Frequently
Asked Questions about Alternate Numbers
What is an Alternate Phone Number?
It's a very inexpensive secondary number that rings to your
primary BroadVoice phone line. The advantage is that people outside
your local calling area can call you for the price of a local
call if you choose an Alternate phone number in their area code.
Alternate numbers make it easier for people to keep in touch
with you because they can call you for the price of a local call.
Here's
one example showing how it can benefit you.
Let's say that you
live in Boston and your BroadVoice primary number is in area
code 617. Your friend or client lives in Los Angeles. Her area
code
is 213. You could get a secondary Alternate phone number in area code 213
that rings to your 617 Boston line. Then your friend doesn't have to pay
long distance charges when she calls you.
How much does it cost?
Each Alternate number costs just $1.95 per month and can be added at any time by accessing the features tab on your BroadVoice Portal. The cost in the first month is pro-rated depending on when in your billing cycle you add the Alternate number. So, if you add it on the 15th day of your billing cycle, you would be charged 98 cents in that month, and $1.95 thereafter. There is also a one-time activation charge of $9.95 to link each new Alternate number. Alternate numbers are activated immediately.
How long does it take?
Alternate numbers are activated immediately.
How many Alternate phone numbers can
I have?
You can have up to two Alternate phone numbers
in addition to a primary BroadVoice line. You can add a second
Alternate number at any time by clicking your
Portal link.
Remember that changes to your account are restricted to the Account Administrators
named when your BroadVoice account was created.
Can I have an Alternate number without
a BroadVoice primary phone number?
No. Alternate numbers can't work unless they link to a BroadVoice
primary number. Why wouldn’t you want a primary BroadVoice
number anyway? Sign up for a BroadVoice number now.
Can I make outgoing calls from my Alternate
phone numbers?
No. Your outgoing calls will always be from your primary line.
When I choose an Alternate phone number, will
calls that I make to that regional calling area be local calls?
No. A virtual phone number is simply an inbound calling feature
that is separate from your outbound calling plan. The location
of your primary phone number governs your local in-state
calling area. However, if you choose an Alternate number with
the same area code as your primary BroadVoice line then by default
your primary and alternate numbers will have the same local regional
calling area. Remember, In-state calls are always included in
all BroadVoice calling plans. The BroadVoice Unlimited World
calling plan is the best value for making economical long distance
calls. If you are an existing BroadVoice customer and don't already
have an Unlimited World plan, upgrade today and stop paying long
distance charges when you call any state in the Continental USA.
I don't have an Unlimited Long Distance plan.
Do I get extra long distance minutes with my Alternate phone
number?
No. Alternate phone numbers only apply to incoming
calls and you don't get billed for incoming minutes. The only
charges that you could accrue would be for calls that you originate,
including calls you transfer or call forward. When someone
calls you it's always free, so we don't bill minutes to your
account when you add Alternate numbers.
Will the Alternate Phone Number show on the
Caller ID displays of people that I call?
No. Only your primary BroadVoice line number displays on the
caller ID of the people you call. Remember, with BroadVoice you
also have the option of turning on Calling ID Block to prevent
your number from displaying at all.
How do BroadVoice Alternate Phone Numbers
work?
They work a lot like multiple email addresses forwarding or
pointing to your primary email address. Similarly, you can have
more than one BroadVoice number connected to your BroadVoice
primary number. Once you activate your Alternate number, the BroadVoice
Call Routing Network points your Alternate Number calls to your
primary line and does all the work for you. This connection is
just as fast and seamless as any other BroadVoice phone call.
Alternate numbers, like your Primary number, will not work if
your Phone Adapter is not registered with our network or powered
off.
I'm moving soon. Can I keep my existing phone
number as an Alternate phone number in my new place?
Yes. You have two choices here. The easiest choice is to get
a second Alternate phone number in your new location. This way,
you'll never be out of touch with contacts in either place.
The
second choice is to add an Alternate number for the new location,
and switch the two numbers by converting your existing BroadVoice
primary number
to a BroadVoice Alternate number.
This takes a few steps.
- Make sure that you have an active BroadVoice account and
phone number, because you can't have a BroadVoice Alternate
Number without a primary BroadVoice phone number!
- Add an Alternate Number from the Features Tab on your account
Dashboard.
I used to have another BroadVoice number.
Can I get that same number again and use it as my Alternate
number?
Although you can request it you can only get it if it hasn't been re-assigned
to someone else. BroadVoice is growing rapidly, so numbers disappear very
quickly. If you want to keep a number, it's best to keep it on your account
as either a primary or Alternate number so that you don't lose it.
