Can I get another tel no to use as well as existing?

Paulina_Fortune

Hi,

I'm about to get some business cards made up for a part-time business at home. As I'm female, I've started to worry about the possibility of getting crank or obscene phone calls.

Is there some way that I can keep my existing telephone number, and have a different telephone number that is on the business cards, that still comes through to my phone? This way I could cancel/change the number if I had problems.

I'm with Telewest at the moment.

I hope this makes sense and that someone knows the answer.

Thanks.
Paulina.

rizla01

Hi, Pauline.

There are a few ways of doing just that but it all depends what Telewest have to offer.

You could, for one thing, have a line put in anywhere and have all calls diverted to your phone.

You could have someone elses number diverted in the same way, too.
Trouble is you would pay for the call coming from that No to you.

You could set up an 0800 number or the dreaded 0870 number.

Not sure about Telewest but with BT I can have TWO numbers on ONE line. Rental for second line is cheaper too.

Riz

Dagobert

Without any extra cost to you you can obtain an 0845 number and point it at any number you like - or scrap it should you need to.

Although I agree with saynoto0870, from a small business point of view, I find the non-geographic number solution ideal. It looks more like a business number rather than a home phone number (whether you agree with non-geographic numbers or not, that seems to be the general perception). And, should you ever move house, you won't need to change your stationery.

I use different 0845s for home and business, although I map them to the same phone. You can then redirect them onto your mobile when your away from home or office. This is much cheaper than a BT redirect to mobile. The caller will still pay local call rate (or whatever his provider charges) and you will have to pay the difference for the mobile call.

You could obtain call-sign from BT. That is a second telephone number but comes in on your existing line. (About £1.75/month). The ring tone is slightly different. So, if your business 0845 maps to that one you will know it's a business call coming in.

For your business cards, you will want to use an 0845 (in order not to discourage calls to sales). But have a look at the thread 0870 - screw them back. You could obtain 0870/0871 numbers, again for home and business, to make a little revenue. For instance, put the 0871 at the bottom of your invoices.



Neither obtaining the number nor receiving calls will cost you anything if you use the following providers:


Telesave
I've had various 0845 with them for years. Excellent support. Free to obtain. No revenue share. They give you a choice of numbers. I don't mean "golden" numbers like 0845 43 43 43. But you can still choose something that you can easily remember yourself. You re-point the number by making an automated phone-call to an 0845 number, which takes effect instantly.

But to keep the account alive (thus preventing the 0845 from being switched off) you have to make one phone-call a year using that account.

Not recommended for 0870s because any revenue gain would only top up the account and could only be used to make phone-calls. That is useless as outgoing UK calls are practically free via call18866.

Gateway Telecom
Best offer I have seen after extensive research. Highest revenue share. No minimum call level or threshold. Numbers free to obtain. You re-point the number via a web page, i.e. for free, which takes effect instantly. You also get reports on number usage for free.

No choice of free to obtain numbers though. But you can port your existing numbers to them. In fact, they are quite keen to do that. For instance, you could choose 0845s from Telesave, then port them to Gateway Telecom. According to their website, they don't pay revenue share for 0845s (nobody does). BUT when they saw I had an 0845 at the bottom of my enquiry email, the sales guy offered to port it AND offered a 0.5p daytime revenue share as well!

dave_dph

rizla01 wrote:

Not sure about Telewest but with BT I can have TWO numbers on ONE line. Rental for second line is cheaper too.

Riz

As far as I can see, only the Telewest franchise in Yorkshire offers Distinctive Ringing, (same service as BT Call Sign). Not available in other TW franchise areas.

Paulina_Fortune

Thanks everyone for your replies.

I'll look into Telesave and Gateway Telecom. An 0845 number sounds like a really good solution.

Thanks again.

Paulina.