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Glossary Of Terms |
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NTS (Number Translation Services).
This means that when a caller dials your
NTS number , we simply route their call on to your chosen destination i.e office number. |
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CLI (Calling Line Identifier).
Put simply this a telephone number. |
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DDI (Direct Dial Inward).
A specific number within a group usually used to
describe a direct dial extension within an organisation. |
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Non-Geographic Number
This is the term used to
describe a freephone or 07,08 or 09 type of number where the geographic location cannot be determined by the
dialling code. |
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City Numbers
These are geographic numbers but
in looks only. They have prefixes such as 0121 Birmingham or 0117 for Bristol but can be directing to any UK number.
This gives allows a company to have presence in a city location whilst actually receiving calls in another part of
the country. They have all the functionality that can be applied to one of our Non Geographic Numbers including
The Switch Virtual Office. |
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Frequently Asked Questions |
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Is there a manual for the Virtual Office?
The PDF manual can be downloaded by clicking here.
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Can I route my number to a mobile?
Yes you can. Please note that there is a one-off administration fee of £10.00 and call routing costs are 9-10p per minute on average (Prices quoted exclude VAT). |
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Will having a non-geographic number affect the way I make and receive calls on my current number?
No. Your outbound calls and provider are not affected. You will receive incoming calls on your direct number as you
do now.
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Do I need to get another line installed to receive calls on my 0845/0870/0800 number?
No. We route the number to your existing line; callers can dial either your normal local exchange number or the
new non-geographic number (NGN). Both ways you will receive the call as normal.
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How much do calls cost from an 0845, 0870 or 0800 number?
This is a common question
that we're asked - outgoing calls cannot be made on a non-geographic number, they only carry inbound traffic, so you will
not receive a bill from us for making phone calls.
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How much does it cost to phone an 0845 number?
An 0845 number is charged at the BT Local Rate around 3.5p Peak and around 2p Off Peak. Calls to this range are free with some BT Packages.
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How many times can I redirect my number, and is there a fee to do so?
With The
Switch Virtual Office you can change your numbers at any time online. If you would prefer you can call customer services
directly or email numbers@switch-tele.com and we will make
the change normally within the hour.
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Can I have voicemail?
Our Switch Virtual Office has a myriad of features including
a voicemail, an opening greeting for callers, time based scheduling and fax to email
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What about international callers?
Ofcom have requested that all international carriers allow our 01,02,03 and 0870 numbers to be called from overseas, but it is up to the international carriers to do the work involved to make this possible; therefore we can offer no guarantees with regards to receiving calls from overseas.
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Are there any other charges that I should know about?
Our charges are completely transparent. Your annual service fee covers all of your administration. The rates to upgrade your number and for additional services are shown in your web console. Routes to mobile numbers or international destinations may incur monthly call costs.
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What happens if Switchconnect goes out of business? Would I lose the numbers I have with
you?
Switchconnect is a highly successful and growing company. We own all of our infrastructure and will
continue to deliver a reliable service to the best of our abilities. In the unlikely event that Switch go out of business,
a suitable alternate provider will be sourced and there will be no affect on your service.
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Will the pricing change for my numbers?
We guarantee that as long as the agreements
set up by the regulators OFCOM stay the same, we will not change the pricing on your numbers. However, the industry
regulator is always reviewing the UK numbering plan and how numbers are being used in the UK , so you can expect things to
change in the future.
On the plus side, we are normally given notice of changes and should be able to give you plenty
of time to take any necessary steps to review the changes and take decisions before they come into effect.
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Which Number should I choose?
This is entirely up to you! However, different
numbers can say different things about your business. For example a freephone number shows customers you really want
them to call and are willing to pay for their call to you. In fact market research indicates that on like for like
adverts in the same publication, a freephone number will increase sales enquiries by up to 50%.
Many companies choose different numbers for different departments to reflect
the nature of the call. Ask your self these questions:
- Do you want your clients to
call you for free when ringing your technical support line? Or do you think they should pay more for
support?
- Do you want prospective customers to pay for their calls to you? Or do you want to
incentivise them by paying for the call?
- For general admin enquiries, would it be beneficial to have
some of the cost of providing these functions covered by the revenue received when people call and
use them?
Each number has a different charge to the caller and mostly either generate an
income or charge to the company who uses them. So to get the most of your inbound numbers, you should select
the best numbers for each situation.
As an example, we have a corporate client who uses 0871 numbers
for all their inbound calls, to every department and individual within the business. This
generates £40,000 per month every month for calls they were receiving anyway!
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Will having a non-geographic number affect the way I make and receive calls on my
current number
No. Your outbound calls and provider are not affected. You will receive incoming calls
on your direct number as you do now.
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Can I port my number to another provider?
Yes. In most cases other networks
can contact us and request the number be ported across to them. However, there is normally a fee for doing so. |
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