FAQs/International Calling & Rates

General Information

Voice over IP refers to a method of transmitting phone calls using the Internet or other data network, instead of using traditional phone lines. The main benefits of this technology are reduced costs and features that integrate voice and operational data.
Instead of having a phone system inside each office, a hosted solution is located centrally, typically in a hardened data-center, and connects to phones at each location using the Internet. The main advantages of such a solution are reduced costs since there is no need for a phone system at each premises, and increased reliability, since the central location has backup power, network access and other facilities to ensure maximum availability.
To use 4Voice business service you will need broadband internet access such as Business Cable, DSL, T1 Lines, Metro-Ethernet, FIOS etc. You will also need one or more Voice Over IP phones, or soft-phone applications that can run on your PC.

Yes, 4Voice Business Phone Service will let you dial 911 from your office and provide the correct address information to the 911 agency. Note that the following important restrictions apply to this service:

The address shown will be the latest address that we have on file for your business. If you relocate the office or a phone in the office without notifying 4Voice, then the address will not be updated.

911 will not work if your internet access is down or you have no power.

4Voice Business service offers two options for fax:

Inbound and outbound e-fax services let you send and receive all your faxes via email. Alternately, a Fax Adapter lets you use your existing fax machine with 4Voice Business Services.

If your internet access fails, calls will be automatically rerouted to an alternate location or to backup phone numbers that you define beforehand. Your calls will always be answered and then directed to an appropriate destination, or to voicemail.

For further reliability, you can use two independent internet access providers (DSL and Cable for example) to prevent against a single failure—4Voice Business services will run over both of them seamlessly.

Prior to activating your service, our experts will evaluate your internet access to ensure adequate bandwidth for your business needs. Our solutions use ‘traffic shaping’ routers that prioritize voice calls over data, so that there is no disruption of phone calls due to internet traffic.
Yes, 4Voice Business Service offers competitive international rates, available on request.
Calls are billed at a flat rate to anywhere in the US or Canada. Rates are included as part of your customized quote.
Yes, toll free numbers can be used with 4Voice Business Services. Rates are included as part of your customized quote.
Yes, 4Voice Business Phone Service is ideally suited for a multi-location business. You can manage call routing to each location in one central configuration, and consolidate phone usage across all the locations, eliminating excess capacity.
Yes, 4Voice Business Phone Service can integrate remote workers directly into the main phone configuration. They can access the same features as users at the central location(s), and external callers will not be able to distinguish between the two. The only requirement is that remote workers must have broadband Internet access along with a router. They will need to be provided with a VoIP phone or a soft-phone that runs on a PC (note that the VoIP phone cannot work over Wi-Fi, and needs a wired network connection).
The coverage area serviced by 4Voice Business Service is the continental United States.

Installation

Depending on the size of your business, you may need internet service ranging from Basic DSL to high speed access such as a T1 line or metro Ethernet. Our experts will analyze your requirements and recommend a solution based on your configuration. You may be able to convert existing voice lines to data, or switch to alternate lower-cost access.
Yes, you can keep all your existing phone numbers, including toll-free numbers. We will ensure that there is no service gap while your numbers are transferred from your current carrier.
Yes, through our fax adapters, your existing fax machine can work with 4Voice Business Phone Service using a fax adapter. This will allow you to send and receive faxes as normal.
If your alarm system uses a standard phone line, it CANNOT be used with 4Voice Business Service and you will need to maintain a basic analog phone line. However, some alarm companies do offer Internet-capable monitoring devices—you will need to contact your alarm company to find out if this is an option.
Credit card machines that only use phone lines will NOT work with 4Voice Business Phone Service. However, Internet-capable machines (Dual-Comm) are widely available and can be used instead.
Mail Station machines that only use phone lines will NOT work with 4Voice Business Phone Service. However, most machines have a USB interface that can be used instead.
Yes, 4Voice Business Phone Service can be used with overhead speaker or paging systems.

There are two options for backup power for the phones:

Each phone can be plugged into a small UPS backup battery, which will keep the phone running in the event of a power outage. This can typically also be used as a backup for your PC.

Alternatively, a larger central backup battery can be used in combination with a “Power-Over-Ethernet” (PoE) Ethernet switch. In this configuration, the phones draw power from their network connection, which is then backed-up centrally

Note that in addition, any broadband internet access equipment must also have backup power in order to continue phone service after a power outage.

Phones

We offer a wide range of phones to meet varying usage and budget needs. Refer to our Phones page for more details.
Yes, the phones support both wired and wireless headsets. Contact us for pricing and compatibility information.
A soft-phone is a program that runs on a computer and provides the ability to make and receive phone calls, using the microphone and speakers of your computer. 4Voice Business Phone Service has been tested with several soft-phones, please contact us for recommendations.
Yes, there are several options for cordless phones. The simplest option is to use a standard cordless phone with a VoIP adapter that we can provide upon request.
No, the phones are equipped with a mini-Ethernet switch that allows both phone and PC to share the same network connection. Doing so will not affect the performance of the PC.

Physical phones require a wired connection and will not work with Wi-Fi.

Soft-phones installed on a laptop can work over WiFi, but note that due to unpredictable delays, speech quality may be affected.

International Calling Rates

With 4Voice service, all calls within the continental United States, Canada and Puerto Rico are considered local. Domestic calls going to Hawaii and Alaska are considered international and are billed at international rates.

To view our international calling rates, download our international rate table – click here. Please note that rates are subject to change.

Features

4Voice Business Phone Service offers a complete set of business features as well as many advanced VoIP features. We also offer several custom features and can develop specific features for your business on request. Refer to our Features page for more details.
Yes, rollover, ring groups and other methods of call distribution are fully supported.
Yes, several options are available for integrating your phones with various applications, including status displays of extensions, pop-up notifications for incoming calls and Outlook contact integration.
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