Frequently Asked Questions

VoIP stands for Voice over Internet Protocol. It allows you to make and receive business calls through an internet connection instead of a traditional telephone line.

When you speak, SoundLine converts your voice into digital data and sends it over the internet to the person you are calling. Customers can still reach you using a normal business phone number, and you can call traditional landlines and mobile phones just as you would with a conventional phone service.

A traditional business phone system usually depends on physical telephone lines and may require specialized equipment installed at your office. A VoIP system operates primarily through the internet and is managed through the cloud.

With SoundLine, your employees can use desk phones, computers, mobile applications, or a combination of devices. Changes such as adding an employee, updating a greeting, or modifying call routing can generally be made without installing new telephone lines or replacing an entire phone system.

VoIP is particularly useful for businesses with remote employees, multiple offices, seasonal staffing, or plans to grow.

In most cases, yes. SoundLine can help transfer, or port, eligible local and toll-free numbers from your current telephone provider.

To begin the process, we will usually need information from your existing account, including the account holder’s name, service address, account number, billing telephone number, and a recent invoice. We also require a signed Letter of Authorization.

Your account information must match your current provider’s records. Even small differences can delay or reject a transfer request.

Do not cancel your existing phone service before the number transfer has been completed.

Most straightforward number transfers take approximately 5 to 15 business days after SoundLine receives complete and accurate documentation. In some cases it can as fast as 1 day.

The actual timeframe depends on the type and quantity of numbers, your current carrier, the complexity of your account, and whether the submitted information matches your existing carrier’s records. Large or complex transfers may take longer.

SoundLine will coordinate the process with you and provide updates as the transfer progresses. Industry porting timeframes are estimates rather than guarantees because the current carrier must review and approve the request.

Yes. Your existing service should normally remain active while the transfer is being processed.

Continue using your current provider until SoundLine confirms that the transfer has been completed. Do not cancel your old service early, because doing so could cause the number to become inactive or jeopardize the transfer.

There may be a brief transition period when the number moves between carriers. SoundLine will work with you to schedule the transfer and minimize disruption. You may request a temporary number if you intended to have no downtime or disruption at all.

SoundLine plans start at $14.99 per user, per month when billed annually.

Your total cost will depend on factors such as:

• The number of users and extensions
• The number and type of telephone numbers
• Calling and messaging requirements
• Desk phones or other equipment
• Premium features and integrations
• International usage
• Contract term or billing frequency
• All applicable taxes

Contact SoundLine for a customized quote based on your business size, locations, workflow, and required features.

Depending on your plan and configuration, your invoice will include applicable taxes, government-mandated charges, emergency-service fees, telecommunications surcharges, messaging-registration fees, equipment charges, international usage, or optional feature fees.

SoundLine will explain the expected recurring and one-time charges before activation. Your proposal or service agreement should identify what is included and what may be billed separately.

Yes, all SoundLine plans include calling within the United States and Canada, subject to the plan’s fair use policy and terms. International destinations, premium-rate numbers, directory assistance, and certain territories may be billed separately.

SoundLine plans include a defined amount of calling within the United States and Canada. Additional usage may be billed at the rates shown in your service agreement. Contact us to determine which plan best fits your expected call volume.

At minimum, you need a reliable internet connection and a supported device.

You can use SoundLine with:

• A compatible VoIP desk phone
• A desktop or laptop computer
• A supported mobile phone application

A desk phone is optional for many businesses. Employees can often work entirely from the desktop and mobile applications.

Possibly. Whether an existing phone can be reused depends on its manufacturer, model, firmware, carrier lock status, and compatibility with SoundLine’s platform. Yealink and Poly models have been the most compatible as of now.

SoundLine will review your current equipment and let you know whether it can be:

• Reconfigured for SoundLine, additional fee may apply
• Used with limited functionality
• Connected through an adapter
• Replaced with a supported device

Yes. With the SoundLine portal and mobile applications, employees can make and receive business calls without being at their desks.

Calls placed through the application can display the company’s business number rather than the employee’s personal mobile number. Employees may also be able to access voicemail, business messages, contacts, call history, and presence information from the same application.

The mobile application requires a suitable cellular data connection.

Yes. SoundLine can route calls to employees working in the office, at home, at another business location, or while traveling.

Depending on your configuration, one business number can ring:

• Several employees at the same time
• A department or ring group
• A call queue
• Desk phones and mobile applications
• An answering service or external number
• Different destinations based on business hours

Employees can maintain a consistent business identity regardless of where they work.

SoundLine can configure continuity rules so that incoming calls are redirected when your office internet or power is unavailable.

Depending on your setup, calls may be sent to:

• Employees’ mobile applications
• Mobile or landline numbers
• Another office
• A remote employee
• An answering service
• Voicemail
• A backup call queue

Because VoIP desk phones and office networking equipment require internet access and electrical power, we recommend using an uninterruptible power supply and, where practical, a backup internet connection. Cloud-based routing will continue working even when your physical office is offline, provided the SoundLine platform and the destination devices remain reachable.

Yes. SoundLine can provide an auto attendant that greets callers and directs them to the correct employee or department.

For example: “Thank you for calling. Press 1 for Sales, press 2 for Support, or press 3 for Billing.”

You may be able to create different menus and greetings for:

• Regular business hours
• Evenings and weekends
• Holidays
• Multiple offices
• Individual departments
• Emergency closures

SoundLine can help design the call flow, record or upload greetings, and configure routing rules during onboarding.

Yes. Eligible SoundLine business numbers can send and receive SMS text messages. MMS picture and media messaging may also be supported on compatible numbers, applications, destinations, and plans.

Employees may be able to communicate with customers from a desktop or mobile application while keeping their personal telephone numbers private.

Messaging availability and limits can vary based on the number type, carrier requirements, registration status, use case, destination, and selected plan, subject to the plan’s fair use policy and terms.

Yes, businesses sending application-based text messages from a standard U.S. 10-digit number must complete A2P 10DLC registration before messaging customers at scale.

Registration normally identifies:

• The legal business or organization sending the messages
• The purpose of the messaging
• How customers provide consent
• Examples of the message’s customers will receive
• How customers can opt out or request help

Registration is intended to verify senders, improve message delivery, reduce spam, and ensure that business messaging is consensual. Unregistered traffic may be filtered, blocked, restricted, or subject to higher carrier fees. Customers must provide appropriate consent before receiving messages and must be able to opt out.

Yes. SoundLine supports Enhanced 911, or e911, for eligible plans.

Each applicable user or telephone location must have an accurate registered emergency address. When a user moves a phone or begins working from another location, the emergency address may need to be updated before placing a 911 call.

VoIP 911 service depends on electrical power, internet connectivity, correct location information, and the availability of the SoundLine service. During an internet or power outage, a VoIP device may be unable to complete a 911 call. Employees should maintain an alternative way to contact emergency services.

The FCC requires interconnected VoIP providers to make 911 service available as a standard feature and generally transmit the caller’s callback number and location information to emergency personnel. (Federal Communications Commission)

Yes. SoundLine is designed to scale as your business changes.

You can add or remove:

• Employees
• Extensions
• Direct telephone numbers
• Departments
• Ring groups
• Call queues
• Locations
• Devices
• Optional features

Changes may be made through the SoundLine portal, either with assistance from SoundLine support, or self-serve options. Additional users, numbers, devices, and premium features may affect your monthly charges. Removing services may also be subject to your service agreement or contract term.

SoundLine provides telephone, email, ticketing and/or remote support for eligible plans.

Our support team can assist with:

• Initial setup and onboarding
• Number transfers
• User and device configuration
• Auto-attendant and call-routing changes
• Calling and messaging issues
• Billing and account questions
• Service troubleshooting

Support is available 8am PST – 6pm PST on Monday through Friday. After hours emails and tickets are not monitored. Critical-service issues and emergency support can be provided 24/7 by phone only.

A basic SoundLine system can often be configured within 5 mins after we receive the required account information.

More complex installations may take longer, particularly when they involve:

You do not necessarily need to wait for your existing numbers to transfer before configuring the system. SoundLine can establish temporary numbers so your team can test calling, applications, greetings, and call flows while the port is pending.

• Numerous employees or locations
• Custom call-routing requirements
• Desk-phone shipping and installation
• CRM or business-software integrations
• Business messaging registration
• Network changes
• Multiple number transfers
• Training or staged deployment

Your SoundLine representative will develop an implementation plan based on your required launch date and the complexity of your system.