Hi

I am in the early stages of starting up a business (which will employ just me!)

I will have a company mobile for my own use.

However I would also like a separate number to put on the website for new incoming business enquiries (no out going calls will be made). I generally won't be able to answer so it needs to have voicemail. I am not expecting many calls!!

What is the cheapest way of doing this? Also I don't want to pay a monthly fee to an answering service

I don't have a landline at home and want to avoid putting one in and paying expensive line rental.

I have heard about virtual phone numbers but don't understand them. Would they solve my problem?

How about a PAYG mobile. Once I have topped it up. Could I check my voicemail for free?

I still think a 'landline looking' number would be better though and look more professional on the website. Thanks for any help!

Regards

Sally

A couple of points from my own experiences.

I set up my own business 18 months ago. I've got an EE account, on a business tariff.

As far as EE were concerned (I suspect similar with the other networks) they wanted to see proof of my company registration, and company bank account when I signed up.

They also refused to enable roaming, without me paying a 250 quid deposit, as I had no credit worthiness as a brand new business, (despite a clean 35 year record as an individual) They told me the deposit would be returned after three months clean credit, when it got to three months, they told me six, at six they told me a year, after a year they then expressed surprise it hadn't been refunded after 3 months. Doh, muppets.

Voicemail retrieval calls are free, even when accessed abroad (under my inclusive roaming add on), though there's nothing I can find on the EE website that confirms that, and indeed it says Voicemail is chargeable abroad. Go figure !

For voicemail and a business line: Get a VoIP system.

I use voicehost.co.uk but your ISP may have a VoIP option; I know Plusnet does.

Localphone

Used these for a few years now for a few landline numbers that I have going straight to voicemail and find them brilliant. Voicemail is free but I divert to HulluMail for the convenience...

http://www.localphone.com/services/incoming_numbers

The PAYG operators offering free voicemail are Lomo, Lycamobile, Now, Talk Home and White.

Pete Forman
http://petef.22web.org/payg.html