Home Business Phone Hardware Solution Recommendations

shaned on 09/01/2017 - 10:13

Hello Everyone,

Not a controversial post but would love the feedback from the community of my favourite website.

Hope your New Year is fairing well,

I am currently in the process of creating a website for my business where my office is based at home.

I anticipate on having a fixed landline as the listed contact number on the website.

However, on the days I am away from my desk or in a meeting externally I would like it to either divert or go to the answering machine:

The features I am after are:

  • answering machine accessible externally
  • call divert (one button switch)
  • answering machine
  • desktop phone with loud speaker and also a cordless handset
  • call waiting of several calls
  • waiting/on hold music

Any product recommendations based on experience ?

Electrical & Electronics

Comments

  • knk on 09/01/2017 - 11:16

    I'd go all VOIP.

    Check out Telecube, I've been with them for years and have my 1300 with them. I don't make many outgoing calls with them (use my mobile) but their rates are reasonable. They will do your answering machine, call diversions, on hold music etc. Their support is great too so if you're not too technically minded jump on the phone to them and they'll walk you through their web interface to configure everything.

    You then just need to find a decent phone to use, anything which supports SIP will do the job. I've used Uniden's (VP100 from memory) and they've been great and are dirt cheap.

    If you'd like to reconsider the answering machine, I have used Alltel in the past, and now use Business1300 as they offer a slightly more comprehensive / advanced service. You basically forward any missed calls to them instead of an answering machine, they answer and take / email you a message. Definitely worth the money for me at least.

    • shaned on 09/01/2017 - 12:23

      I was trying to avoid going down the road of VOIP and did not want to get a 13 number at this point in time yet.

      More so wanted to know if there was anything of the shelf by way of hardware that I can test the waters with.

      • knk on 09/01/2017 - 12:26

        You can get a regular landline / DID via VOIP doesn't have to be a 1300 number. I would recommend a 1300 number though, fairly sure you actually have rights / ownership of the number as opposed to a landline. It is more expensive though obviously since you need to pay for each incoming call.

        Keep in mind that by the time NBN is available to you, it's all VOIP if I'm not mistaken. PSTN lines are obsolete and voip, provided you have a decent router which will prioritize VOIP traffic you won't have an issue with latency / voice quality. Modern VOIP using something miniscule like 8kbit/s.

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