan-2011 00:07

2talk, get a number, and forward to your mobile. They do 0800 as well if you really want to attract cheap callers, but a local number should be fine.

Richard rich.ms

timmmay

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#423665 3-Jan-2011 10:50

jbard:
timmmay: Vodafone offer an 0800 number which is less a $17 set up fee, no monthly fees, and a flat rate of $0.45 per minute when people call you, no matter where they call from. Linky.

That sounds perfect, but if i read it right you have to be on a business landline or mobile account plan to get this?

You have to have a vodafone account, and probably a plan. Give them a call and ask.

scheduler

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#423676 3-Jan-2011 11:13

I am not sure if it is available to business customers but would something like Vodafone's local zone be suitable. It gives you a landline number attached to a mobile number. It means your cellphone function as a landline in the office and cost you $30.66 a month to your mobile when you are away from the office.

jbard

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#423701 3-Jan-2011 12:00

richms: 2talk, get a number, and forward to your mobile. They do 0800 as well if you really want to attract cheap callers, but a local number should be fine.

Unless i have read it wrong i can only see that you get an 028 number without paying a monthly fee, so calling an 028 number would cost the client just as much as mobile rates?

or have i missed something - i often do??

sbiddle

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#423704 3-Jan-2011 12:06

jbard:
richms: 2talk, get a number, and forward to your mobile. They do 0800 as well if you really want to attract cheap callers, but a local number should be fine.

Unless i have read it wrong i can only see that you get an 028 number without paying a monthly fee, so calling an 028 number would cost the client just as much as mobile rates?

or have i missed something - i often do??

I think richms meant get a local number on 2talk, not a 028 one.

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#423713 3-Jan-2011 12:57

If you have a Telecom landline and mobile, you could consider Smartcall.

Smartcall simultaneously rings your mobile and landline at the same time when someone calls your landline number. It has a shared mailbox and more importantly - its one flat fee, so no per minute charges.

Costs between $24-28 a month (ex gst), depending on what type of landline plan you have. You might be able to put on dual number (costs between $2.55-$4.04 including gst depending on toll status) onto the line too - so you have a separate number on the same line.

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timmmay

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#423738 3-Jan-2011 13:52

jbard, who is your current cellphone with?

Vodafone is by far the cheapest and easiest for this. Get their cheapest plan, get an 0800 number, nothing per month and $0.45 per minute.

jbard

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#423744 3-Jan-2011 14:59

timmmay: jbard, who is your current cellphone with?

Vodafone is by far the cheapest and easiest for this. Get their cheapest plan, get an 0800 number, nothing per month and $0.45 per minute.

I am with 2degrees but don't mind buying a vodafone mobile for business call. Do vodafone have an account i can get an 0800 bnumber with that doesnt have a monthly charge?

timmmay

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#423747 3-Jan-2011 15:33

I don't think so. That's one of the reasons i'm still with vodafone. 2degrees might do them too, you could always call and ask.

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#423749 3-Jan-2011 15:41

jbard:
timmmay: jbard, who is your current cellphone with?

Vodafone is by far the cheapest and easiest for this. Get their cheapest plan, get an 0800 number, nothing per month and $0.45 per minute.

I am with 2degrees but don't mind buying a vodafone mobile for business call. Do vodafone have an account i can get an 0800 bnumber with that doesnt have a monthly charge?

All On Account plans have a monthly charge no matter what network you go on.

jbard

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#424420 5-Jan-2011 21:26

So correct me if im wrong as i have no experience with vodafone but the cheapest plan i could get an 0800 number on is the easy 20 plan?

JAGGZ

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#424425 5-Jan-2011 21:50

Something to consider, get a fax number something like $3-4 per month use it as your private number and use your landline as your business number, then get call divert for $3-5 per month so when you go out divert your landline to your mobile, or instead of call divert get a phone with an answering machine.

richms

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#424450 5-Jan-2011 22:58

$3-4 plus $3-5 is almost the current cheapest 2talk plan, and you are on the rates of your toll provider for the diverted calls, you get no call record or IVR features, and all your outgoing calls from home will have the number you have decided is the business number so people will call back on that and divert to the mobile when it might be for someone else in the household.

At 21c a min vs whatever telecom are extorting now, the extra few dollars will be saved pretty quickly, and if you go for the 2talk option you can fire up a sip phone from anywhere you have reasonable internet and make calls from the bountiful included mins.

Richard rich.ms

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