General Questions

What is Apptix Voice?

Apptix Voice is a hosted Voice over IP (VoIP) telephone service that is tailored for the needs of Small and Medium-sized Businesses (SMBs). This service enables companies with a broadband (high-speed) Internet connection to make unlimited calls anywhere in the U.S. and Canada for as little as $39.99 per month. With Apptix Voice, you can eliminate the need for costly, in-house phone systems and avoid phone system maintenance charges, resulting in as much as 30% total cost of ownership savings over traditional phone services!*

* Based on a 50-person company over a 3-year period, from "Is Hosted VoIP Right for Your Business," April 2007. Actual savings may vary.

What makes Apptix Voice different from other VoIP-based providers?

Many other VoIP providers use the public Internet to handle phone calls. Apptix Voice is a business-class VoIP service and your calls are carried over a managed network that ensures Quality of Service (QoS) for your voice traffic. We standby our reliability claims by providing our customers with an uptime Service Level Agreements (SLAs.)

What is VoIP?

VoIP is a way of using the same communications protocol to carry voice traffic as the Internet does for data traffic. Voice traffic is broken into packets that travel over Internet Protocol networks instead of over traditional circuit switched telephone networks.

How does VoIP work?

VoIP services convert your voice into a digital signal that travels over an IP network. If you are calling a regular phone number, the signal is converted to a regular telephone signal before it reaches the destination. VoIP can allow you to make a call directly from a computer, a special IP phone, or a traditional phone connected to a special adapter. Plus, wireless "hot spots" in locations such as airports, parks, and cafes allow you to connect to the Internet and may enable you to use VoIP service wirelessly.

What is SIP?

Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) is a signaling protocol for Internet Telephony. The VoIP community has adopted SIP as its protocol of choice for signaling. SIP can establish sessions for features such as audio/videoconferencing, interactive gaming, and call forwarding to be deployed over IP networks, thus enabling service providers to integrate basic IP telephony services with Web, email, and chat services.

How do I get started with Apptix Voice?

Contact an Apptix Voice Specialist who will be able to get you on the road to cost savings and great, productivity-increasing features. We will talk to you about your current needs and network configuration, and recommend any necessary network upgrades prior to turning on your service.

To get started, you can either call us at , chat live with a member of our sales team, or complete the online request form.

Can I have some of my phones on the Apptix Premium plan and others on the Apptix Business Voiceplan?

Yes! The beauty of using a hosted service is that you only subscribe to the features and options you need. You can mix and match services or upgrade packages as needed.

Can I keep my existing phone number?

Yes. Local Number Portability (LNP) allows you to keep your existing phone number or range of phone numbers. When you purchase Apptix Voice service, please let us know that you need your phone numbers ported - it takes between 15 and 30 days for your numbers to be released by your existing phone company.

If I don’t have broadband service, how long will it take to get it?

A broadband connection to the Internet is required to use Apptix Voice services. If you do not have broadband service, you will need to contact an Internet Service Provider to order service. Typically, it takes between 15 and 30 business days to install new broadband service.

How much Internet bandwidth do I need to use Apptix Voice?

The answer to this question depends on several factors. These include, but are not limited to; the number of people who will have phones, the number of people who are typically on the phone at the same time at each office location, the amount of Internet usage at the office location. A company with 10 users who are always on the phone will need more bandwidth than a company with 10 users who are rarely on the phone. An Apptix Voice Specialist can assist you in determining what type of Internet bandwidth you will need to best support your service.

Do you offer Apptix Voice service to International (Non US/Canadian) customers?

Apptix Voice is a US-based service. We can provide service outside of the US, but only US-based numbers are supported. Please note: emergency services (911) are not supported outside the US.

Can a single user/individual sign up for service?

Absolutely. Apptix Voice services are specifically designed with the small business in mind.

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Questions on Service Features

Do you support 911 Emergency calls?

Yes. There are three (3) different kinds of 911 services:

1. Enhanced or E911: the Public Safety Answering Point (PSAP) / Local Emergency Operator automatically receives your callback number, registered location, and latitude-longitude coordinates through the 911 network.
2. Basic 911: the Public Safety Answering Point (PSAP) / Local Emergency Operator does not have the ability to receive the “Enhanced” data. Instead, they only receive your callback number. You must communicate your location to the Emergency Operator during the call.
3. Operator Assisted 911: the Public Safety Answering Point (PSAP) / Local Emergency Operator receives your callback number, registered location, and latitude-longitude coordinates with the assistance of our Emergency Operator (ECRC).

The type of service you receive depends entirely on your physical location and what service is available in your area. For more information on what service is available in your area, contact an Apptix Voice Specialist.

What is Remote Office?

Remote Office enables Apptix Voice users to access and use their service from anywhere – office, home office, mobile phone, etc. It is especially useful for remote employees and mobile workers because it enables them to use their Web Call Manager or Outlook Toolbar features while working remotely (e.g., extension dialing, transfers, conference calls, Outlook Integration, directories, etc.). Since calls are still originated from your Apptix Voice service, it is easy to separate personal and business phone expenses and keep your private phone numbers private.

Can a user based in Washington, DC take his or her phone with them to Los Angeles, CA, plug it into an Internet connection and take advantage of all of the Apptix Voice features?

While this is feasible, we think that packing your phone up to take with you on a business trip is not the best use of luggage space! Instead, we recommend that you install a softphone on your laptop PC to make calls and have all the features of your Apptix Voice service with you anywhere you go. All you need to pack is a headset.

Can Apptix Voice route/forward calls to cell phones and land lines?

You can transfer calls internally to extensions within your company or externally to numbers not on the Apptix Voice Phone network.

Does Apptix Voice support extension dialing?

Yes. You have the choice of using 2 to 6 digit extensions.

Can I forward calls to my mobile phone?

Apptix Voice offers several ways to forward your calls to your mobile phone. – Or any other phone for that matter:

1. Standard call forwarding will send your calls to single phone number
2. Simultaneous Calling (Find Me/Follow Me) can to ring a list of numbers at the same time
3. Sequential Calling to ring a list of numbers in a pre-determined order that will act like a personal hunt group.

How can I check my voice mail messages?

There are several different options for checking voice mail. You can choose to have a copy of your voice mail messages routed to your email and an email message will be delivered to your inbox with a WAV attachment of the message. Alternatively, you can check your messages directly from your phone or by dialing into your voice mail service.

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Questions on Equipment

What kind of equipment will I need to use the Apptix Voice service?

1. A broadband (high speed Internet) connection is required. This can be through a cable modem, or high speed services such as DSL or a local area network.
2. An IP phone or computer is required.
3. If you use your computer, you will need a softphone, which is software that makes telephone calls over the Internet, and a headset with a microphone.
4. IP phones plug directly into your broadband connection and operate like a traditional telephone.

Can I use my own VoIP Equipment?

We recommend Apptix Voice certified equipment to ensure that you have the best possible experience and call quality, however, your organization may or may not need additional hardware to use Apptix Voice service. Please contact an Apptix Voice specialist to understand what equipment you may need to use our service.

Do you offer equipment leasing?

Yes! We offer several different leasing options to make it easier for our customers to realize the benefits of VoIP. Please contact an Apptix Voice specialist to discuss our leasing programs and options.

During the installation of VoIP service, will my existing telephone service be interrupted?

No. Apptix Voice uses your existing broadband service; your current phone service will not be interrupted. If you are ordering a completely new number, there will be no impact to your existing service. If you are porting your existing number, we will work with you to insure a smooth transition to minimize any impact to your service.

I really don’t have the internal resources to set this up. Do you provide installation services?

Yes! Apptix knows that one of the reasons our customers use our services is because they do not have the internal resources to do it.

Will your installation technician configure my Local Area Network (LAN) during the equipment installation?

No. LAN and Wide Area Network (WAN) configurations are not part of the installation process. We will need to understand your LAN and/or WAN configurations, and will gather that information during a Site Assessment of your offices. We will work with your in-house IT support or the individual responsible for management of your LAN/WAN to make sure that is configured properly to work with your Apptix Voice Phone Service.

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Questions on Equipment Leasing

Why should I lease equipment?

By leasing your equipment, you can obtain new equipment without having to pay up-front or assume the risk of ownership. Budgetary constraints over equipment purchases can be circumvented and your business can conserve its own capital.

Can anyone lease equipment?

Our leasing program is available to qualified business customers who meet a minimum transaction size of $1,500.00. All terms subject to credit approval and are subject to change without notice.

What costs can be rolled into my lease agreement?

Most costs of starting up a new service, including site assessments, phones, routers, installation and shipping charges can be rolled into a lease agreement. Contact an Apptix Voice specialist to discuss our leasing programs and options.

What lease terms are available?

Payment periods include 24, 36, 48 or 60 month term plans. Plans are available to business customers who meet the necessary qualifying criteria.

Do I pay sales tax?

Sales tax is rolled into the monthly lease payment.

* Savings based on actual savings of Apptix Hosted VoIP customer switching from a traditional PBX phone system over one year period.