FAQ Frequently Asked Questions
Smart Comms Frequently Asked Questions
We have put together some of our most communally asked questioned from over the last 20 years. The follow questions are mainly around our Virtual Landline and Smart VoIP solutions, If you can’t find the answer you want, lets talk.
A virtual landline number is a telephone that doesn’t have a fixed line connection as you would have at home or your office. A Smart Number will route calls from the network to a destination of your choice.
Choose your Smart Number from the largest range of landline numbers in the UK, including ranges from 01/02/03/08, BT local exchange numbers, up to 600 international landline or toll free numbers.
You will be able to receive or make calls via your mobile SIM, through our MobeX APP, a Softphone App on your laptop or an IP Desktop Handset. The beauty of our solution is you can choose how, when and where you want your calls to be routed so you and your business never miss a call.
Firstly, your caller will not know that the number they are dialling is diverting to your mobile, app, laptop or an IP desk phone. It will have a traditional ringing tone and no message that it is being diverted.
The inbound call is then routed (diverted) to a destination you advise, often a mobile, app or our call centre.
You can add features to your inbound call such as a welcome greeting to the customer, departments, notification of call recording and more.
Many of our new customers are launching a business and looking to show their potential customers:
- They are a "local business"
- They are a creditable and genuine business
- To show which areas you work in
- To avoid customers always calling your mobile
- Manage your inbound calls into multi-mobiles
- Open up territories you don't trade in at the moment
- Cheaper than a BT landline
- To track Google or other forms of advertising
- And so much more...
The good news is, you can divert your calls to any type of number.
- Your Mobile
- Multi Mobile/landline combinations
- Office landlines
- Straight to voicemail
- To your MobeX Smart Phone App
- Our Call Centre/live call answering centre
- Your own call centre
- Internationally – landline, offices or mobiles
You will have access to your Smart Comms online control panel, giving you the flexibility to quickly divert your calls.
Once we know the features you would like on your Smart Number and you have confirmed the destination number, we can set up your new number within 1 - 3 hours.
If you are ordering desk phones for your Smart VoIP solution these are couriered out the next working day, however your number will be set up the same day.
Yes. In fact we have a variety of ways you can route your inbound calls to multi users.
- Hunt group; this jumps the inbound call from 1 mobile to another.
- Simultaneous ringing; meaning all mobiles/landlines ring at once, first person to answer takes the call
- Rotation; you can route the calls in order, say 1-3 people who can answer
- Ratio: for example, 4 users would share equally the volume of calls
- Taxi Agent Login: dedicated to taxi firms, in which drivers can dial in to receive calls when free and dial out when not.
- Set up groups on each MobeX APP to receive calls in each group.
Calls to your mobile or landline will display the inbound caller's ID, which is why for many customers they like to choose the package that includes a free Whisper. Whisper (or Call Announcement) keeps the caller's ID and tells you it’s a business call before you speak to them.
Inbound calls to your MobeX APP will open the app, so really easy to spot a business call.
If you’ve ever used a phone system and dialled 9 for an outside line, making a business call from your mobile and presenting your Smart Number to the caller is a similar process.
You can see examples on our Youtube account on how to make an outbound call using our mobile landline, masking your caller ID.
When ordering this unique service you will receive specific instructions on how to set up and a personal password to protect your number.
We offer a wide range of Virtual landline prices, solutions and packages with inclusive features and minutes to suit all user types and budgets. Prices start from as little as £3.99 pm (13 pence per day) for a single number.
For businesses who require over 50 numbers, our value packages offer numbers for as little as 91 pence per month, per number.
We also offer unlimited call plans through our Smart VoIP and MobeX APP solutions, with prices starting from £16.99 pm (55 pence per day) for a single hosted channel.
No, both our Smart Comms and Smart VoIP solutions can use your existing mobile and existing SIM card, no need for an additional SIM.
Need a new SIM? We do have some fantastic SIM only packages that offer generous data and unlimited mobile calls and SMS. Click here to see our current SIM Only deals.
Yes your Smart Number and Smart VoIP numbers are portable to other networks. Unfortunately, it is not like moving your mobile, therefore please check with us before moving, that the gaining provider has the required porting agreement in place.
Of course, we don’t like to loose any customer and welcome any opportunity to discuss why and how we can retain your services. Talk to us before you decide.
We do understand that, from time to time, situations change. This is why we provide you with a wide range of contract options. You choose what is best for you and your business.
- No contracts with 30 days notice
- 12, 24, 36, 48 & 60 month contracts too.
NOTE: we run 'advanced calendar month billing' (like BT), therefore you will be paying 1 month in advance for your services. Talk to our accounts team if you’re not sure of your contract and terms.
Keeping your landline number is vitally important, which is why we would recommend bringing any existing landlines over to Smart Comms wherever possible. Moving numbers (called 'porting') is a process in which the gaining and losing operators work to transfer your numbers from one carrier network to another.
We have one of the broadest porting agreements - where other carriers are often restricted, we are not.
Porting from BT, Talk Talk, Virgin or in fact any traditional line provider is simple for us. Talk to our sales team about porting your existing landlines.
In the majority of cases, a VoIP IP phone solution is a real contender. Connectivity (Broadband/Wi-Fi/4g & 5g) has improved significantly in more recent years, which VoIP needs to route calls.
We would always look at all solutions during a consultation and VoIP for Business has to be a consideration. With over 95% of all our office phones installations, we recommend at least a conversation about this amazing solution. To find out more about whether VoIP is right for you, click here.