Thank you for visiting our RingCentral® frequently asked questions (FAQs) page.  We have tried to address the most common questions that we have received or think that might be asked.  If you don’t see a question listed here, please feel free to use the contact form and send us your question.  If it is unique, we will both answer it to you and include it on this page below.
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General Questions

[su_spoiler title=”What Does VoIP Stand For?”]The term VoIP stands for Voice over Internet Protocal. This is the function of sending your voice over the internet as data. Your VoIP system converts your voice into digital data and then sends it through the VoIP service providers system and through the Internet to its destination. Over the last few years, VoIP has changed from a novelty to major business asset.[/su_spoiler]
[su_spoiler title=”Why Is RingCentral Better Than Other Business PBX or VoIP Options?”]There are many VoIP or similar options for business phone systems. Most systems require that you have a PBX device or computer running software to maintain your PBX system. Then you have to have phone lines or other connections running into your office to get your phone lines. If you lose power, lose a phone line or other problem, then you will lose your phone system.

RingCentral is located and hosted on the Cloud. If you need to change settings or other items on your system, you just login to your account and take care of the changes there. You do not need a phone line coming into your office to access the phone system, as the connections are handled over your high-speed internet connection. You can also have the system send phone calls to your mobile phone, home phone, or most any other connection. In your office location, you can use VoIP based phones to handle your calls and you can receive as many calls as your phone device will handle. Your extensions can be setup to ring the VoIP phone first then a mobile phone or other device based on your needs. This even allows you to receive phone calls even if your power goes out, local phone lines are damaged or some other type of problem.[/su_spoiler]
[su_spoiler title=”I Currently Have More Than One Phone Line, How Can VoIP Help?”]VoIP is a great way to reduce the cost of your phone lines. For example, if you have 3 phone lines through your phone company, which is costing you $85 a month for each line, you are spending $255 for your phone services. With our VoIP program, if you only had one phone in your office, you would be saving $215* per month and have the same or greater number of in-coming phone lines. On a VoIP system, lines are not defined in the same manner as a traditional phone system. On a normal phone system the number of in-coming lines you have is the number of phone calls you can take, but on a VoIP you actually have an unlimited number of inbound class since they are handled on the RingCentral Cloud. This means if you are on the phone and another customer calls, they are present the option to going to voice mail or wait in a que to be answered.

Most VoIP based phones have between 1 and 6 lines (more on some phones) listed on the buttons. This is what is know as a line appearance. Even if you where to order only the 1 user account, if your phone had a 5 line appearance, you would be able to handle 5 calls directly, before the next caller is placed in your que. So in this case, you have a 5 line phone system, that can handle unlimited phone calls (no busy signals) and have other features for far less than you are paying right now.[/su_spoiler]
[su_spoiler title=”Do I Have To Have High Speed Internet?”]No, regardless of which account style (office or mobile) you choose, you do not have to have high speed Internet access. The only time you most have Internet access is when you are working on your account, such as adding extensions or similar activities. If you plan on having a VoIP based phone in your home or office tied to your account, then you will need high speed Internet for it to work. Your Internet connection will need to meet the minimum requirements, which can be viewed here.[/su_spoiler]
[su_spoiler title=”How Many Phones Do I Have To Buy?”]None. Even if you signup for the full feature Office account, you do not have to purchase any type of VoIP phone, if you don’t want too. If you spend most of your time out of the office, say at work sites, you can make an extension in your system that will ring directly to your cellphone or those of your employees. But, if you have an employee that stays in the office that needs to be answering the phone, then you could purchase a phone device, either when we make your initial order, or afterwards.[/su_spoiler]
[su_spoiler title=”Whats The Difference Between A User And A Device?”]They are basically the same thing. When you setup your account, you are paying a user, but in this case, the use is any device that you connect to your phone system that needs to have a dial tone generated. This means if you purchase a VoIP to go in your office, that is 1 user. Even if you have 10 employees, if you only have 3 phones in the office you are only paying for 3 users. Have remote employees that work in another town or state, but wish to have them as part of your phone system? You can either provide them with a VoIP phone (user) or direct their extension number to any phone number that they would like, such as their cellphone.[/su_spoiler]
[su_spoiler title=”How Many Phone Lines Can I Get?”]It depends on how you are using the system. In most cases, you have an unlimited number of phone lines. Since your system is based in the Cloud, if you are currently on the phone and someone calls, they will be placed in a que to be answered with the line opens. Most of the VoIP phones that you can purchase, have a different number line designations. That means if the phone says 5 lines, then you can answer 5 calls at one time before the next call is placed in the que.[/su_spoiler]
[su_spoiler title=”I Don’t Want To Lose My Current Phone Number(s)?”] Spoiler content [/su_spoiler]
[su_spoiler title=”Spoiler title”]No problem. RingCentral offers number porting. Number porting is the ability to transfer your phone number to a new phone service. If you have more than one number, they can all be ported to your new RingCentral account. When you signup for RingCentral Office, you are granted two phone numbers, one main number (either local or toll-free) and one dedicated fax number (either local or toll-free). You can port 2 of your current numbers to those locations. Other numbers can be ported as well for a small month fee, which is usually $4.99 (subject to change).[/su_spoiler]
[su_spoiler title=”Can I Use My Current Credit Card Machine With RingCentral?”] Spoiler content [/su_spoiler]
[su_spoiler title=”Spoiler title”]Not necessarily. It is advices to have your merchant service exchange and equipe you with a Ethernet-based credit card machine. Here is a direct quote from the RingCentral website: “While RingCentral does not suggest using a phone-line connected credit card machine through our ATA, you can use an Ethernet-enabled credit card machine and save a phone line. Because Ethernet-enabled devices work faster when connected directly to the Internet than going through the phone network, you can increase credit transaction speeds. You can also reduce costs because you don’t need an additional analog phone line.

Simply tell your credit card processing service provider that you are using the Ethernet port to submit transactions and plug the credit card machine directly into one of your router ports like you would a PC. If your device does not have an Ethernet port (it’s not IP-based), your credit card processing company may upgrade your machine (generally for no cost or a minimal fee).” Quote retrieved from RingCentral FAQ pages.[/su_spoiler]
[su_spoiler title=”My Office Is A Mobile Phone, How Can RingCentral Help Me?”]Well that is an easy one. Even if your office is a mobile one, such as a lawn service, plumber, or other type, you still need to be able to accept phone calls. With both the RingCentral Office and Mobile programs, you can link your mobile phone to the RingCentral system. When someone calls your new business phone number, depending on how you setup your features, their call will ring to your cellphone without them knowing it. From there you will be able to accept the phone call, send it to your business voice mail and more. If your RingCentral service has the RingOut function, you will also be able to place phone calls using the system and having them show up as your business phone number. No more giving out your cellphone number and getting calls when you might not want them.

It does not matter if your office is a mobile office, home office, small office or anything similar, you deserve the ability to look like a big company to your customers. Its time to provide them with a better experience that can only come about with using RingCentral.[/su_spoiler]
[su_spoiler title=”Is There An App For That?”]Yes, RingCentral has several Apps out for their service. There are several App’s available from RingCentral to help you utilize their system on your phone. While its not necessary, as you can have the calls forwarded to your cellphone number, some users may find some of the other options available to the App users worth while. RingCentral has App’s available for Android, BlackBerry, Window’s Phone and iPhones. They also have limited App’s that will work on iPod Touch and iPads. Please check their site for more information on phone apps.[/su_spoiler]
[su_spoiler title=”I Have Satellite Internet, Can I Still Use RingCentral?”]The answer to that question is both yes and no. Please look below to see what we mean.

No – if you are wanting to connect a VoIP phone or soft-phone to use RingCentral on your network connection, you will not be able to do so. The way that VoIP operates and how satellite based internet functions, they do not operate well with each other. Some people have been able to setup VoIP over Satellite internet, but it is not supported or suggested. If you are a business, you can purchase certain Satellite Internet that will work with VoIP, but that is not a service we can assist with.

Yes – if you are going to be directing your RingCentral lines to a cell-phone or other phone that has a dial tone, then you would only need to access the RingCentral website to handle setting up, making changes and other relate account activities.[/su_spoiler]
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