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FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Switching from legacy telephone systems to the cloud has never been easier, but we understand that you might still have some questions. Here we have created a list of frequently asked questions that we receive from our clients.

The Basics

Yes, as long as you have fast and reliable internet at your new location, your VoIP phones will work.

Since your new phone system operates in the cloud, it’s not tethered to a physical location.

VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) lets you access phone service over the internet. Calls are no longer dependent on old traditional phone lines. VoIP achieves greater functionality at a lower cost for businesses.

This innovation means that communication expenses are much cheaper than traditional phone service.

Many business owners report cost savings up to 70% after switching to phone service to VoIP. These modern phone systems include many business features that boost productivity and revenue.

Vantact is one of the highest-rated VoIP providers for businesses in Canada.

A virtual number is a phone number that isn’t directly associated with a person or business. These phone numbers can also be used to track response rates from specific marketing campaigns.

For example, this is great for long-distance callers because they can dial a local virtual number to them and still reach your team.

Vantact maintains a 99.999% uptime, which is equivalent to less than six minutes of downtime per year. We have several data centers across the U.S. and Canada to maintain this high degree of availability.

This redundancy protects against fraud and natural disasters that impact business continuity. Nextiva has network engineers that monitor the entire network 24/7.

Vantact helps thousands of businesses across nearly every industry communicate with their customers.

Not only will its VoIP phone system lower costs, but we offer an array of features, including:

  • Customer Relationship Management (CRM)
  • Email, voice, chat, and SMS
  • Productivity tools
  • Case management tools
  • Voicemail-to-email
  • Online faxing
  • On-hold music and messages
  • On-demand call recording
  • Conference calls

No, we do not provide internet service as a part of our plans.

If you currently have an ISP (Internet Service Provider), you would have no problems with speed or reliability. A business will require at least 100kbps per phone line (or 0.1 Mbps).

Yes, scalability is one of the advantages of using a VoIP phone system.

Because a VoIP phone system is hosted in the cloud, upgrading is easy. There’s no need for pricey infrastructure upgrades. In essence, you can scale your company’s phone system to an almost unlimited number of users or locations.

In most cases, you will not be able to connect calls if there’s a power outage. Our VoIP phone system works over the internet. During a power outage, your router will not be able to function, which means there will be no internet access.

The only exception to this is if you have a backup power source that could power the router (and therefore maintain your internet connection). If you use Power over Ethernet (PoE), that may need backup power as well.

Vantact’s system can automatically re-direct calls to cellphones, softphones, PC or landlines automatically if your phones happen to go offline due to a power outage or internet outgage.

The number of calls depends on the number of phones you have in the company. Each phone can make and receive calls.

The call quality of cloud communications systems depends on the speed and reliability of your internet.

You will hear a vast improvement in call quality compared to traditional landlines. Landlines don’t have as much audio bandwidth, which can result in muffled or fuzzy calls. VoIP calls achieve this through HD Voice technology.

The number of HD Voice calls you can handle will depend on how fast your internet download and upload speed is. Find out your internet speed by taking our VoIP speed test.

At a consumer level, Skype uses the same technology as Vantact—VoIP.

Skype and Google Voice are simple VoIP solutions that allow free messages and calls over the internet meant for personal use.

In contrast, Vantact is a complete business communications solution. It covers phone calls, email, SMS, call recording, analytics, CRM, and more.

Vantact also has a dedicated support team and business features to improve productivity and lower costs.

The first step to improve call quality is to use an Ethernet connection (CAT5e or CAT6). Using Quality of Service (QoS) will help guarantee call quality. It can help minimize voice latency and prioritize bandwidth to your calls.

Without getting into the technical details, voice latency can cause interrupted calls. However, with Quality of Service, you will have sufficient bandwidth allocated to your voice calls.

If you are a small business owner, you probably won’t need to use QoS. It’s more likely to be used by organizations that handle high concurrent call volumes.

You can cancel your old phone service in most cases. Once Vantact has ported your phone number, you can confidently give your old provider one last call to terminate service.

Be sure to confirm you’re ready to go with your new VoIP provider, so you don’t have any issues.

If you make calls with a VoIP app on your computer, then yes. Otherwise, your computer does not need to be connected. You can complete calls as long as you have internet access and a VoIP-enabled phone or smartphone.

Alternatively, you can forward calls to any other phone you have, and callers will never know.

Vantact offers the flexibility of month-to-month service for business VoIP.

No, you do not need to have an existing VoIP phone. Since VoIP phones adhere to approved internet standards, you can bring your own, buy one, or lease one.

You can skip the desk phone entirely and use the Vantact App on your desktop, laptop, or smartphone to complete calls over VoIP.

No, you do not need an existing phone number to use VoIP. We have thousands of local numbers that you can choose for your business. You can select any phone number you want, including ones in a different area code. The number belongs to you and can be ported out if you require to change providers.

No, because your business phone system is hosted in the cloud, Vantact performs all the maintenance for you. Plug your phones in and enjoy reliable, ultra-clear phone service!

A virtual phone system is managed exclusively by the VoIP service provider. All you need to focus on is maintaining a fast and internet connection.

You don’t need a technician to install your business phone system in most cases. For most business users, they can set up their VoIP phone system on their own. No technicians or installers to worry about.

Vantact provides a plug-and-play functionality and makes it very easy to enjoy using a cloud-based phone system. Once you’ve plugged your phone devices in, you can manage its settings online from your browser.

If you have special requirements that require further assistance, we’re available to help you along every step of the way.

Yes, you can keep it and have it forward all calls to your new cloud communication numbers. This way, your callers will be able to call your toll-free number, while you will be able to receive calls via the internet. Vantact also has lower rates than traditional line providers.

Yes, Vantact offers number porting, which allows you to transfer all of your current business numbers over. It’s a good idea to maintain your existing service until porting has been completed

No, there are no practical limitations on our business voice service. You can make as many calls, users, and phone numbers as needed.

Additionally, it won’t cost you a fortune to upgrade your current plan. The major strength of our virtual phone system is that it’s easy to upgrade as your business grows.

The only thing you need to make sure of is that your internet connection is fast and stable. Your call quality and reliability will be dependent on this.

For emergency calls, Vantact provides the Enhanced 911 (E911) feature. This feature allows public safety staff to know the address of your phone call.

Features

Vantact provides analytics and reporting for both your calls.e.

You’ll get a real-time overview of your customer’s data, plus the ability to create your dashboards.

With Vantact, you’ll also be able to create reports based on:

  • User calls
  • Call duration
  • Inbound, outbound call volume
  • Average calls per day, per user
  • Number of calls answered
  • Average talk time

There is a multitude of business features that will improve the quality of life and productivity of your business.

  • Advanced Call Forwarding allows you to set conditions to forward calls to another phone number.
  • Anonymous Call Rejection empowers you to reject calls from people who restrict their identities.
  • Directed Call Pickup enables you to answer a call that is ringing on someone else’s line.

Voicemail-to-Text is a feature we offer in our cloud communications plans, which can be a game-changer if you’re often busy or on the move.

Any voicemail messages you receive can be automatically transcribed then sent to you via email.

This premium feature leaves a digital paper trail that you can follow up with later or use to make notes in your calendar. Each Voicemail to Text line has an additional cost.

Whenever you get a voicemail recording, this will be converted digitally into a .WAV file and sent to your email address automatically.

Getting voicemails delivered in your inbox serves as a reminder and a convenient digital format that you can save for later. You can directly listen to voicemail messages from your computer or smarthphone instead of dialing with your phone.

Shared Call Appearance is a feature that allows multiple phones to have a phone line assigned to it. If a user has many phones, they can all use the same line.

You can take calls from a specific number over multiple phones or locations. Shared Call Appearance is better for people with more than one place where they regularly conduct business.

The Barge-In feature allows supervisors to listen in as a call is happening. Supervisors can also choose to interject into the conversation or take over the call.

The Barge-In feature is one of the favorites of many business owners as it can provide live training for new employees.

Music on Hold is a VoIP feature that allows you to play music when your call is on hold or sitting in the call queue.

This feature also allows you to play recorded marketing messages. Instead of playing background music, you can broadcast special discounts or promotions.

You can also record information that would be of value to your customers and hold while they’re waiting on the line (and discourage them from hanging up).

You can view an auto attendant as a virtual receptionist that directs callers to the correct people or departments.

You have probably experienced it before. When a customer calls, they will be greeted by a recorded greeting, which then directs the caller to press a key, depending on what they need.

For example, your auto attendant could tell callers to “Press 1 for accounts, press 2 for Customer Service, or press 3 for technical help.”

It saves time by directing users to the right department without unwanted transfers throughout the day. Vantact’s multi-level auto attendant functions 24/7 and can adjust the options depending on the time of day, too.

Yes, Vantact provides conference calling capabilities.

Vantact conference calls let you control your conference call with powerful admin features. For instance, you can record conference calls, send calendar invites, and more.

For higher capacity and more conference bridges, contact Vantact to add them to your account for a modest fee.

Vantact can create a recording using a text-to-speech engine.

Vantact also offers professional in-studio recording for an additional cost.

Vantact includes call recording on a per call basis. Meaning you can press the Record button on your phone, or dial a predefined star code.

If you would like to record all calls, inbound and outbound, Vantact offers this feature at an additional cost.

Cloud PBX

Quality of Service (QoS) is a service that allows you to prioritize your internet to your VoIP devices. Most users won’t need to meddle with it, but if you do, Vantact support will guide you.

For example, other employees may browse the internet, stream videos, and listen to music. All these services take up bandwidth, which all compete for your internet’s phone service. QoS ensures that enough bandwidth is available for your VoIP phone system.

Vantact’s voice service includes the number porting. This benefit means you can bring your existing business phone numbers with you when you switch to Vantact. The experts at Vantact walk you through all the ins and outs of porting.

Porting might take up to five business days to complete. Vantact provides temporary numbers so you can continue operating without any interruptions. Callers won’t even need to know the temporary numbers since you can forward phone calls transparently.

A softphone refers to the software (app) that is used to make calls through your VoIP service. It’s an application that completes phone calls.

In contrast, a desk phone refers to the physical phone that sits at your desk. Either method can be used to make calls through your cloud-based system.

A SIP-enabled phone uses the Session Initiation Protocol to connect calls. It’s the highest standard for the VoIP protocol. You can check Vantact’s list of recommended phones.

PBX is an acronym for Private Branch Exchange. A PBX is a private phone system that allows phones in a building to dial other phones and optionally dial outside.

A cloud PBX allows you to use all of your company’s phone service that is hosted using a service over the internet.

All the features of a PBX can be delivered seamlessly through the internet instead of hardware located on-site. A cloud PBX can save your company thousands in expenses. Your IT team would instead focus on more significant challenges than messing with an outdated phone system.

Even if you move offices or are overseas, you’ll be able to access your communications systems as well as make and receive calls.

With a strong wireless 4G LTE connection, your smartphone can handle calls with HD call quality. It’s less about the speed, but the variance in network latency—often called jitter.

In most cases, a 3G signal is sufficient for a satisfactory VoIP call. In cases of weak cellular signal, you may opt for a stable Wi-Fi connection instead.

Yes, your VoIP service can work well over wireless internet connections. However, you will need to ensure that you are getting a strong Wi-Fi signal.

Wi-Fi itself tends to be susceptible to interference resulting in a momentary drop of a signal. You can use Wi-Fi successfully, but you need a strong signal.

Yes, of course. As long as you have access to the internet, your VoIP phone system can follow you.

Two of the top advantages of having a hosted VoIP service is the portability and cost. You can continue to take calls via smartphone, laptop, or even an analog phone if you have the right adapter/router.

Some countries may restrict SIP-based internet traffic, so check before you fly. Additionally, E911 address information should be updated so you can reach emergency services.

Yes, we make sure that our systems are always secure on our end. In general, your VoIP phone system offers more security features than traditional landlines.

It’s good practice to secure your data networks on your end. Choose a secure password that you don’t use elsewhere, memorize your security PIN, and you will enjoy a strong phone system.