Multiple accounts with one phone number

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JackYang
Just Passing Thru
Posts: 3
Joined: 03/04/2014

Multiple accounts with one phone number

Post by JackYang »

Is it possible to have one phone number, so that I can make multiple calls out or receiving multiple calls simultaneously?

I have kids, they usually occupy the phone for long time, and this affect me to make call when needed. And for contact convenience, I don't want to have multiple phone numbers; in that case, I will have to tell friends all those numbers. All I want is just having one phone number, and can make calls or receive calls simultaneously.

I can buy a few FPL phone accounts/numbers, but not sure if there's solution for achieve that? Or is there a PBX solution?
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bridonca
Technical Support
Posts: 1225
Joined: 11/16/2009
SIP Device Name: Netgear WGR615V
Firmware Version: latest
ISP Name: Eastlink
Computer OS: XP

Re: Multiple accounts with one phone number

Post by bridonca »

Each Freephoneline SIP account has two outgoing channels, and one incoming channel. So with VOIP gear, you could make two outgoing calls, and receive one incoming call, all at the same time. It is set up that way, so call waiting can work properly.

I currently have a 2 line ATA set up that way. The only problem with that is that the last line that registers is the line that gets the incoming channel. Both lines can make outgoing calls.

For sanity, you probably should register and buy sip settings for your kids, and let them use that number. If you have a 2 line ATA, you can have 2 phone numbers on that ATA.

A PBX would be a great solution, and it would fix this problem as long as there are more channels than users currently using the channels. It is a pain to set up, though. And once set up, it leaves lots of options to explore.

If you do plan on using multiple ATA devices, you need a good router capable of manually forwarding the correct ports to each ATA. You have to manually forward ports, because there is no way the router will be able to figure this out by itself. Your ATA devices also have to be set up to make sure each ATA does not conflict with each other or any other device.
JackYang
Just Passing Thru
Posts: 3
Joined: 03/04/2014

Re: Multiple accounts with one phone number

Post by JackYang »

Hi bridonca, just would like to know more about the technical stuff. When you say "It's setup that way, so call waiting can work properly", does it mean it needs 2 incoming channels in order to support call waiting?

If I want to have 5 channels to support 5 incoming calls at the same time, i.e. my kids and I can receive 5 different calls simutaneously, will there be a solution, using PBX or anything else? Note, I just want to publish one phone number to my friends or my kids' friends, so that friends can just need to remember one number.

Appreciate if you could elaborate a little more!
User avatar
bridonca
Technical Support
Posts: 1225
Joined: 11/16/2009
SIP Device Name: Netgear WGR615V
Firmware Version: latest
ISP Name: Eastlink
Computer OS: XP

Re: Multiple accounts with one phone number

Post by bridonca »

JackYang wrote:Hi bridonca, just would like to know more about the technical stuff. When you say "It's setup that way, so call waiting can work properly", does it mean it needs 2 incoming channels in order to support call waiting?

If I want to have 5 channels to support 5 incoming calls at the same time, i.e. my kids and I can receive 5 different calls simultaneously, will there be a solution, using PBX or anything else? Note, I just want to publish one phone number to my friends or my kids' friends, so that friends can just need to remember one number.

Appreciate if you could elaborate a little more!
I do not know how call waiting works 100%, but in order for you not to hang up on the other party, you need an available line to put the other person on hold. I do know with Freephoneline, you get one incoming channel and two outgoing channels to achieve this.

You will never get 5 incoming calls simultaneously with one freephoneline account. All you are going to get is one. All a PBX does is time slice that one channel to multiple phones. If the line is available, it can be dispatched to any one of those PBX phones, as programmed. But once that channel is in use, it is unavailable to all but the one phone that is currently in use. A PBX offers other advantages also though, you can mix and match other VOIP providers that are better for certain tasks than freephoneline as an example. The choices are limitless. Sadly, so is the learning curve.
JackYang
Just Passing Thru
Posts: 3
Joined: 03/04/2014

Re: Multiple accounts with one phone number

Post by JackYang »

Thanks for the detailed reply, bridonca.