Please Help Me with VoIP for My Home Business

immortalbjr on 08/11/2018 - 20:14

Hi, would just like suggestions or which way to look for what I want to be able to achieve.

I've run my own small business for many years, currently my mobile number is just on all advertising. Im really starting to get sick of people calling and texting after hours. From my experience even calling or texting back these idiots doesn't end in any sort of sale and is just a complete waste of time - if people dont want to call me during normal hours anymore they can go elsewhere.

I have FTTP at home running off a switch+POE switch, NAS, UPS, skull canyon NUC (still a gamer/nerd at heart) and have the whole house cabled, have all the gear I need, but I have no idea about VOIP apart from some cisco voip phone ive purchased but havent even plugged in yet.

The home phone doesn't even get used (clearly) so its no problem to use it solely for business.

Im assuming I can possibly run some sort of VOIP software on my NUC or a minipc (raspberry pi possibly?) to make a few changes for my business, my life and what should be family time for next year. Problem is I have no idea what software, which would be easiest for a novice like me to do.

What I would like to be able to do

  • Stop muppets from calling outside of business hours, if someone calls early or late Id like them to just get a message about calling back at a fkn reasonable time like everyone else does… or possibly just letting them know to call back during hours.
  • If my wife or I cant answer the home phone just redirect the call to my mobile phone - even better if it gets redirected without them having my mobile.

If someone wouldnt mind least pointing me in the right direction of what to research, I might even just end up putting it on airtasker for someone to sort it out for me.

Thanks in advance for any help.

Internet VoIP

Comments

  • [Deactivated] on 08/11/2018 - 20:29

    Get a second mobile for personal use.

    I use Skype for my work stuff, you can get an Australian number attached to from Skype for a small fee. Then use it on your laptop or phone wherever you are in the world. It's great.

    https://secure.skype.com/my/skype-number

  • websterp on 08/11/2018 - 21:10

    Get a cloud based Virtual PBX account. I highly suggest mynetfone as I already know that they have all the features and settings you are looking for and more(https://business.mynetfone.com.au/phone-systems/virtual-pbx). Then purchase a voip phone (from what I understand you'll do fine with a single line handset i.e. from Yealink) already preconfigured from the cloud PBX provider or buy and configure yourself. Rather than fiddling with Asterisk or any other DIY opensource VOIP PBX at home you will have a much reliable business grade service by going with a PBX provider.

    • foolsgold on 08/11/2018 - 22:39

      is my netfone reliable for a business? genuine question have you used it at a decent scale business (ie. 30 people in an office type scenario)

    • immortalbjr on 09/11/2018 - 15:06

      Thanks mate, yeah im happy to pay for a cloud service, I have the resources and internet at home to manage it I just dont have the time or carefactor anymore these days. Maybe when I get a better idea of it i'll try self hosting.

  • Randxyz123 on 08/11/2018 - 23:42

    Unfortunately google voice isn’t a thing in Australia however that PBX suggested by websterp sounds like the next best thing. That way you have a service running it for you.

    Also I’d get a new personal number and keep your current mobile as your business phone. That way outside of business hours it can be switched off and clients who have it can reach you in the way they’ve always done.

  • gtr33m on 09/11/2018 - 01:15

    You can use freepbx which will run on a nuc, but you will still need a sip trunk and a number that you publish for your business.

    Unfortunately you can't port mobile numbers to a sip service so any forwarding you so after hours will probably have mobile charges associated with it, but will otherwise work fine.

    You may want to start with sipcity.com.au which is cloud based and I believe uses Asterix, which is what freepbx is based on. Very good service that is ready to setup and had many many options.

    So many options with VoIP that you can do just about anything you want.

    • immortalbjr on 09/11/2018 - 15:35

      I have 2 nucs I could use if required.

      Whats a sip trunk or sip service? I grabbed an old 2nd hand cisco voip phone off ebay for cheap which works with freepbx apparently, a friend also uses that for his business so I may get him to help set it up for me.

  • immortalbjr on 09/11/2018 - 15:05

    Thanks guys, gives me something to look into. Appreciate your help

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