Voice over Internet Protocol
(VoIP) is a communication technology that allows you to make phone calls
using the Internet instead of a traditional telephone line. Instead
of plugging a phone into the wall you plug it into a special Broadband
Telephone Adapter that converts phone signals into internet signals.
You can also use a personal computer with a software phone (soft-phone) to
talk as well.
A number of 7TEL
services take advantage of VoIP technology, including Solo, Family, and SOHO
Unlimited.
2. Are there any special
requirements in order to get VoIP in my home?
You must have a high-speed
internet connection in order to get VoIP service. For optimal quality, we
recommend that you have Cable or DSL service with a minimum 128 Kb up/down
speed. Satellite broadband or any service that has significant latency or
packet loss is not recommended as it will likely cause jitter and other
quality problems.
If you are not sure your
connection is VoIP capable, there are a number of resources on the internet
for testing the quality of your internet connection (e.g.
http://www.testyourvoip.com and
http://www.dslreports.com).
3. Do I have to buy special
equipment to use VoIP?
In order to use VoIP service
you must have an VoIP enabled device like Broadband Phone Adapters (provided
by 7TEL free of charge*), native VoIP Phones, and soft-phones.
4. Can I use a regular
telephone to make and receive VoIP calls?
Yes, as long as you have an
Broadband Telephone Adapter. An adapter is provided free of charge* to all
7TEL customers.
5. Can I keep my existing
telephone number if I switch to VoIP?
Yes, in most cases. Please
keep in mind that it will probably take longer to transfer your number than
to issue you a new number. Also, you may not be able to move your number if
you have DSL.
6. How long will it take to transfer my
number from another provider?
It may take up to 21 days for your existing
phone number to be transferred. To avoid interruption in service and loss
of your existing phone number, DO NOT CANCEL your existing phone service
until your number is switched to 7TEL.
7. Will VoIP work with my
home alarm system?
We don't recommend using VoIP
to connect a home alarm system. First, it will require modification of your
home telephone wiring. Secondly, if there is a power outage or interruption
in your Internet service, your home alarm will not work.
8. Will VoIP work with my
TiVo/DirecTV system?
Yes, your system will be able
to dial-up through your VoIP line. If the system connects through the
internet then the VoIP will not affect it at all.
9. What if I have more than
one telephone in my house?
The easiest way to use VoIP
service with more than one telephone is to purchase a cordless telephone
system with multiple handsets. You may also connect multiple telephones to
your VoIP service by using a multiple jack extension connector plugged into
the adapter or by using wireless jacks.
10. Can I get 2 (or more)
telephone numbers?
Absolutely. You can get
multiple home phone lines and multiple mobile phones, and you can get
additional Anywhere Numbers for either.
Check out our
Products section for more information.
11. Does VoIP service include
Call Waiting/Caller ID/Call Forwarding/Call Blocking?
Yes- in some cases. We will register your
Telephone Adapter so that the 911 calls made through that adapter are routed to the correct service center for the service address you provided at signup. Please
note: 911 is only available from the address for which your phone is registered. If you
use your adapter from other than the registered address, we cannot guarnatee that the call will be completed or that an the operator will be able to assist you.
Note: Softphones are not 911 capable.
13. What kind of adapter
will I get?
By default you will get a
Linksys PAP2 Adapter free of charge*. These adapters provide high quality
voice service simultaneous with Internet use. They also provide two
telephone jacks so that if you have more than one number, you can plug in
two phones or your phone and fax machine.
You can also opt to upgrade to a other advanced devices such as routers with built in Telephone Adapters.
14. How do I get my Broadband Telephone
Adapter?
Your Broadband Telephone Adapter will be
mailed to you.
15. Does 7TEL come with a calling card?
Every 7TEL Center can be accessed from any phone by dialing (866) 359-1722. From there you can check messages, lookup contacts, or make phone calls as if it were a calling card.
Wireless Service
1. Does 7TEL really
offer wireless service?
Yes. 7TEL has several
wireless plans available both as standalone services and as companions to
the home service products. See Products for
more details.
2. How is this
different from wireless service that I could get from other carriers like
Cingular, Verizon, and T-Mobile?
From a technical standpoint,
it's not- 7TEL Mobile uses the same wireless and network technology as
the other carriers. The difference is the great value and advanced
features 7TEL adds that other carriers just can't match.
3. If I get your
wireless service and your home service, will I get two bills?
No- all of 7TEL's
products are fully integrated from both a technical and billing standpoint.
For instance, you'll be able to share your personal voicemail box between
your home and wireless phones.
4. Do I have to get
7TEL home service to get 7TEL Mobile?
No- we have standalone
wireless plans as well as companion plans. We do offer discounts,
however, for people who have both home and mobile service.
5. Why should I get
wireless service through 7TEL?
First, we only charge you for
the minutes you use; you don't have to play "plan roulette" trying to guess
the best plan without going too far over or under.
Second, we fully integrate
you home and wireless phones so you have only one personal communication
center (7TEL Center) to keep track of on all of your phones.
Third, we add powerful
features for parents to be able to manage the minutes their children use and
who they call. 7TEL also lets parents keep track of where their
kids are and how fast they are going.
6. Why aren't other
service providers offering home and wireless bundles with these advanced
features?
We don't know- ask them.
7. Do 7TEL phones
support short messaging, wireless web, and ringtones?
Not currently, but we expect
to add these capabilities shortly.
8. Can I keep my existing wireless number?
Not currently, but we should have this capability soon.
7TEL Center
1. What is it?
7TEL Center is a virtual personal assistant on steroids.
Everyone on your account gets their own 7TEL Center where they will
pick up their voicemails, send and receive emails, and maintain all of their
contact information. They can also use the 7TEL Center to set up
privacy controls that filter out unwanted calls as well as send the calls to
other phones.
Here's a short list of 7TEL Center features:
Voicemail - available on the phone and web
Email - available on the phone and web
Telemail - send a voicemail to a group of people through the phone
Address Book - retrieve contact information on the phone and web
Voice Activated Dialer - make calls from the address book simply by saying a name
Privacy Controls - you decide when, where, and who you want to take calls from
Call Management/Find Me - send calls to up to three other phones when you are away
Virtual Receptionist - puts all of your voicemails on shared lines
Mobile Phone Manager - view usage and configure Calling Restrictions
2. Can I get more than one 7TEL Center on my phone?
Yes- each person in your family or sharing the account will get a
7TEL Center.
3. How much do they cost?
Most plans include one or more 7TEL Center for FREE. See the
Products page for details.
4. So if I have a 7TEL home line and a 7TEL mobile phone,
do I have to manage two 7TEL Centers?
No- unless you really want to. 7TEL understands that people
may have multiple phones they use, so it can tie one 7TEL Center to any
number of phones. That way you only have one place to go for all of your
messages and contact info.
5. How do I get to the 7TEL Center?
You can access the 7TEL Center from and phone or web browser.
If you're on a 7TEL Phone it's as simple as pressing '0' and following
the prompts- from there you can make calls using your address book, listen
to voicemail and emails, and more.
On the web, you can access your account through the 7TEL Center
portal. From here you can manage your address book, send and receive
emails and voicemails, and more.
6. Can I really talk to my 7TEL Center?
Yes- 7TEL Center is fully Speech Recognition capable, so you can use
natural voice commands to do anything you need to do on the phone.
Better yet, 7TEL Center does not require training like many phone
handsets and PC programs requires, so you're ready to go the first time you
call in.
7. What is this "Receptionist"?
Since each person on the account gets a 7TEL Center,
it's common that many 7TEL Centers are on a single phone line (for
instance, your shared home phone lines). The 7TEL Receptionist
will ask your caller who they are trying to reach and then send them to the
appropriate 7TEL Center. This means the caller will be able to
leave a message for that specific person or be directed to another phone by
that person's Find Me.
