VOIP Solution With Less-Restrictive Fair Usage Policy?

Not sure if you saw this but might be helpful

About.com: http://www.skype.com/intl/en-us/business/skype-connect/

Hi, mojo1.

Yes, I have already read through that page a couple of times. Unfortunately, I can not find any information to support that the Skype Connect service actually allows high-volume calls and/or that the fair usage policy applies etc.

I am still waiting to hear back from Skype.

I did find this: Call Center VoIP - VoIP Call Center Solutions | grnVoIP

But I have never heard of them. Hopefully, someone can chime in with what they are currently using and/or how they are managing.

Thanks.

Is your primary reason for using Skype to make calls with your laptop?

Or are you just looking for a phone plan to make unlimited calls without a cap?

I posted on this issue a while back and my solution was just to set up multiple Skype accounts with different emails and buy multiple subscriptions.

You have to do it this way because if you try to buy multiple subscriptions on one account they will still limit you to the 50 calls you had.

Some rules just don't make any sense.

Well, I currently use Skype for personal and business use - at home, with my desktop computer/headset. It is convenient and cost-effective.

However, Skype prohibits users from calling more than 50 different phone numbers each day. I need to be able to call 100-200+ different numbers each day.

Even if I make 300 calls/day, at 1 minute each, that's only 9,000 minutes/month - which falls in line with Skype's fair usage policy of 10,000 minutes/month - so, that's not the problem. The problem is being able to call that many numbers in the first place.

Thanks.

EDIT: TheCG- thanks. Yeah, I really didn't want to go that route. I am hoping that I will be able to find a suitable alternative.

Have you looked into nextiva?

iAmNameLess- No, I haven't. Thanks for the heads up. Do you know anything about them?

Thanks.

Yeah, the quality is a big thing for me too. Unfortunately, it can be very hit or miss with VOIP. I originally went with VOIPo before signing up for Skype, and the quality sucked. Unfortunately, there are too many variables that can influence quality (ISP, server location/distance, internet speed/type and data loss etc.), all of which, can't be tested prior to usage. Some people have great quality with VOIPo, some don't - same with Skype. You just never know.

Check this company out. Toktumi. I cant answer any questions about then but spent a few hours doing research a couple months ago and this looked pretty good back them. Still using skype for now but will be changing soon.

Thanks, guys. I will check these guys out when I get the time.

You should also consider magic jack however I wouldn't use it for business. For me it's all about being tied to the outbound callerid.

Another thing to consider is buying an obi on amazon. It will allow you to make calls using google voice. Currently google voice is free for outgoing calls.

I currently use a phone system with google voice integrated. So all of my outgoing is free. I use a different provider for my incoming.

A lot of makeshift solutions here... that would not work in the real business world. I think it depends on whether if stranger danger is going to be using this himself or if there is going to need to be room for growth in a real office space.

There are a lot of cool options, but cool doesn't necessarily work for everything. I've tried out a few things, trying to be more prepared when I hire a full sales staff but haven't found one of the cooler alternatives to be suitable for my needs.

fyi, you can get a t-1 nowadays for 250.00 with some companies , less...
have it split into POTS, that's 23 or 24 if you don't have any data line,

then don't call instate, instate is more expensive then out of state.
you can get out of state for < 2 cents a min if you haggle.
You also need to haggle on the per min, and make sure you only get charged for connections, and billed in 60 second increments
and not 30 or less

instate will be > 4 cents ... regardless of how hard you haggle.

you no longer have to sign 2-3-5 year contracts ... because of skype and majic jack, and others like it, that's a thing of the past, ( unless they think they can sucker you into a contract )

speaking of skype ... as a lot of you know, i never had the 50 call issue

well that sweet ride is over

so we are back to t's.

anyway, just some info, in case you were thinking t-1's were too much of a stretch on your wallet.

and steve ....lol...
for you a t could be extra helpful, since you do CL and "ahem , other stuff"
as in multi ips... multi dial ups... ect

iAmNameLess- Yeah, I am also trying to plan for the future so that I can accommodate a small office. Just starting out, we may have 3 people dialing out, simultaneously.

kenmichaels- I haven't heard the term T1 in a long time. I don't even know what that entails anymore. Aren't most ISP's providing cost-effective solutions that exceed these data transfer rates - or have things changed?

My current ISP, although, not the greatest, provides me with an 'actual' download speed of 3 mb/s, with varying upload speeds (can't remember, to be honest). I am not at home, or I would check it.

Here is my chat from Nextiva
Business VoIP Systems | Hosted Office PBX Services | Nextiva Office VoIP

Blair W.: Hello Jon?
Blair W.: How can I help you today?
→Do you have a cap on the number of calls that can be made per day?
→Per week?
→Per month?
Blair W.: No
Blair W.: It's an unlimited plan
Blair W.: How many minutes do you use?
→About 500 per business day
→Do you have a fair use policy, or something similar?
Blair W.: How many phones are you looking to use
→One or two
Blair W.: We do
Blair W.: 3000 per line
Blair W.: So for 10000 you would need a 3 user plan
→Can you provide a link to the fair use policy?
Blair W.: On our main website under terms and conditions
Blair W.: You can find it there
→Thank you
Blair W.: You're welcome
Blair W.: Whe are you looking to get this started?
→Currently exploring my options


Hope this helps...

vndnbrgj- Thanks for the heads up. I just read over their Acceptable Usage Policy, and under their unlimited plan, they strictly prohibit auto-dialers and consider telemarketing 'abusive' usage. Here is an excerpt:

Furthermore...

Unfortunately, I'm not sure if these guidelines apply to any premium business plans etc.


kenmichaels- Thanks for the info. Yeah, I did a little research this morning after reading your post and educated myself about what the t-1 actually does, and how it can be used effectively. This is definitely something that we may want to look in to.

Thanks, again.

Hello!

Why not try other sites? Or research more on Skype contact details. And if you find the contact details, you could personally connect to Skype and ask if you can set up a special deal where for your kinds of users.

Best of Luck!

These costs depend upon the location to which you make the call. I am using VOIP services from The Real PBX and I can make as many calls per day as I want but the costs depend on the location to which I dial. However, I pay around $ 9.95 as rental charges. I think you will be able to make approximately 100-200 calls within the specified budget. You can also get live support via calls, chat or e-mail.

Skype is literally good VoIP service that provides varieties of VoIP services and surely the best one you can find. Sometimes it more wise to concentrate on your requirements rather than brand. There are services like vopium and humnut.com which is very useful and withstand on your requirements.

I have used Vonage for years. No issues. However, I'm now looking seriously at RingCentral.com - as it has some features I really need (and is designed for business use) that Vonage doesn't have.