Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Which number is best for me?

Is there a manual for the Numbers Plus System?

Can I route my number to a mobile telephone?

Do I need to get another line installed to receive calls on my Numbers Plus number?

Will this service change the way I make and receive calls from my phone?

How much will it cost me to make a call from my Numbers Plus virtual number?

How many times can I redirect my number, and is there a fee to do so?

Can I have voicemail?

Can my number be called from overseas?

Can I block unwanted and nuisance callers?

Are there any other charges that I should know about?

Will having a non-geographic number affect the way I make and receive calls on my current number?

Which number is best for me?

The number you choose will depend on the type of calls that you receive.

• If you are using the number for a sales line then a Freephone 0800 or 0808 number would give callers the most incentive to contact you. Note that calls originating from a payphone or a mobile network incur a surcharge payable by you that is not included in any minute bundle.
• If you would like to show a presence in a particular town or city then a geographic number (beginning with 01 or 02) would be the ideal choice.
• If you would like to show a national presence and would like a number that is a low cost to the caller then a number beginning with 03 would be the best choice and does not have the surcharges that apply to a Freephone.
• After-sales support lines where a customer needs to speak to you about a purchased product or service must be provided on a low cost number beginning 01/02 or 03. An 08 number is no longer allowed for this type of call.
• For marketing campaigns we recommend an 084 number (2-7p per minute) which can potentially earn your business a small revenue for the calls received (5p and above). Numbers with a charge of 5p and above are available free of charge and using the statistical information in the console you can measure which of your campaigns is performing the best.
• For technical support lines outside of normal after-sales support criteria you may like to consider an 0871 or 09 number which can generate a revenue for the business. We have a wide range of tariffs from 9p per minute right up to £6.00 per call. Please note that these lines are regulated by PhonePay Plus (www.phonepayplus.org.uk) and there are guidelines for their use. We would be happy to assist and advise you with regard to these lines.

Is there a manual for the Numbers Plus System?

There are user guides for all of our services and a very helpful customer support team who will ensure that you are getting the best from our service.

Can I route my number to a mobile telephone?

Yes you can. All of our plans from Business and above include the option to route calls to a mobile. We also offer inclusive minute bundles with each package to keep your costs down.

Do I need to get another line installed to receive calls on my Numbers Plus number?

There is no need for any additional lines or equipment. The service is hosted on our systems. We simply route calls to your existing land line, mobile, or VoIP Softphone or App.

Will this service change the way I make and receive calls from my phone?

Not at all. Our service is simply another way to deliver calls to you. Our service has no affect on the way that your telephone works. You will still be able to make and receive incoming calls on your direct number as you do now.

How much will it cost me to make a call from my Numbers Plus virtual number?

Any call you make will be through your own phone system. Your outgoing calls are not made through Numbers Plus and as such the charges are your normal rates from your call provider. We do offer a VoIP outbound service and business outdial service separately should you wish to make calls that present your Numbers Plus number as the caller ID, please contact our Sales Team for current rates.

How many times can I redirect my number, and is there a fee to do so?

You can change your routing plan and messages as often as required. With the Numbers Plus system you can change your numbers at any time online. If you would prefer you can call customer services directly or email numbers@numbers-plus.com and we will make the change normally within the hour.

Can I have voicemail?

Voicemail is included as standard with our Numbers Plus Business, Business Advanced and Professional packages. You can record your own personalised outgoing message and any incoming messages left by callers will be delivered straight to your email inbox.

Can my number be called from overseas?

Numbers that begin with 01, 02, or 03 can be called from overseas. 0800, 0844, 0845, 0871 prefixes are not guaranteed and UK premium numbers are not able to be dialled from overseas as they do not have the charging mechanism in place to do so.

Can I block unwanted and nuisance callers?

Yes. Our service allows you to enter in numbers of nuisance callers and they will not be able to call your Numbers Plus number.

Are there any other charges that I should know about?

The service fee covers all of your administration. If you are looking to upgrade your service then the rates for additional features are shown on the web console. You may incur monthly call charges for specific number types or routing destinations such as mobile handsets. Please feel free to call for clarification.

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.

Caller costs on standard BT Tariff in pence per minute including VAT as at July 1st 2015

Costs to You

Charges and revenues based our standard tariff and correct at the time of going to print 1st July 2015.

Glossary of Terms

• 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.
• CLI (Calling Line Identifier).
  Put simply this a telephone number.
• DDI (Direct Dial Inward).
  A specific number within a group usually used to describe a direct dial extension within an organisation.
• Non-Geographic Number.
  This is the term used to describe a 03, 08 or 09 type of number where the geographic location cannot be determined by the dialling code.
• Geographic or City Numbers.
  These are geographic numbers but in looks only. They have prefixes such as 0121 Birmingham or 0117 for Bristol but can be directed to any UK number. This allows a company to have a virtual 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 Numbers from The Numbers Plus system.
• Greeting message.
  Improve the image of your company by greeting each call with a professional welcome message such as "Thank you for calling ABC Company, please hold for our next available advisor"
• Routing to Multiple Destinations.
  Ensure that you receive each call by adding second and third routing options to your number. With this feature, if your main line is engaged or unanswered for a set amount of time, you can divert calls to alternative numbers, perhaps to another office phone, mobile phone or answering service.
• Online Web Console.
  Our online console allows you to make changes to your number services in real time. You can check on voicemails and faxes, check your invoices and monitor your call statistics all through one simple interface.
• Called number presentation.
  If you have caller display enabled on your home, office or mobile phone then this feature allows you to choose to display your Numbers Plus number rather than the caller's number. This helps to separate and identify a business call from a personal or direct call.
• Voicemail to Email.
  If you are very busy or simply away from the office then our voicemail service can take a message and then forward the audio file to your email account. You can also pick up your voicemail through the online console or by dialling in to the service.
• Fax to Email.
  With our fax to email service you can use your number to receive faxes and have those faxes delivered to your email account as a PDF document which can then be saved or printed as required. The document is also stored in an online archive which allows you to retrieve any faxes sent in the last three months.
• Live Call Statistics.
  You can monitor the volume of incoming calls at any time. The live statistics show every detail of the call including the time of day the call was made, the number of the caller, the number they dialled and the number we connected the call to. You can choose from summary reports or more detailed reports depending on your needs.
• Time of Day Routing.
  This feature allows you to set up different call plans for different times of the day and for different days of the week. This can be as simple as a basic out of office hours message, informing callers of your business hours and offering the option of leaving a voicemail or calling back during opening hours, to more complicated routings based on calling different destinations at different times throughout the day.
• Call Whisper.
  If you use a line that takes calls for different businesses or is a home line that friends and family will call, this feature will allow you to determine the type of call before it connects by prompting you with a short message before the caller is put through.
• Call Whisper With Reject
  When a call is connected, the service will play a quick message and prompt for you to press a key to accept the call or another key to reject the call and move the caller to the next routing option or to voicemail if this is the last number in the routing plan. This feature can be useful if you are unable to take a call at the time or if you are working from home and a family member picks up the call while you are out visiting with a client.
• Call Screening.
  With Call Screening a caller is asked to give their name at the start of the call. When the call is connected the name recorded will be played back and you will have the option of taking the call or rejecting the call so that it passes to the next number in the routing plan or to voicemail if this is the last or only number.
• Routing to a mobile phone, international destination or non-geographic number.
  By default the service only allows onward routing to a UK landline destination. With this upgrade you will be able to route calls to other destinations. Please note that the cost of the call delivery will be higher and is billed in your monthly statement.
• Menu Routing.
  Ideal for any business that has different departments and needs to control the routing of incoming calls. At the beginning of each call the caller is given the option to choose how they are connected by pressing a key on their telephone keypad. This would typically be "Thank you for calling XYZ Company, to help us divert your call more effectively please choose from one of the following options: Press one for Sales, press two for Support or press three for Accounts." Each option will have its own routing plan and messages and can be individually edited at any time through the web console. The call statistics will report which options were pressed to help you monitor call distribution.
• Call Recording.
  With the inbound recording facility enabled, each call is recorded on our systems and can be sent to you by email or FTP as well as being stored online in your storage archive.
• Call Queuing.
  Ideal for busy operations, where each and every call needs to be answered. We will keep the calls queued until a line becomes free and will inform the caller of their queue position while they are waiting. You can personalise the on-hold music with bespoke advertising messages or non-copyright music tracks and can configure how many callers are kept queuing at any one time with an option to go to voicemail if they would prefer to leave a message.
• Queue Web Monitor.
  Check on the calls in real time with our Queue Monitor . This is a website application and needs no software installation. It will show details of both active and queued calls and gives you an at-a-glance snapshot of your incoming calls.