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Category: Tech

Telecom Tips for Enabling a Global Service Desk Hotline

11th September 2023 blog
Image of a well-functioning IT Service Desk hotline across multiple countries.

In today’s interconnected world, businesses rely heavily on internal IT help desks or service desks to provide crucial technical support for their employees. Think of the service desk as the …Read More »

Cloud Call Center Software – Pricing Guide & Cost Comparison

6th August 2023 blog
call center software pricing

Purchasing the right cloud contact center software can have a significant impact on your business. The correct software will maximize agent productivity, improve customer service, and set the foundation for …Read More »

21 Best Zoho Integrations

4th August 2023 blog
An image of the best Zoho integrations in 2023.

More and more businesses are turning to advanced tools and technologies to improve their operations and elevate their service offerings. Among one of the most popular business tools is Customer …Read More »

What Happens After Signing Up With Global Call Forwarding

3rd August 2023 blog
signing up with global call forwarding

New to Global Call Forwarding? We’re happy to have you! Let’s go over the process of getting a phone number and VoIP subscription with us. Here are a couple of …Read More »

Global Call Forwarding Launches New User & Role Management Feature

17th July 2023 Press
user role managment

Global Call Forwarding launches a User & Role Management feature to manage user access to your phone service. DELRAY BEACH, FL, July 2023 Global Call Forwarding launches a new User …Read More »

7 Benefits of Voice and Telecom Network Consolidation

14th July 2023 blog
The benefits of voice and telecom network consolidation.

As an IT infrastructure manager or network engineer, your time on the job should be spent maximizing efficiency and reducing costs while building reliable business systems. Do you spend too …Read More »

Business Telephone Etiquette

21st November 2017 Learn, Tech, Tips

Whether your business deals with local or international clients, understanding and practicing business telephone etiquette can ensure your business maintains professionalism and communicates effectively with its clients. Let’s learn how to practice proper business phone etiquette.

Business Telephone Communication

As easy as making and receiving telephone calls can be, many still do not know that rules guide telephone conversations, especially in the professional or business context. Business communication is a critical dimension of every organization. It can set the tone for many business activities involving clients and customers and other businesses such as closing deals, onboarding new customers, or offering customer support. Business calls play a major role in the day-to-day operations of many businesses. Companies need to contact potential customers, clients, and vendors and receive calls from customers about product inquiries and assistance.

The Importance of Proper Business Telephone Etiquette

Having good business telephone etiquette is beyond your ability to speak fluently and offer pleasant greetings. It is more about leaving a good and lasting impression on the person on the other end of the line. Since your next phone conversation could be your initial contact with a client, customer, or even your superior, you are presented with an opportunity to make a good connection and build a relationship.

Having the proper phone etiquette for business calls is necessary for every business that takes its professional image seriously. Have you ever contacted a business’s customer care department only to be greeted by a rude or uninterested representative? Did that response and interaction make you want to take your business elsewhere? This is where having stellar business telephone etiquette plays an important role in supporting your sales and customer support services. When a poor first impression is given, many businesses suffer, which often leads to a loss of customers and low sales conversions.

How a business communicates with its customers and clients will determine how they will be perceived. Therefore it becomes essential that businesses invest in training their employees to answer or initiate telephone calls. They also need to be aware of international business phone etiquette and how to connect with global customers effectively.

Furthermore, they must identify when a telephone call is the best means of communicating with a client, customer, or business contact. Employees must understand their audience and the most appropriate method to communicate with them. This depends on the type of business you run and what the interaction with the customer is about. In some cases, customers may prefer email or SMS contact instead of phone conversations.

11 Tips For Efficient Phone Etiquette for Business

So, what are some key phone etiquette rules? Here are 11 practical tips for business telephone etiquette that every employee should exercise when communicating with clients, customers, business contacts, and vendors:

  1. When answering a work or business phone, do not allow the phone to ring for too long. Three times is the ideal number of times that a business phone should ring.
  2. Ensure that you identify yourself at the beginning of every call. When answering the phone: “Hello” or “Good morning; customer support department, XYZ speaking.” When placing a call: state your name and the name of the person you are calling.
  3. Hold the phone at a distance of about 2 fingers from your mouth for clarity. Do not keep repeating the same thing over and over again; the other party might become uninterested and hang up.
  4. The tone of your voice can tell the other party a lot. Ensure you maintain a friendly yet professional tone. Avoid sounding nervous or aggressive. Speak with confidence and authority. Sit up in your chair when receiving phone calls to maintain your composure. Stand if it will be more comfortable.
  5. Prepare for a call before dialing the number. Ensure that you have thought through what you want to discuss. Write your talking points down on a notepad, so you do not leave anything out. This will help you to be direct and precise should your calls be forwarded to a voicemail.
  6. Listen to the other person without interruption. Under no circumstance should you interrupt them while they are passing on their information.
  7. If you must transfer a call, inform the caller before doing so. Explain why you need to transfer their call. First, confirm that the person you are transferring the call to is available to attend to the customer. Also, let the customer know who they are being transferred to.
  8. If you have to put a caller on hold, ask their permission first. You can also give them the option to leave a voicemail message. When you resume the call, ensure that you thank them for their patience.
  9. Always turn off your phone/ringer during a business meeting or call. It is not polite if your phone rings in the middle of a business decision.
  10. If you are expecting a call about the same time you enter a meeting, inform the caller beforehand about your meeting and that you will return their call as soon as you can.
  11. When speaking to a client or business contact on the phone, keep a distance from anything that can be a distraction. These include office desk noises, keys jingling, rustling papers, eating, or chewing. If you have to take a phone call while driving, ensure that you use a hands-free device or a speakerphone for your car. Giving your caller your undivided attention translates to treating them with respect, which is the most important business telephone etiquette foundation.

Invest in Business Phone Services

The importance of business telephone etiquette explains why many businesses invest heavily in their communication department regarding personnel and equipment. Both small and large businesses invest in call forwarding services to enable them to keep the lines of communication open at all times. Call forwarding companies like Global Call Forwarding make these services available to businesses globally. They offer various business communication solutions like SMS forwarding, virtual assistants, and much more for seamless business communications.

How to Port a Phone Number From Vonage

16th November 2017 Learn, Tech

Number portability is a service that allows you to transfer your phone connection from one provider to another, without changing your phone number. Instead of being stuck with the same old service provider, you can instead upgrade to a better provider while keeping your existing phone number. This is the major difference between switching to a new provider and having to deal with getting a new number, and the convenience of porting your phone number.

There may be many reasons for porting your phone number. Some of them include:

You are moving: If you are moving to a new location that isn’t served by your current provider, you may need to change to a different carrier. Toll-free number porting is a good way to ensure you can retain your phone number at the new location while enjoying quality service.

  • Network coverage: Not every service provider has the same quality of network coverage. Some providers offer excellent coverage, while others have poor network coverage. If your provider does not offer you decent network coverage, it is a solid reason for you to look into porting your number.
  • Tariff: Obviously, tariff charges vary greatly from one provider to another. If your current plan is too expensive, porting your number to a more affordable service provider is a good idea.
  • Speed: Seamless connectivity is what everyone desires, but not every provider offers good speed. When you need to communicate with clients daily, you cannot afford to have a slow connection. In such a case, number porting is a stellar option.
  • Customer service: An important but often overlooked feature is customer service. It should be prompt and available all the time. It is always beneficial to port your number to a different provider that offers better customer service.

Porting your Vonage number to a different provider is the same as with any other number. The only issue with a Vonage number is that they do not list your phone number on the phone bill, but it is essential for proving that you have the authority to port the number.

In this article, we will guide you through the steps for porting your Vonage number to another provider. They are as follows:

Step 1: Gather All Your Documents

Before you even start the phone number porting process from Vonage, you need to have all the documents and information to prove that the number is yours and that you have the authority to port it. Collect all the documents associated with the number, including the most recent phone bill with your name on it. You will need to submit this to the provider you are porting your number to.

Since the phone bill doesn’t have your number on it, you have to contact Vonage and ask them to provide you with a Customer Service Report (CSR), which contains all the information they have on file for your number. You should also let them know that you are porting your number and ask if there are any formalities you are required to fulfill.

Step 2: Screenshot of your Account Page

This is another workaround to the issue of not having your number on the phone bill. If the CSR does not suffice, you have to provide further documentation. This can be done by taking a screenshot of your Vonage account page and submitting it to the new provider. Make sure that the page has your name and number on it because this is required to prove your authority to port the number.

Step 3: Submit Documents

Now that you have all the pertinent information regarding your number, it is time to submit it to the service provider you wish to port your number. Phone bill, CSR, screenshots, and any other information to prove your authority to port the number must be submitted to the provider. Always make sure that there is sufficient proof of your ownership of the phone number.

Step 4: Complete and Sign an LOA

This is an essential step. A Letter of Authorization (LOA) is required for any phone number port because this letter explicitly proves that the primary account holder (you, in this case), has authorized the transfer of the numbers to a new service provider by signing. This is an electronic document that can be completed, signed, and submitted online.

Read and complete the form carefully, making sure that the information you put in matches the information that the current provider has on file for the number. The form will be emailed to you when you initiate your porting request.

Step 5: In Case your Port is Rejected

A port getting rejected is a common occurrence. If your port gets rejected, you may only be given the official reason for the rejection by asking an agent of the new service provider. It may not be clear why your number was not ported, and you may not be given any information on whether or not there is anything you can do to fix this.

The best way to figure it out is by talking to a Vonage agent. This is also a good time to consult your CSR and find out if you provided the correct information to the carrier. If you think all information was correct, you should contact Vonage and get the issue fixed.

Step 6: Check your email

That’s all you have to do on your end to initiate the VoIP number porting process. Once the provider has all of your information, you will receive an email that states when you can expect to have your number ported. The majority of ports are simple, and they take a week to ten days, on average if all the steps are completed promptly. A few days before the port is completed, you will get another email that lets you know the day and time when your number will port. You can also find out the status of the port by talking to the customer service agent.

Keep in mind though, that number porting doesn’t always guarantee you will be able to keep your existing number. However, unless you are moving to a completely different country altogether, it is very possible that you may be able to retain your existing number by porting it from Vonage.

Call Recording Laws

9th November 2017 Learn, Tech, Tips

Are you interested in recording a phone call with someone? Did you know it might not be that easy, depending on where you live? Yep, that’s true: whipping out your phone and pressing record may not be entirely legal in all situations.

For example, if the jurisdiction you are living in says that you must have an agreement from the individual or individuals that you want to record, then you must comply.

Otherwise, you will be breaking the law.

So, what are Call Recording Laws?

In case you’re wondering, there are Federal laws that allow recording of telephone calls and in-person conversations. However, this must be done with the permission of at least one of the people involved.

To Record, or not to Record? That is the Question

Call recording laws are tricky. This is because the rules are different in each state. Now, this begs the question of which state administers the law when you are talking to an individual in a different state. You see, what you might be able to get away within one state, might be different in another state because of the laws.

For instance, Georgia might require the consent of all parties to the conversation, while in California laws may be much more relaxed, or even more stringent. All you may need is the consent of one party and you’re good to go. However, it is important to understand that it is not always clear whether state or federal law applies, and if they do which of the two appropriate state laws controls them. If this is something you’re looking into, it would be wise to have all of your information understood ahead of time to ensure you’re not running into any legal issues.

Here’s something you can keep in mind; a good rule of thumb is that the government of the state in which the recording device is found will apply. A few states, however, might decide to adopt an alternate strategy while tending to the issue. There is always the possibility of a twist being thrown in, and having the law enforced from the state in which the individual being recorded is found. Sounds confusing?

In situations in which recording a call with parties in different states may be taking place, it is best to conform to the strictest laws that may apply, or just take things the easy way, and get everybody’s permission. It is, most certainly, by and large, lawful to record a discussion where every party involved in the gathering agrees to it.

Laws on Recording Conversations

Recording conversations might sound fun, but you need to exude caution. As mentioned earlier, laws on recording conversations are different everywhere. Now, the confusing part comes in when, unfortunately, it is not always easy for you to tell which code operates towards communication, particularly a phone call. For instance, if you’re in Florida and the person you are recording is in Alaska, then it is hard to say in advance whether state or federal law applies. Plus, suppose state law does apply; which of the two applicable state laws will control the circumstances at that point?

If that’s the case, if you decide to record a phone call with people in more than one state, then, you might want to play it safe and get the appropriate permission from everybody. Afterward, once you and the individual you are recording are both situated in the same state, at that point you can rely pretty surely on the law of that state.

Who’s Responsible for Authorizing the Recording of a Phone or In-Person Discussion?

Government law grants recording phone calls and in-person discussions with the assent of no less than one of the parties. See 18 U.S.C. 2511(2)(d). You might recognize this as the “one-party consent” rule. Under a one-party assent law, you can record a telephone call or conversation; just make sure you get permission from the other party, and you will be good to go. Moreover, on the off chance that you are not a party to the conversation, a “one-party assent” law will enable you to record the discussion or telephone call since your source gives permission and has full information that the conversation will be recorded.

At What Point Must you Get Consent from Everyone Required Prior to Recording?

So, are there card recording laws in your state? If you are living in one of the ten states that require the permission of every party to a phone call or discussion to make the recording legal, keep it mind that permission from just one party will not suffice. These “two-party consent” rules have been approved in the following;

  • California
  • Connecticut
  • Florida
  • Illinois
  • Maryland
  • Massachusetts
  • Montana
  • New Hampshire
  • Pennsylvania
  • and Washington

Although they are known as “two-party assent” laws, permission must be acquired from each member of a telephone call or discussion if it includes more than two people. In some of these states, it may be sufficient if all gatherings to the call or discussion realize that you are recording and continue with the correspondence at any rate, regardless of the possibility that they don’t voice expressed permission.

Can you Record a Call or Discussion Without Consent from One of the Members?

It often does not even matter, whether a state or federal law governs the circumstances, it is almost always unlawful to record a private conversation or phone call to which you are not a party, do not have consent from a person involved, and could not have overheard the conversation naturally. Moreover, government and many state laws don’t allow you to secretly bug or use recording gadgets on the phone, in a home, office or eatery to covertly record a discussion between two individuals who have not agreed to do this.

Is there any Difference for the Government?

Now, when it comes to government issues, things are a little different. This is because discussions that cross with government-related business matters or problems conceivably influencing national security have a provision of laws that contrast from discussions being recorded between typical individual subjects or non-government organizations. Wiretapping additionally incorporates the reconnaissance or potentially recording of PC utilization, email trades, and remote correspondences, and it is often quite unlawful.

So, there you have it! A mini crash course on call recording laws!

What is the Do Not Call Registry?

9th November 2017 Learn, Tech, Tips

The National Do Not Call Registry is a compiled list of phone numbers belonging to people who do not wish to receive calls from vendors or telemarketers. The registry is administered by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), which is the United States’ consumer protection agency.

Created in 2003, the National Do Not Call Registry is designed to give consumers freedom of choice when it comes to receiving telemarketing calls. Only personal numbers can be added to the register. Business numbers and fax numbers are not covered. Once added, telephone numbers will remain on the registry until they are disconnected, reassigned, or until the consumer decides to remove their number from the list.

What Types of Calls are Covered by the Do Not Call Registry?

The ‘do not call’ regulations of the Telemarketing Sale Rule (TSR) cover any campaign, program or plan to sell services and goods through phone calls. This includes calls made by telemarketers who are acting on behalf of third-party vendors and vendors who are providing or offering services and goods to consumers in exchange for or as part of a telemarketing transaction.

The Do Not Call Registry’s provisions do not cover calls from charitable foundations, political organizations, telephone surveys, or companies with which the consumer already has a business relationship.

Organizations which are Exempt from the Do Not Call Registry

Your organization may be eligible for exempt status from the Do Not Call Registry if it is a non-profit organization or an organization that only makes calls for one of the following reasons:

  • A message that is purely informational is being delivered. For example, the call is being made to inform a consumer about the delivery status of an order.
  • The call is being made for the sole purpose of conducting a survey, which is not part of a plan to solicit purchases of services or goods.
  • The call is being made specifically to promote a political party or candidate.
  • The call is being made from one business to another business in order to solicit a purchase.
  • The call is being made in an attempt to solicit a charitable donation.
  • The call is being made to a consumer who already has an established business relationship with the organization making the call.

Calls may also be made to consumers who have given their written consent to receive calls from telemarketers.

Who Has Access to the Do Not Call Registry?

The only people who can access the Do Not Call Registry are telemarketers, vendors, and other service providers.

The numbers on the Do Not Call Registry may not be used for any purpose other than preventing telemarketing calls to the numbers listed on the registry. Use of the numbers for any other purpose could result in legal action being taken.

You can access the Do Not Call Registry through the telemarketing.donotcall.gov secure website. You must sign up and set up a profile by providing information about your organization. If you are accessing the registry on behalf of a vendor client, then you must also provide their information.

If you are required to use the Do Not Call Registry, then you must update your lists to match the registry every 31 days. Your access to the registry is only for the area codes for which you have paid.

Your access is unlimited until your annual fee has expired.

Paying for Access to the Do Not Call Registry

For organizations who wish to access the registry, information for up to five area codes is free. For subsequent data, there is an annual fee of $62 per area code, up to a maximum fee of $17,021. The fee is paid on an annual basis. The fee covers a period of twelve months following the first day of the month in which the subscription was paid. Exempt organizations may access the registry without paying a fee. An organization that pays the fee with a credit card will receive immediate access to the registry.

An organization that pays the subscription fee by electronic transfer of funds will gain access once the payment has cleared. Organizations that want to access information from more area codes than originally chosen may do so, but charges will incur if the total number of area codes is in excess of five. Additional charges of $62 per area code will be made during the first six months of the annual period. During the second six months, the organization will be charged $31 for each new area code.

Organizations’ Compliance and Liability

An organization that is a vendor or telemarketer may be liable for making telemarketing calls, even to numbers that are not listed in the Do Not Call Registry, if the vendor has not first accessed the registry and paid the appropriate fee. Each call that is made counts as a separate violation. Each violation can incur a fine of up to $43,792.

It is against the law for a vendor or telemarketer to call any number listed in the Do Not Call Registry unless the vendor or telemarketer has already established a business relationship with the consumer or the consumer has provided written consent to be called.

It is also against the law for a vendor or telemarketer to call a consumer within a given area code unless the vendor has first subscribed to the section of the Do Not Call Registry covering that area code. You can obtain more detailed information about compliance in the online guide Complying with the Telemarketing Sales Rule.

If you are thinking of trying to draw new business with a call campaign, before you dial, make sure you are aware of the National Do Not Call Registry rules and regulations.

Otherwise, you may end up on the receiving end of some heavy fines and your phone number might get marked as spam. Remember, it’s okay to call a client if you have an existing business relationship, or if you are taking a survey, but you must be aware of state Do Not Call lists.

How SMS Forwarding Works

8th November 2017 Learn, Tech

What Is SMS?

In recent years, SMS appears to be replacing phone calls to a large extent. People are making fewer calls and spending more time on their phones messaging to friends, family, colleagues, or business associates. We are here to answer the question, How SMS Forwarding Works.

Gone are the days when you could spot a good number of people talking on their phones on the bus or in the train. These days, everybody seems to be staring down at their phones rather than have them at their ears.

SMS is the abbreviation of Short Message Service. It can be referred to as a means of communication that allows you to send text messages between phones. The “short” in SMS simply refers to the maximum size of each text message which is 160 characters (symbols, letters, numbers consisting of the Latin alphabet). For other languages such as Chinese, the maximum size is 70 characters.

SMS/text messaging is very cheap or free in some cases, which is one of the reasons why it has become the preferred means of communication. Many telephone networks offer SMS as an additional feature to go with voice call subscription plans.

SMS is a very reliable means of communication when you are in a very busy and crowded place like bus stations or at concerts. It is a discreet means of communication especially when you are trying to pass across important information and you do not wish to be overheard.

How Does SMS Work?

Your phone is constantly sending and receiving information through what is called a “control channel” whether you are on a phone call or not. This control channel acts like a tracker which is constantly identifying what cell tower your phone is near and is able to track your phone as you change towers. While you are busy going about your daily activities, your cell phone is constantly exchanging packet data which keeps your phone connected to the control channel.

This information exchange between your phone and the control channel is why you are able to receive phone calls. Your phone rings as a result of a message which is sent to your phone when an incoming call is detected. This system of information traffic is why you are also able to receive text messages on your phone. When your friends and colleagues send you an SMS, the message passes through the SMSC to the control tower which then sends the message down to your phone as a packet data. The same process is repeated when you send messages to another phone. A SMS will usually feature a data format including a timestamp, message length, sender, and destination phone number.

what is sms
Source: DepositPhotos.com – O#183562746 ID#27446420

SMS Forwarding

SMS forwarding is a service that allows you to forward incoming SMS to your email or directly to a phone number that has been designated as the receiving number. Global Call Forwarding is a service provider in which subscribers can sign up for a virtual number that enables them to receive forwarded messages from country specific numbers or internationally directly to their email. SMS forwarding is fast becoming the new communication trend that appears to be attracting more users for both business and personal use.

Business Use

SMS forwarding for business use is just as important as call forwarding as it makes you more accessible to mobile communication anywhere in the world. This service allows you to receive SMS from your clients and customers in an email format. SMS forwarding serves as an alternative means of communication through which your customers can reach you.
While call forwarding is great for customers who prefer to make voice calls, SMS forwarding is an alternative for customers who prefer to send text. You can simply get an SMS forwarding number for your customers through which they can make reservations, bookings, and provide feedback.

Personal Use

SMS forwarding allows users to have a virtual number for the sole purpose of receiving text messages. SMS forwarding feature can be applied to a number of personal uses. For instance, some users subscribe to virtual numbers that are enabled to receive text messages for confirmation codes.
SMS forwarding allows people to receive text messages from friends and family from another country.

How Does SMS Forwarding Work?

It is important to know how SMS forwarding works. When text messages are forwarded to the SMS virtual number you designate, that same text message is sent to an email address that has been assigned by the subscriber. For example, if your business associate who lives in the U.S. sends a text message to your U.S. SMS forwarding number, you will also be able to receive the text message in email format.

SMS forwarding subscribers can get virtual numbers which will allow them to receive text messages from specific countries. The SMS forwarded in email format will include the sender’s ID and timestamps. Subscribers will be able to access all the details about their SMS such as date, time, and content by logging into their online portal on the website.

You can assign your receiving email address within the control panel of your online account. Global Call Forwarding will allow you to set up an online profile on their website where changes can be made on SMS features to suit your preference.

Subscribing To SMS Forwarding

Subscribing to SMS forwarding is the easiest part. The process is simple and straightforward and you can have your SMS forwarding service available to you in a matter of minutes.

Simply sign up with a call forwarding provider such as Global Call Forwarding. Select a country, state, and city, and your SMS forwarding number will be assigned right away. The next step will be assigning your destination number.

For most SMS forwarding services you will get a free trial period in which you will be allowed to become familiar with the services. The time limit is 7 days for individuals and 14 days for businesses depending on the number and destination chosen, if you are working with Global Call Forwarding.

Some services offer monthly plans, while others offer packages that are dependent on the volume of incoming text. There are also packages that are designed for enterprises with a huge volume of incoming text messages.

How to Forward Calls with T-Mobile

10th October 2017 Learn, Tech

This article discusses the forwarding of incoming calls and text messages to T-Mobile phones. It also gives background on T-Mobile and information on international call forwarding services in general, and the many benefits available.

T-Mobile is one of the most well-known mobile phone companies in the world, and their services are often highly praised for its great quality as well as affordability. Among the many conveniences, they offer their customers, call forwarding is one of the best, enabling their users to route calls as needed. To make things simple with T-Mobile call forwarding, a variety of codes can be utilized for fast, efficient access.

Self-Service Short Codes

Mobile users, with monthly and prepaid T-Mobile accounts, can use self-service shortcodes to activate plan features such as call forwarding. However, non-T-Mobile codes do not work with the Simple Choice Plan with No Credit Check. The process for using self-service shortcodes is straightforward. First, locate the code from the following table. Then, dial the code on your mobile phone and hit the call button.

Short Code What the Self-service Short Code Does
##004# Cancel call forwarding
**21*Phone Number# Turn on unconditional call forwarding (CFU) to a number
##21# Turn off unconditional call forwarding
**61*Phone Number# Turn on call forwarding if no reply (CF NRY) to a number
##61# Turn off call forwarding if no reply
**62*Phone Number# Turn on call forwarding when not reachable (CF NRC)
##62# Turn off call forwarding when not reachable
**67*Phone Number# Turn on call forwarding when busy (CFB
##67# Turn off call forwarding when busy
**61*18056377249**seconds#
Insert the desired number of delay seconds		 This changes the call forwarding delay time from five to 30 seconds. For example, dialing **61*18056377249**12# sets a 12-second delay.
*43# Turn on call waiting
#43# Turn off call waiting

Forwarding Calls Using Cell Phone Menus

Mobile phone users can set call forwarding options using the menus on their phones. Each brand of phone is different, and their menu options vary. Below is an example of activating or deactivating call forwarding on an Android HTC One S phone.

To activate or disable call forwarding, do the following:

  • Touch the “Notification” bar and slide down.
  • Tap the “Settings” icon.
  • Scroll to “Phone” and tap “Call.”
  • Tap “Call Forwarding.”
  • Tap “Always Forward” to enable or “Disable” to disable call forwarding.

The T-Mobile support web site featured the above example.

Forwarding Text Messages

T-Mobile lacks provision to forward text messages. However, the T-Mobile website offered the suggestion of using a 3rd-party app.

Background on T-Mobile

T-Mobile US has its headquarters in Bellevue, Washington. Its majority shareholder is a German company, Deutsche Telekom (DT). T-Mobile provides wireless voice and data services in the United States to 73 million customers as of the first quarter of 2017. T-Mobile began as VoiceStream Wireless PCS in 1994. After a spin off, a buyout, and a merger, it became T-Mobile in 2013.

T-Mobile operates a 4G LTE network that can reach over 312 million potential subscribers. The term LTE stands for Long Term Evolution (a technical process for high-speed mobile devices), and 4G stands for fourth-generation wireless standard. T-Mobile has roaming agreements with several mobile network providers. It also markets T-Mobile HotSpots, which consists of public and private Wi-Fi networks.

Products and Services

T-Mobile ONE

T-Mobile ONE will be the only rate plan offered in the future while T-Mobile phases out Simple Choice. The plan includes unlimited voice minutes, text messaging, high-speed data (32 GB/ month), High Definition (1080p) video streaming, and 10 GB of High-Speed Mobile Hotspot data at 4G LTE speeds. Beyond the 10 GB limit, Hotspot data slows to 3G speeds

Simple Choice

The Simple Choice plan was part of T-Mobile’s Un-carrier initiative. The plan dropped contracts, subsidized phones, overage fees for data, and early termination fees. T-Mobile no longer offers the Simple Choice plan to new customers although existing subscribers can keep their plans.

Capping Unlimited Data Users

Some users, with unlimited data plans, have been violating T-Mobile’s Terms & Conditions regarding tethering. Tethering is the sharing of a mobile’s internet connection with other devices. This has created speed issues for all other customers, and as a result, T-Mobile is removing user access to unlimited plans and substituting tiered plans.

T-Mobile InReach Program

The InReach Program provides free cell phone service with limited voice minutes for income-eligible families. The Universal Service Fund sponsors the program in some states as well as Puerto Rico.

MetroPCS

MetroPCS merged with T-Mobile in 2013, but continues to offer prepaid wireless services under the MetroPCS brand.

GoSmart Mobile

GoSmart, a branded T-Mobile service, offered no-contract wireless services to “Authorized Dealers.” In 2016, TracFone Wireless bought the brand the accompanying 326,000 GoSmart Mobile customers.

T-Mobile Reviews

One area T-Mobile has gained a tremendous amount of applause for is speed, as their speed in populated areas is superior to that of its competition. Furthermore, T-Mobile offers large amounts of data for very low prices. There are no contracts or termination fees, and they offer a payment plan for phone purchases. Help and support has also greatly advanced in recent years, as it has become a necessity for companies like T-Mobile to offer customers the best support possible. The one major drawback is abysmal rural coverage.

Call Forwarding, Another Perspective

Global Call Forwarding (GCF) provides international call forwarding services. Businesses that purchase those numbers often have offices in other parts of the world but desire to maintain a virtual presence in other locales. These ITFS numbers function as described below.

  • The caller dials the number.
  • GCF forwards the call to a programmed destination.
  • Your business receives the call on a landline, mobile, or PBX system.

GCF also offers many forwarding features with its toll free numbers.

Sequential Forwarding

Sequential ring delivers calls down a list of programmed phone numbers, which is essential for many businesses. For example, if a person is away from their desk, the next number in the list receives the call. The user can set the ringing time for each destination, and the call sequence can have four additional destination numbers.

Time of Day Routing

Time-based call forwarding routes calls based on the time of day or day of the week. For example, from 9 AM to 5 PM, your office number may ring. From 5 PM to 6 PM, you may direct calls to your mobile phone and from 6 PM to 10 PM, to your home phone. You may direct all late night calls and weekend calls to voicemail.

Failover Forwarding

Businesses can program multiple phone numbers or Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) accounts that use different Tier 1 carriers. If the first number or SIP account is busy, the system forwards the call to the next number or SIP. Failover forwarding prevents dropped calls.

Advanced Interactive Voice Response (IVR)

IVR establishes a computer greeting system that receives incoming calls. It interacts with callers via prompts and directs calls based on voice or keypad responses from them. The cloud IVR solution can be customized to meet your business needs.

Select Country Forwarding

Select country forwarding directs calls to numbers based on the caller’s geographic location. Therefore, if a person is calling from France, a French-speaking attendant will receive the call.

Forward Fax

This feature receives and forwards faxes to an email address as image files.

SMS Forwarding

Unlike T-Mobile, GCF provides plans to forward SMS messages to your email address. Users must subscribe to an SMS enabled phone number. Users can view the details of SMS messages on the GCF online control panel.

What Is An SMS Forwarding Number?

10th October 2017 Learn, Tech

What Is SMS?

A Short Message Service (SMS) is a component of most, if not all, telephone, internet, and mobile phone systems. The service makes use of standard communication systems that allows mobile phones to send and receive short text messages.

There are applications that have text-to-voice facilities where text messages can be sent to landlines as automated voice calls. By 2010, it was reported that there were 3.5 billion users, making up about 80% of mobile phone subscribers.

SMS, as it is used today was developed based on radio telegraphy technology in radio memo pagers, which made use of standardized telephone protocols.

buy virtual phone numbers sms
Source: Stockphoto.com O#21565 – ID#100071739333

Short Message Services (SMS) has become a very reliable tool in mobile advertising, which has become a major tool in direct sales marketing. Based on marketing research from 2014, it was revealed that the global Short Message Service is thriving and was estimated to be worth about $100 billion. This figure only accounts for about 50% of total revenue generated by mobile phone messaging.

SMS was originally developed for GSM networks, but with advancement in telecommunication technology, the service is now available over a wide range of networks across the globe. SMS is now available on 3G and 4G networks.

It is important to note that not all text messaging systems make use of SMS. There are alternative methods of sending text messages as current communication technologies has made it possible with innovations like iMessage by Apple on their iPhone and iPad, RIM’s BBM on their Blackberry devices and email messaging platforms. All of which uses standard mail protocols like SMTP over TCP/IP.

What is SMS Forwarding?

SMS has become the world’s primary means of communication. This is because it is fast and very affordable. Receiving inconvenient phone calls, for example, if you happen to be at a busy train station or at a club, is completely unnecessary. All you need to do is send an SMS.

SMS forwarding is a feature for DIDs which allows you to receive messages from a single or multiple sources on one number. For many, SMS forwarding is a great way of keeping personal details or contact info private and free from intrusion.

SMS forwarding services is a new feature that usually comes with call forwarding services. You can forward incoming messages to a predetermined email address via a SMS forwarding number that is enabled to receive texts.

SMS Forwarding For Personal Use

SMS forwarding is also great for individuals who have multiple numbers and need to keep things in one place. Instead of having to access all of your numbers to receive messages, you can have them forwarded to a single number which will indicate which of your numbers the message originated from.

SMS forwarding is a very useful communication tool. People who have lost their number, or have recently changed their mobile numbers can have incoming SMS forwarded to their new numbers. This ensures that they do not lose communication with important contacts.

SMS forwarding is also great for receiving confirmation codes after signing up for a service. There are many people who do not like to exchange personal information publicly – especially on the internet. Therefore, a SMS forwarding service comes in handy.

SMS Forwarding For Business Use

Apart from call forwarding, businesses also make use of SMS forwarding as a means of keeping the communication lines open and more accessible to their customers. Businesses are able to receive incoming texts from their customers in email format.

For many customers, texting is their preferred means of communication. It would make great business sense to have SMS forwarding as an alternative to call forwarding. By providing an SMS forwarding number to your customers, you have given them a great opportunity to easily make reservations, inquiries, and provide product and service feedback.

Global Call Forwarding provides SMS forwarding for businesses that can be customized via their online platform where changes can be made, as well as allowing customers to view account records and activities for total convenience.

What is An SMS Forwarding Number?

An SMS forwarding number is a number that is activated and used to forward text messages to a mobile number or an email address. SMS forwarding numbers are similar to regular virtual phone numbers. Having an SMS forwarding number can allow you to receive incoming text messages and forward them to a landline as a voice call.

SMS forwarding numbers are usually offered as an add-on when you subscribe to Global Call Forwarding. They can also be assigned as a stand-alone service for personal and business use.

How SMS Forwarding Works

SMS forwarding works by simply sending incoming messages to a mobile phone number or email address that is predetermined by the subscriber. For instance, a subscriber can choose to get an SMS enabled number for the sake of receiving text messages from selected countries.

When a text message is sent to an SMS forwarding number, the text message is automatically forwarded to a receiving email or mobile phone number with the sender’s ID. This way, subscribers can track where text messages originated from.

Subscribers can access analytics and other details of incoming text messages via their online control panel. Details such as time, location of where texts originate from, and content can be viewed. Having access to the details of incoming texts can be useful to the growth of your business. This can also be used to increase the efficiency of customer services and feedback.

Customers can also take advantage of email to SMS gateway services to forward messages to mobile phones. SMS gateways vary from one service provider to another, so do not expect the same offerings from all.

SMS Forwarding Plans

Global Call Forwarding stands at the forefront by offering different SMS forwarding plans. These plans come with different levels of usage, so there is something for every type of use; from basic individual plans to business enterprise plans.

Subscribers can be billed on a per-text basis or based on the number of texts that are included in plan. A virtual SMS forwarding number can also be provided as an add-on to other services that are offered.