Wednesday, June 27, 2012

1-800 Numbers Delivered Virtually

Our roots as a company grew out of a traditional phone company - the Santel Communications Cooperative to be exact - and our name Mitchell TELECOM even gives an obvious wink and a nudge to those telephone roots. The ironic part is it wasn't until we figured out that we were actually a broadband company that things fell into place and we started seeing success in Mitchell.

We didn't have much choice in the matter. Customers decided for us by showing, telling and demanding what was important to their lives or businesses. That began the transition and it was important for us to deliver on the same standards of service that our fore fathers did growing up in the cooperative. Luckily our staff has been able to deliver on that promise.

Why am I taking the time to write about this? Great question. I have been thinking a lot recently about this history as we see more and more of our traditional 'phone' services get rolled into the broadband pipe. The latest one available for Mitchell Telecom is a 800 number that we can provide virtually, forward it to your business, home or cell phone - wherever you want it locally.

That, in-and-of-itself is really not a big deal, for the most part it mirrors how 800 service has always been set up. What's unique here is that the calls your customers make to connect to the 800 number do so over the Internet using Voice Over IP (VOIP).

Why would someone want to connect to a 800 number via the Internet? #1 Reason - Cost. Rates are much cheaper when utilizing VOIP over traditional connections and since it is delivered virtually, you can use existing phone lines which means no additional phone lines for 800 service.

#2 Reason - Flexibility. The 800 number could now move with you rather than only ringing a single location. That means soloprenuer businesses can offer clients 800 connectivity and know they'll get the call regardless if they are in the office or not. Wild, huh?

The next step we are testing with is a virtual phone line that can connect via your laptop providing your phone service wherever you have Internet service. I've snapped a small screen shot from my laptop to show you the software we're using to play with the technology today.


(Soft Phone Application loaded on my laptop. Plug in a headset and I'm wired with phone service anywhere I have Internet.)

If you want to learn more about this product or other Mitchell Telecom services, let us know at sales@mitchelltelecom.com

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