Business Phone Services Blog | Business local, long distance, VoIP, T1 and conference calling information.

Cisco Business VoIP TelephoneSystems

Posted on November 30, 2011 by Business Agent

The Cisco business voip phone systems that are designed for small businesses are available in a wide range of configurations, features and benefits. Just like any small business phone systems, two of Cisco’s business voip phone systems: the Cisco SPA 504G 4-Line IP Phone and the Cisco 7940G IP Phone, run on Internet Protocol (IP) networks. Buyers of Cisco business voip phone systems are assured of a standard 1-year replacement warranty. Both IP phones are available at Amazon.com: the Cisco SPA 504G 4-Line IP Phone for $127 and the Cisco 7940G IP Phone for $172.

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Smart Office Solutions

Posted on October 25, 2011 by Business Agent

Smart Office Solutions has earned the reputation for consistently providing world-class quality and service to every client. They offer a wide variety of solutions for your business.

Services they provide:

Conference calling – Access to your entire management or sales staff is only a phone call away with a conference calling solution from Smart Office Solutions. Conference bridges give you a much clearer call when compared to traditional 3-way conferencing or when using an internal PBX system. Their services are month-to-month, and they offer both flat-rate and toll-free services. Conference Call Uses Customer Communications, Recruiting Calls, Sales / Team Meetings, Product / Service Training, Focus Groups, Leadership Calls, Company Announcements, Investor Relations, Board Meetings, Corporate / Management Calls, Weekly Training / Motivational Calls, Press / News Releases.

Conference calling is available for your unlimited use twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week. You manage your call — remove the hassle of scheduling your calls in advance, and never worry about per-minute fees.

Toll-Free Per-Minute there are no monthly fees – pay for only the minutes used during your call. With volume pricing around 8.5 cents per minute, our toll-free solutions will meet your needs and budget.

Web Conferencing- Web conferencing service provides you unlimited web conferencing for up to 1,000 parties for one low, flat monthly rate. You now have the ability to present to your prospects and business partners around the world in real-time with just one click. Web Conferencing Uses Sales / Opportunity Presentations / Product Demos, Team Trainings / Focus Groups, Company Announcements / Investor Relations / Press Conferences, Board Meetings, Online Education & Classes, Technical Support.

Unified Messaging – Their unified messaging system provides your distributors a virtual office allowing them to communicate with their team and share your opportunity with potential recruits. Advantages: Immediate Communication With All Distributors, Builds Momentum, Custom Recruiting Messages, Team Downline Messaging (promotes internal communication), Professional Image Of Distributors, Another Means To Reach Distributors – Keep Them Active. They charge each of your distributors a small monthly fee for the service, plus any toll-free minutes used.

Global Multimedia & Voice Messaging – Global Multimedia & Voice Messaging! Overcome the limitations and costs of email and SMS messages by utilizing this powerful alternative to SMS & email messages. Advantages: Connect 100% of your global sales force to a multimedia messaging system in various languages, Avoid the high costs and failure rate of SMS & Email messages, Send and receive messages through the telephone, the Internet, or on a mobile device, Communicate in different languages, Send voice, text, documents, and video by rank, country, language, etc.

Replay/Sizzle Message – replay/sizzle message is the best way to communicate with the world. This service is highly efficient – record your message once and have it available for others to access immediately from any phone. Advantages of a Replay/Sizzle Message: Available 24 Hours A Day, 7 Days A Week, Support Multiple Callers At Same Time, No Per-Minute Fee For Local Numbers, Allows Individuals In Different Times Zones To Access information, Usage Statistics, Can handle several calls at once.

Fax On Demand – Fax On Demand service, your documents will be available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week electronically. Fax On Demand features: Custom Greetings, Multi-Document Support, Call Reporting, Supports Short Or Long Documents, Toll-free or Local Service.

Virtual Office- Virtual Office links all of your essential communication needs into one service. The Virtual Office system integrates administrative offices, customer support, and sales offices under one care no matter where they are located. The system is perfectly flexible and can be re-directed with a few keystrokes. Features: Off site management in the event of corporate disaster, Listen to voicemail messages, view faxes or review call reports through the Internet at no charge, Multiple levels of call blasting or rotational set-up can be programmed, Call screening (announces who is calling) or caller id options and etc. Only $29.95 per-month with 500 FREE MINUTES included.

Long Distance / 800#- Smart Office Solutions provides long distance telephone service to both business and residential customers. Features: Fiber Optics For Error-Free Transmissions, Exceptional Customer Service, International Rate Savings and Simple, Low Cost Pricing.

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My MagicJack Business Phone Numbers

Posted on September 28, 2011 by Business Agent

I was playing around with my MagicJack account today, contemplating turning my toll free numbers back on. I have a couple of really good 800-500-**** toll free business phone numbers that I used to use on Calling-Plans.com back when I used to take customer service calls.

I took the numbers off the website a few years ago because most of the phone calls were from people who had questions about their current phone service, and called me because I was easier to get a hold of than their phone company was… (In other words my SEO (Search Engine Optimization) was too good, and I was doing customer service for free, for companies I didn’t even work for.)

Well, I’ve decided to turn the toll free numbers back on, and put them on the website, in the hope that this time around most of the calls will be from new, or returning, customers, instead of people who are just too lazy to stay on hold with their current phone carriers. (Of course, the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result.)

I couldn’t find my old business MagicJack device, so I logged into my personal account to see if I could just add my old business phone number to my current account. I couldn’t do that, but through chat with MagicJack’s customer service reps, I found out that I could add a new phone number to my account and then switch between active numbers. Now I can log into my MagicJack account and activate either my business phone number, or my home phone number, depending on where I want to use the MagicJack, and where I have it plugged in.

The new phone number cost me $10, and is in Illinois, so I could get cheaper instate toll free rates. (I’ll explain that in a moment.) I then called Opex customer service and gave them my new MagicJack number and had them use it as my new ring-to number for my toll frees. Now, when someone calls my toll free numbers, they will ring to me if the business Magicjack phone number is turned on, or go straight to voice mail and get emailed to me, if the phone’s turned off.

Back to the question about cheaper instate toll free service. When you call a toll free number, the company who owns it pays the per minute charge based on the rates for the state the ring-to number is in. So, by me choosing to get a phone number in a state with cheap taxes and fees, I can save 3 cents per minute off of what I’d have to pay if I had my toll free numbers ring to a Washington state phone number, which is where I’m actually located.

The reason I have to pay something for the call, even though MagicJack includes all local and long distance calls in the US and Canada for free, is because I still have to pay for the minutes used on the toll free number. A toll free number is a virtual number, and has to be hosted by a phone company, and it needs to ring to a regular phone number. The phone company that handles the toll free number charges a per minute long distance service fee when it’s used. MagicJack doesn’t offer toll free numbers, or toll free service, or I’d just use them.

I’ll test out my phone numbers on the top of the search tool tomorrow, so that the only people who call are people who are actually looking for help finding new phone service. Maybe that will cut down on the number of customer service calls I have to take for Verizon and AT&T…

Tags: kentucky magicjack phone numbers, magicjack for business, sign into my magicjack account

Posted in Technology | Tagged kentucky magicjack phone numbers, magicjack for business, sign into my magicjack account | Leave a comment

Business Phone Service Rates Quotes

Posted on September 5, 2011 by Business Agent

The hardest, and most boring, part of shopping for phone service for your business is wading through the reams of information to figure out what exactly you need, and who offers the best service and prices. Well, that’s what telecom agents are for. We take the information you give us about your company’s needs, and do the shopping for you. Then, we come back with the top picks and tell you why we think they are the best, and which one you should go with.

So, if you have a business, and would like to see how much you could be saving, click here for a free business phone service quote.

Visit www.calling-plans.com for more information about business VoIP calling plans, cell phone service, conference calling, home phone providers and more.

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Avaya B159 Business Conferencing Phone

Posted on August 24, 2011 by Business Agent

The Avaya B159 extends the uses of the typical conference phone by allowing you to switch between, and combine, three connectivity technologies, Analog, Mobile and USB, extending your mobile’s speaker phone capabilities. The USB connection allows the phone to be used to make VoIP calls so you can hold group calls over the internet.

The B159 is ideal in larger settings as you have the option of connecting to an external PA system and adding expansion microphones that effectively double the voice pickup range. A wireless headset can also be connected for lecture situations enabling mobility while still delivering high quality sounds

Getting Started

Your Avaya B159 Conference Phone comes with:

AC Adapter 14V DC
25 foot Dual Power/Analog Line Cable
5 foot USB Cable
SD Memory Card

Setup

Connect the Avaya B159 to an analog line, wireless or mobile phone or PC via Dual Power/Analog Line Cable or USB Cable. Plug in to the power outlet using the power adapter.

Analog is the pre-programmed option but you can switch connectivity options by pressing the “LINE MODE” key. Use the arrow buttons to select an option and press OK to confirm.

Place the conference phone in the middle of the table. The first time the Avaya B159 is started, you will be required to select the region in which you are located and the language you wish to use. Once selected, click “OK” to confirm your selections.

Phone Features

Hardware

LED Indicators
Powerful Speakers – for optimal sound broadcasting
360 degree Microphone – with surround sound pick up
Display Screen – shows the time and date, call status and timer and menu options
Keypad – with alpha-numerical buttons and additional function buttons
SD Memory Card Port c

And on the bottom of the phone:

Mobile/DECT Connection
Analog line Connection
USB port
Expansion microphone port
AUX port – for connection to PA system
Security lock port
Power supply port

Buttons available on your conference phone:

“MENU” button

The Avaya Menu contains options for:
Phone book
Settings
Conference Guide
Recording
Status

“UP and DOWN” Arrows

Allow you to navigate through menus
From the idle phone, they also display call list

The “Mute” Button

When the phone is muted, the indicators are solid red

“HOLD” Button

When a call is on hold, the indicators will flash red

“Conference” Button

“LINE MODE”
It allows you to change connectivity options

Calling Conference Groups

To make a conference group call, press the conference button and select the Conference group you want to call
Press OK when the first person has answered
Continue for each person in the group
Press C if one of the persons you are trying to call does not answer
The Conference Guide will ask you if you want to redial that person
If Yes, press OK. If No, press C
You will be asked if you want to end the conference guide or continue to the next person
Press OK to continue or C to end the guide

When the guide has ended, you will be connected with up to 6 people and ready to start your conference.

Instant conference calls

To make an instant conference call, press the conference button
Select “INSTANT” and press OK to confirm
Follow the Conference Guide but this time, you have to dial the number of each participant

Recording

It is possible to record a phone conference on an SD memory card. Perfect for when you want to document and archive a meeting or play it back to people who are unable to attend.

A flashing symbol appears on the display screen during recording. A beep is heard every 20 seconds so that other parties in the call know it is being recorded.

The document is saved and named after the time at which the recording began and is saved in a folder with the current date.

To start the recording, press the “Record/C” button for 2 seconds and press OK to confirm

The recording symbol flashes on the display screen

Press the “Mute” button during a call to turn the microphone off
The LED’s will change from blue to red

The other party cannot hear what you are saying and only the called party is recorded

Pressing the “HOLD” button during the call will turn off both the microphone and the speaker
The LED’s change from blue to flashing red

None of the parties will now be recorded

To end the recording, press the “Record/C” button for 2 seconds and press OK to confirm
The recording symbol is no longer displayed.

The Avaya B159 is packed with many smart features and is designed for flexible performance. This phone not only features high quality sound and recording capability, but the ability to switch between, and combine, connectivity modes. The B159 is also ideal for larger arenas as you have the option of adding expansion microphones, a wireless headset and even a PA system.

Visit www.calling-plans.com for more information on business conferencing, business VoIP calling plans, residential local phone service companies and more.

Tags: analog wireless conferencing system, Avaya B159, blog, business phone, Business Phone Service, Conferencing Phone, Phone Systems, Virtual Phone companies

Posted in Phone Systems | Tagged analog wireless conferencing system, Avaya B159, blog, business phone, Business Phone Service, Conferencing Phone, Phone Systems, Virtual Phone companies | Leave a comment

PhonePower Small Business Phone Service

Posted on August 8, 2011 by J. David

Phone Power is a leading provider of advanced communications technology that is simplified through the use of VoIP. VoIP is the most efficient, and budget-friendly way of communicating with other people, and PhonePower gives residential and business users the same great features and rates.

Phone Power’s calling packages are packed with features, and you have your choice of plans, so you only pay for what you actually need and use. Some customers prefer a set number of minutes a month, while others are more inclined to get the unlimited minutes plan. Virtual phone numbers, if you want them, and a secondary cloned phone line, are also offered for those who need more than one incoming line.

Residential calling packages comes with free US and Canadian calling, free activation and equipment lease, one, or twenty hours, of free international calling per month and a free second line with Failsafe.

The pricing for the residential and small business packages are:

24 Month contract which costs only $14.95 per month
12 Month contract which is only $16.95 per month
A monthly contract which costs $19.95 per month
And, if you really want to get the best out of Phone Power’s residential and small business packages, opt for the annual prepay contract which is only $199.95 and gives you the second year for FREE!

All contracts have Caller ID, 3-way calling, Voicemail, Call Waiting, Click2Call, Block List, Find Me Follow Me and a Softphone, which is downloadable and allows you to use your Phonepower phone service on your computer while you are travelling.

If you want to take your small business to the next level, then you may want to consider Phone Power’s Business PBX package which offers an enterprise-level phone system. This package can be for single-line business accounts, all the way up to multiple-location hosted PBX systems.

With the PBX package, you also get an auto-attendant that can be programmed to route calls when, where and to whom you want them to go to. Call hunt groups are also offered with this upgrade. Phone Power allows and provides toll-free numbers, but it does’t stop there, you’ll also get to enjoy features that many Top 500 companies do, and all these are designed and customized to meet your needs. Packages are also designed to grow with your company.

The pricing for the Hosted PBX service plans are:

One year Hosted PBX contract which starts at $54.95 per month, with a minimum activation fee of only $10
Or, a no contract Hosted PBX which costs the same as the one year contract, but with an activation fee of $25.

Whichever contract you go for, you’ll enjoy the virtual attendant’s great features such as music on hold, office extensions, find me follow me, call waiting ID, conference calling, direct inward dial and simultaneous ring. Sign up with Phone Power today!

Visit www.calling-plans.com for more information on business VoIP phone services, business conference calling plans and how to use virtual phone services to increase the effectiveness of your sales force.

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PhoneBooth Business Phone Service Added

Posted on August 2, 2011 by Business Agent

PhoneBooth’s business calling plans were added to www.calling-plans.com today. PhoneBooth offers unlimited business phone service for $20 per user, per month. The service is high definition VoIP and comes with a ton of free upgrades that would cost you a lot of money if this were regular landline phone service. The upgrades include:

Free Conference Calling for up to 8 people at a time with no limit on legs or minutes.
Find-me Follow-me Service that can be set to ring any number of phones, in any order, or all at once, depending on a number of available variable.
Virtual Assistant that can be set to answer the phones, and route the calls, per the caller’s menu choices.
Online User Management Interface for total control of your business phones and your user accounts.
And More…

Visit www.calling-plans.com for more information about VoIP, Cell Phones, Conference Calling and Bundled Calling Plans.

Tags: Business Phone Service, business voip, Calling-plans Phonebooth, Phone Booth, Phone Service, Phonebooth

Posted in Phone Service | Tagged Business Phone Service, business voip, Calling-plans Phonebooth, Phone Booth, Phone Service, Phonebooth | Leave a comment

eVoice Offering Free 6 Month Trial

Posted on July 19, 2011 by Business Agent

eVoice is offering businesses the opportunity to try out their virtual telephone products for 6 months, or 1000 minutes of usage, or 60 voice-mail-to-text messages, for free. Once a customer use up their free services, and/or runs out of time, the service will start billing them $12.95 per month. This is a great way for people to get their feet wet with virtual phone services and virtual assistant products.

eVoice’s virtual assistant product offers these features:

Toll Free Numbers
- Project a professional image for your business with an easily recognizable toll free number.
Call Screening & Announce
- Hear the name of the person calling so you can decide to pick up or transfer the call to voicemail.
Multiple Extensions?View Screenshot
- Set up employee extensions and create departments, such as Sales, Marketing, and Accounting.
Sequential Ringing
- Forward calls to multiple phones simultaneously or in a specific order.
Voicemail
- Get voicemails sent directly to your email account, manage your communications from any computer.
Music On Hold
- Treat customers to music while calls are being transferred, and elevate your company’s image.
Conference Calling
- Collaborate with multiple participants on a single call.
Dial-By-Name-Directory
- Allows callers to lookup an extension or person by name.
Professional Greetings
- Sound like a Fortune 500 company with a professionally recorded greeting.
Online Administration
- View and manage your messages, account activity and settings online.
Call Transfer
- Transfer calls to voicemail, extensions, or to any other number.
Speed Dial
- Maintain a speed dial list online in your account that also syncs with the mobile app.
Call Recording
- Record calls and store the audio files for later use. Callers are prompted with a message prior to calls being recorded.
Call Usage & History
- See all of your up-to-the-minute usage details and call history.
Mobile Apps
- Access your favorite features and work efficiently using your iPhone®, Android®, or BlackBerry® mobile phone.

Visit www.calling-plans.com for more information on Virtual Phone Service, Conference Calling, Business Calling Plans and more.

Tags: 800 numbers 60 months trial, evoice 6 months trial, evoice 6month trial

Posted in Free Trial | Tagged 800 numbers 60 months trial, evoice 6 months trial, evoice 6month trial | Leave a comment

Free Business Phone Service Trial

Posted on July 6, 2011 by Business Agent

RingCentral is offering businesses a free 30 day phone service trial. RingCentral’s service incorporates a virtual pbx, cloud based, phone platform, with a very professional virtual assistant that can make a mom and pop shop sound like a fortune 100 company. The service comes with unlimited local and long distance phone service, as well as 1000 minutes per month of incoming toll free service. If you were to order the same thing from a landline phone company, you’d end up paying $30 to $40 for the toll free service alone, and that’s from a discount long distance company like TCI or Powernet Global.

While phone service for a single phone office costs $49.99, if you need 4 phones, or more, the price drops to $24.99 per month, or less, depending on how many you need. If you’d like to try RingCentral’s services out, they offer a 30 day free trial on all of their products, including their faxing, cellular, follow me and their other business phone service products. Speaking of faxing, their business phone service also comes with unlimited incoming and outgoing faxes. I like their virtual fax service, because it lets you store your faxes online, and on your computer, so that they are easy to find if you need to look something up… It sure beats the heck out of the old days when I had to go to the filing cabinet to look up old faxes. (Faxes can be sent by just emailing your documents… It’s cool.)

Visit www.calling-plans.com for more information about business related phone services.

Tags: Business Phone Service, Free Trial, free trial business service, Hosted PBX, Ring Central, RingCentral, telephone service free trial, VoIP Business Phone Service

Posted in Hosted PBX | Tagged Business Phone Service, Free Trial, free trial business service, Hosted PBX, Ring Central, RingCentral, telephone service free trial, VoIP Business Phone Service | Leave a comment