Business Voice FAQ

Q: What is Voice over Internet Protocol (VOIP)?

A: Instead of receiving analog calls through Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN), Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) allows you to make and receive phone calls over an internet connection.

Q: What is the difference between a Hosted Solution vs a Non-Hosted Solution?

A: A Hosted solution allows small to mid-size companies to have a sophisticated telephone system, similar to a Fortune 500 telephone system without investing in expensive telephone equipment. With a Non-hosted solution Fireline Communication provides a PBX at the customer premise.

Q: What is an ATA device (analog telephone adapter)?

A: An ATA is a piece of hardware that converts the analog signal from your telephone or fax machine into digital data that can be transmitted over the internet.

Q: I own my current phone system; can I still use Fireline Communications services?

A: Yes, we can provide a VOIP gateway that can interface with most phone systems.

Q: What type of Phones do I need?

A: Our hosted VOIP platform requires an IP based phone.  You can purchase phones from us up front.  They will come pre-configured with your settings, so all you will have to do is open the box and plug it into your network.

Q: What kind of connection does Hosted VoIP Require?

A:Our Hosted VoIP platform requires that you have a stable internet connection.  Each concurrent phone call uses about 80 Kbps of bandwidth.

Q: Can I keep my current phone numbers?

A: Absolutely, for a nominal fee Fireline Communications can port your existing phone numbers over to our service.

Q: Can I keep the same phone features that I currently have?

A: Yes, Fireline Communications offers industry standard calling features. Ask your Sales Representative for a complete list of calling features available.

Q: What is Quality of Service (QOS)?

A: QOS assigns high priority to voice traffic packets than data traffic packets. It guarantees a certain level of throughput to telephone calls by assigning priority levels to applications that use the internet.

Q: Do you support fax features?

A: Yes, we support hardware faxes on your premise and we can provide a software fax solution at our data center for sending and receiving faxes.

Q: What is a Private Branch Exchange (PBX)?

A: A PBX is a telephone exchange that offers advanced office communications.

Q: Does Fireline Communication support SIP Trunks?

A: Yes, Fireline Communications can support most SIP compatible phone system. Please ask your sales representative to confirm that your phone system is SIP compatible.

Q: Can you provide a PRI handoff?

A: Yes, we support both analog and TDM (digital) handoff.

Q: I only need 3 phone lines, can you still provide me with service?

A: Yes, Fireline Communication can customize a phone solution to meet all business size needs. We can customize a solution for 1 or more phone lines.

Q: Is there a charge for calls made between my two offices?

A: No, there are no charges for inter-office or in networking calls saving you more money each month.