Share what you know with millions of people
Focus is the best place to turn what you know into remarkable content
0
Poll: Do you still feel the need for a wireline/home office phone?
Do you still have a traditional phone? Or do you only use cell or softphone? If you have a traditional phone, do you think you'll get rid of it soon? I'm very close to ending our traiditonal phone services and using only my cell phone or perhaps cell plus Skype.
Events
- Dos and Don'ts of Small Business Marketing May 29 @ 11 am PT
- Lead Nurturing 202: The Next Generation May 31 @ 11 am PT
- The Tricks to Paid Media June 6 @ 11 am PT
- Display Advertising for Brand Awareness June 20 @ 11 am PT
Related Activity
7 Answers
I currently use the following for phone calls at home / home office:
-- Residential VoIP (via Packet8)
-- Cell Phone
-- Skype
-- GoogleVoice
I have only very rarely used a soft phone.
I've been using Residential VoIP since 2004, and have not had tradition land line phone service since that time.
I'm not at the place for Skype-only calls, however...
I use
* Cell phone
* Skype
* Softphone
I have a traditional phone service but only because it is a requirement for having ADSL internet service in the UK (it's a scam). There is no way to pay for internet only.
Yes there is, it's called Naked ADSL (ADSL with no phone service) but most won't advertise it. Call them up and demand it, you'll get it. I did
Naked ADSL sound similar to "dry loop" DSL. (Verizon always officially advertises DSL around here with phone service, not the other way around.)
I use a mixture of a VoIP line from my cable company, my cell phone, and Google Voice to connect the two together. My cell phone is not the greatest, but I can send text messages to my Google Voice number if I need to not forget something that comes up during the day.
There is something comforting about a regular, corded phone - it just feels right to me (KISS in practice, indeed) - and I need a quality speaker phone for conference calls.
Nope:
- Cell Phone - to answer and make calls showing my GV number
- Google Voice - my personal DID, Phonebooth routes to it
- Phonebooth Free - for Business Routing like Auto-attendants and such
- I never use a soft-phone (hate headsets and too man PC issues)
- e-fax for fax
Home Office done
I recently dropped the line but kept the # as a forward to my cell (I've had the landline 20+ yrs and tons of clients have it) but am struggling to adapt to the quality of the calls over my smartphone. The one-way (if I talk they can't and vice versa). The delay in tansmission which creates accidental interuptions when someone paused but hadn't finished. The general quality of the line and connectivity between the smartphone and VOIP, or land line, or cell, or cell on speaker can be frustrating. While I intend to give myself time for the adaptation, my feeling is the landline gives superior clarity and when the two way speak/hear makes extended conversations much easier.
I gave up my landline last year and only miss it on occasion when the call quality is less than good through my cell. For several years I have had service through Ring Central for an 800 number for my business. The service receives faxes and emails them to me immediately as a pdf. I can also use the service to send faxes. My experience with Skype was very problematic. Whether the Microsoft purchase will improve it or simply up the cost remains to be seen.
Answer This Question