Frequently Asked Questions
F.A.Q.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I keep my existing phone number?
Yes. You can keep your existing phone numbers. It is a one time fee of $7.50 per number you port to our system. Typically customers only port their main published number because with VoIP we can set the outbound caller ID to one number and there is no longer a need for rollover lines. You can have unlimited calling with just the one number. To get started with porting, please download this form: NerdPhone Number Porting Form.pdf
How long does the porting process take?
This question does not have a definitive answer. There are many variables involved in the porting process; so, there is no set time frame for its completion. Most port requests complete in an average time of 2-3 weeks. Typically, we receive notice from the carrier well in advance of the port completion, indicating what day (and sometimes even the time) that the port will complete.
Is there anyway to be up and running with NerdPhone prior to the port request being completed?
Yes. We can assign a temporary phone number to your NerdPhone account to which calls to your primary number can be forwarded from your current provider. This option will get you up and running with NerdPhone faster and further reduce down time during the porting process. **Keep in mind: Your billing with NerdPhone will begin when the forwarding starts**
Is there a contract?
No. NerdPhone does not ever use service contracts. We are confident in our product and customer service, so we do not lock you into using it if we are not the right solution for your business. Also, we understand that staffing is often a very fluid situation. We are able to accommodate staff changes (flexing up or flexing down) on the fly...as long as it is appropriately communicated.
Do I have to purchase phones from NerdPhone?
No. The primary scope of our business is to provide exceptional phone service, not phone sales. However, we can provide phones. We sell Yealink phones to use with our service. They are incredibly high quality phones; they are easy to configure, re-configure, and troubleshoot; and they are the perfect fit for the features we provide. Purchasing Yealink phones from NerdPhone will assure you peace of mind that you are going to get everything you need to use the phones with our system, and they will be ready for plug-and-play use upon receipt. Because we don't use service contracts, we aren't able to provide any kind of lease or rental agreement for phones. We do occasionally have specials on phones, which can be found here.
Do you provide any kind of referral credit?
Absolutely! We have a rather generous referral program. If a new account joins our service and mentions you by name as a referral, 10% of their monthly bill gets credited to your monthly bill. This is NOT a one-time credit; this is a recurring credit. As long as both you and your referral(s) have an active account, the credit would apply on your monthly bill. You could completely wipe out your NerdPhone bill!
What happens if the power or internet goes out?
Because your call system is hosted on our cloud servers, calls during an outage will still route to your call system - allowing callers to leave a message or further route their call via a call menu/auto attendant. The only part of the system that is affected by an outage is the VoIP handsets. Additionally, we can provide options to have calls re-routed to cell phones during such an outage.
Do you have a fax service?
Yes. We offer a electronic fax service at NerdPhone. You would use a scanner to upload the documents and fax them via our online fax portal. Incoming faxes can be viewed on the fax portal or you can have them sent to your email where they would be attached as a PDF.
Will there be any down time during the porting process?
Little to none. Your existing service will continue to function exactly like you're used to up until the port completes, which is a nearly instantaneous process.
What’s the start up time necessary to add a user to my phone system?
When you add a person, a new number can be purchased immediately and used in conjunction with a web phone or soft phone. But if you didn’t want to use a web or softphone, then the start up time for a new hire would just be the time it takes for a phone to be shipped (usually 5-7 business days unless you pay to expedite the shipping).
How does billing work?
For voice service, we bill by user. A user is a person using the phone system. One user can utilize multiple devices (one at the office, one at home, an app on a mobile device) for the same per-user cost of $34.99 per month. The electronic fax service is billed by fax number at $14.99 per month. NerdPhone uses an electronic billing program. Invoices are delivered via email with a link to take you directly to your invoice to view/print the invoice and submit payment online. Payment options include: all major credit/debit cards (with an option for auto-pay), bank transfers (major banks only/no auto-pay), and paper checks. Monthly invoices are automatically generated and sent at the beginning of the billing cycle. Your first monthly invoice will be sent via email within 48 hours of being fully up and running with NerdPhone services.
Do I have to use Yealink Phones?
We can get just about any IP-capable phone to be configured on our system to be usable for at least the basic phone functions (ring, dial, etc). Unfortunately, we cannot guarantee that all of our features are going to be compatible with every single make & model of IP phone. The Yealink phones are our preferred and recommended option, because we CAN guarantee that all our features will be compatible...plus, they are incredibly high quality phones that are very user-friendly. *Please note: we reserve the right to charge a setup fee for any non-Yealink phone configuration that takes our techs an excessive amount of time to complete.*
What internet speeds are necessary to use NerdPhone service?
Internet speed requirements are negligible. Each phone call uses approximately 100Kbps of bandwidth. The average internet speeds in the United States is 70.75Mbps download and 27.64mbps upload. What's most important for a successful VoIP system is consistency. Because phone calls are a real-time conversation over the internet, the slightest disruption in the connection will cause call quality issues. We recommend you consult an IT professional to ensure that your office has a steady and secure internet connection.
