Have you heard about the device called MagicJack? You plug it into a usb port on your computer then plug any phone into the phone jack on the other end and bingo....regular phone service! $19.95 for a year's service...that's per year not per month! Aprox. $40 first year,(cost of MagicJack plus year's service).
Free 30 day trial. They don't charge your card until the 31st day. Don't like it....send it back and they don't charge the card. I've already had my free trial and sent it back. (They didn't have a local number for me!) But it worked just as advertised and no software to load. It's all contained on the MagicJack.

Sure wish they had an affiliate program!! I'd be first inline! LOL!

Check it out.

Been using it for a long time already, mostly for Sales and Service teams (which is heavy phones). I have about half with numbers local to our Pacific offices and half from Florida, with all units working flawlessly so far. I had to find something super-reliable and very cost effective when developing a new corporate structure last year...

What I like best is the ability to distribute (and totally portable, as in when travelling) them easily to staff who choose to 'telecommute' which is not bound by proximity to the offices, yet still have an official number as if they are.

And, although you cannot get "vanity numbers" I also like the fact if I order multiples, they usually come in sequential numbers, which is something better than random assignments.

* A hidden benefit to VoIP is the numbers are "off the grid" when it comes to telephone solicitations, auto-dialers, and garbage calls, even though they can be "registered" with directories (online only as of yet) for promotional purposes.

Even though it is pure VoIP, when a computer is not turned on, it will go into voicemail or even have the ability to be forwarded to a central "after-hours" desk. The only difficulty has been getting people to shop for a suitable phone to plug into it: most prefer a smaller single rechargable unit that can be pluged with a headset, and usually only Target or Wal*Mart has a selection like that! LOL

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Choice Pro SEO
Choice Pro Webs

Seems a bit like Skpe, although i never used any. Is this suitable to replace my Home Landline?

If you visited the link, you would see that it is US based, and therefore unsuitable for you....

The call forwarding is great when your not at your desktop or laptop

... and does not require you to leave your computer on constantly.

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Can you fax?

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Sharon Chajin
www.fastlincs.com
www.memoriesofangels.com
Off to Work! Love my job!

Yes ..... much more reliably than the VoIP Bright House offers!

I hate BH

Thats great, I need a cheap line in here..Can you only buy it online..? I thought I saw it advertised elsewhere

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Sharon Chajin
www.fastlincs.com
www.memoriesofangels.com
Off to Work! Love my job!

(Vasili this is for your vanity issue with Magicjack)

From about a month ago you can get vanity numbers from magicJack. The catch is you need to buy a new jack (you can't use the option in your current setting - technology issue they claim) and it's a one time additional fee of $10. Not a big deal really however, it's really hard finding a good number (as it was in my case - so I returned it to best buy) with their limited providable numbers they are permitted to sell. If you don't care about the area code, the search will find your vanity from any area code in the US if it's available. Buy it at best buy so you can return it without any indecent as I hear they have some issue in that department...

Keep in mind that you cannot get an 8** numbers even if they say you can. Their out-sourced costumer service is horrible and there is no way to get someone on the phone when the poo hits the fan. I asked them so many time to confirm, so I can get an *8** vanity number for only 39.99 plus the $10 addition one time fee. The answer was yes from 3 different representatives on 3 different days. This was false. When I told them my issue that they misinformed me (I just wanted them to own up to it and not misinform others, they actually closed live chat sessions with me even when I tried later to just ask for a supervisor without stating my dismay.

Aside from that, there are two groups: those with a ****py connection that make you sound like a robot, and those that never have issues. Personally, I hate and like it. It's cheap and with forwarding I avoid the robot or cell losing reception phone type of a connection that i usually get with my magicjack.

If you are looking for an 8** vanity number check www.phone.com. They have so many features it's ridiculous. From having a professional voice do your answering system or menus (it will cost you but you can hear the voices based on their attitudes and sex and it will really make your company seem larger and more professional), to creating as many extensions as you like, to creating many answering settings such as having all you phone in the list ring at the same time so you never miss a call! And it's cheap! $12 and change a month for 300 minutes. with a one time fee of $25 for an 8** vanity number. for 800 it might cost more than the 888 866 877. I highly recommend them and they have super service! I just started using them last month which the first month is a free trial month so you have nothing to lose and I think it is great. you get the voice mails to your email or the phone but you can also view all your calls so if someone did not leave a message, you will still have their number listed in your call logs. It's the caller ID that magicjack lacks. With both MJ and phone.com you really get the best of both worlds for a yearly cost of what your local phone company will charge you for a month!

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Mr. Big Paw
Somewhere in the CO mountains
www.BigPawServices.com

You can buy it at best buy! If you have issues with it, like the common robot sound, they have ways to troubleshoot around it but if you are not happy, Bestbuy doesn't give you issues when returning within 30 days or exchange within 60-90 days, I think...

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Mr. Big Paw
Somewhere in the CO mountains
www.BigPawServices.com

Actually, My mom lives in Israel. I got her the MJ with a local US number. this part their customer service know what they were talking about and you can find the answer in their FAQ section. When we talk it is as if we are calling each other locally since is it a VOiP. If you want to use this service to call people in Germany, you will pay the international rate as if you are calling from the US regardless where you are in the world. Even their international rates are pretty cheap and it may be worth it per individual case.

From the US to a landline in Germany its $0.022 a minute. To a cell cell phone it ranged depending on the cell provider by it averages $0.24 a minute. So, it's still probably cheaper to use the MJ if you live in let's say Australia calling Germany but people will see your number as a US number. For personal calls who cares about the caller ID number your fiend or family will understand (you can't add your name to the caller ID as of now). For business calls, it's up to you to decide if your costumers will answer the phone from a strange out-of-the-country number...

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Mr. Big Paw
Somewhere in the CO mountains
www.BigPawServices.com