Phone number for home business

MOH

May have been asked before, but search is down

What do people generally do for a phone number when setting up a new home-based business? Obviously I don't want to give out the private landline number. The business is web based, so I'll be online most of the time. The two main options seem to be Skype and Blueface.

Blueface's terms prohibit using a personal account for business (although given the low volumes I'd expect to be dealing with I might get away with it). Their business package costs 35/month or 395/year ex-VAT, for 2 geographical numbers, 2 076 numbers,and a fax number including fax->e-mail, and unlimited landline calls to Ireland and the UK.

On the other hand, Skype seem to have no separate pricing for business accounts. Ex-VAT, it's 5/month or 50/year for a geographic number. It's 3.95/month for unlimited landline calls within Ireland (and I think this gives you a 50% discount on the geographic number). Can also forward/transfer incoming calls for free to a landline (as part of your unlimited calls), or to a mobile on a pay per minute basis. There's no fax handling, but I don't really expect to need that.

Overall, Skype looks by far the better deal - 73 quid + Vat for a year's supply of a Dublin number and unlimited landline calls. And if you register your VAT number with them they don't charge VAT on any credit you buy.

What are people's experience with Skype/Blueface? Are there any other options I should be looking at?

DubTony

No idea personally, although I've seen a couple of different threads on this type of thing on the Nets & Comms forum under TECH. You might get some good advice there.

MOH

DubTony wrote: »

No idea personally, although I've seen a couple of different threads on this type of thing on the Nets & Comms forum under TECH. You might get some good advice there.

Ta, I'll check there

adrian.s

Hi There,

I use Blueface for my business. I spoke to them directly and said I didn't want their business rate plans as I didn't expect too much volume, all my communication is typically done over IM mail and mobile.

They had no problem is letting me pick a residential plan, but not an unlimited one. So you can use the basic service which lets you use 300 mins, but not the Irl / UK Unlimited plan for example.

Adrian.

honeymonster

I know a lad who uses a vitual number diverted to his mobile as he's always running around Dublin. No idea how much it costs tho

MOH

adrian.s wrote: »

Hi There,

I use Blueface for my business. I spoke to them directly and said I didn't want their business rate plans as I didn't expect too much volume, all my communication is typically done over IM mail and mobile.

They had no problem is letting me pick a residential plan, but not an unlimited one. So you can use the basic service which lets you use 300 mins, but not the Irl / UK Unlimited plan for example.

Adrian.

Thanks for that. The Freedom Basic pack would work out at 99/year including 300 mins/month, versus Skype's 73/year including unlimited minutes, but if the call quality is much better then it's probably worth it.

ve

+1 for Blueface

I am a business subscriber and when you pair the service up with a quality SIP phone (not a soft phone) it serves very well in a business context.

Before that we used Skype and it was not reliable and obvious to callers on the line we were using VOIP and just came across unprofessional, especially since we went to the trouble of acquiring a geo number.