Local or free Telephone number

blessings3

Is it possible to get a phone number for a local area that is not my own ? we have agents who work certain areas but do not want to use their own home phone numbers as they are on the road all day - So i would like 'local' prefix landline numbers that are directed to our main office - I hjave considered an 0845 number but many of our clients
are quite traditional and I wonder if it would put them of ringing us

InsideInsurance

Yes you can

When I ran my web design business I had multiple UK numbers plus also one for the USA etc all that connected back to our line to give us a more global/ high profile appearance than the backwater town we were actually based in would suggest.

Our lines were all virtual using VOIP as we made a fair amount of international calls and this was the best balance of cost and quality to us. Dont have the business anymore but still make a lot of international calls so still use VOIP and looking at our provider, http://www.voipfone.co.uk/ they offer UK geograph numbers in any UK dialing code (plus some international ones) and you can control the rules of how they operate/ where they ring or when they divert etc.

Aquamania

blessings3 wrote: »

Is it possible to get a phone number for a local area that is not my own ? we have agents who work certain areas but do not want to use their own home phone numbers as they are on the road all day - So i would like 'local' prefix landline numbers that are directed to our main office - I hjave considered an 0845 number but many of our clients
are quite traditional and I wonder if it would put them of ringing us

Such traditional clients are usually very cute too, and will run a mile when they immediately realise the call is not being answered locally.

Usually you can even spot these type of things without even making a call - a quick look in Yellow Pages shows many that stand out like a sore thumb.

So, in answer to your question, yes it is possible.

doningtonphil

The yellow pages comment is valid to an extent. You want a local skip hire company, you see an ad in YP that lists 5 local towns each with their own phone number. This tells you two things:

1) They provide a service in your town so it won't be a wasted call (yellow pages can cover a large area)

2) All the numbers probably go through to one office.

We use voipfone. Easy to set up. We have a virtual switchboard however what the OP wants is just the local number to give to each of their reps. You can do this and each rep can choose where the number directs to (their home phone or mobile).

With this service you do pay for the diverted part of the incoming call, which can be 7-10p per minute if diverting to a mobile

rjlarke

blessings3 wrote: »

Is it possible to get a phone number for a local area that is not my own ? we have agents who work certain areas but do not want to use their own home phone numbers as they are on the road all day - So i would like 'local' prefix landline numbers that are directed to our main office - I hjave considered an 0845 number but many of our clients
are quite traditional and I wonder if it would put them of ringing us

We use UK2 numbers, costs about a 5er for an 0800 a little bit more for a local number I think. You then divert that on to your existing number and they charge you 2p a min but that's it. The diversion is done through their website and you can track calls etc.

Slinky

And who the heck ever looks in Yellow Pages these days? Have you seen the size of it recently? Not much more than a pamphlet.

Aquamania

Slinky wrote: »

And who the heck ever looks in Yellow Pages these days? Have you seen the size of it recently? Not much more than a pamphlet.

I do, and so do many others. Not everyone has the internet available to them at home you know. And YP is also available online for those that think the web is the answer to everything

Also when I referred to 'Yellow Pages' I didn't necessary mean that particular company, but more as a generic term for that type of service/product (as people often refer to Hoovers as a generic term for vaccuum cleaners, or Biros as a generic term for ball point pens)
There are a number of competitors to the original Yellow Pages nowadays including Thomsons and even the Phone Book now has a section similar to Yellow Pages.

paddyrg

SIPGate also do local numbers (I use a Birmingham number for no good reason) on PAYG. I agree it's a good idea as long as you actually do service those areas and have someone local who will respond to the call. 'I'm on abc road, can you deliver there?' - abc road might be well known locally for being a den of crack muggers or a hill so steep you'd never get a van up there, or otherwise give the game away and put locals off.

cazziebo

I pay £2.40 per month for a local number via Voipfone.co.uk