3 Stars – It Rocks!
2 Stars – Not So Bad!
1 Star – Hope they didn’t quit their day job

Ring Central
www.ringcentral.com

Freelance Weekly Rating:  3 Stars

About:  Ring Central is a Fortune 500 international phone service for your growing business.  Their motto is to give you the power of a big company with no hassle.

Set Up:  Ring Central offers a free 7 day / 30 minute trial period and setup is done online in minutes!  No hardware or software is needed and once you have selected your plan and your toll free numbers you will be instantly given access to your online phone system.  They currently are running a special on 800 based numbers for no setup fee.

Navigation: The site itself is very user friendly, the layout and color pallet are pleasing to the eye and answers can be found quite easily.  Your online phone services come with many standard features including the ability to transfer your existing number, use an 800 number or a local number.  You will have access to Voicemail, Internet Fax, Ring Central Mobile (application for your iphone), Digital Line (ability to add digital phone lines anywhere there is high speed internet service) On hold Music and for a limited time your account is available for rollover minutes.

Sharing:  Due to the subject content of this article I have replaced the “sharing” component with a “pricing” component.

Pricing:  There are 4 plans to choose from and they are as follows:

Professional:  $9.99 per month / 100 minutes / 5 extensions

Business Plus:  $24.99 per month / 500 minutes / 10 extensions
Free features include true 800 number, dedicated fax number, dial by name

Business Power:  $49.99 per month / 1,000 minutes / 20 extensions
Free features include true 800 number, dedicated fax number, dial by name

Business Premium:  $99.99 per month / 2500 minutes / 100 extensions
Free features include true 800 number, dedicated fax number, dial by name

All plans include the Ring Central Mobile and standard features such as call forwarding, caller id, extension capabilities, real time control and auto attendant.

Customer Service:  Ring Central is fully stocked with training videos, FAQ’s, a full knowledge base direct phone numbers, user guides and interactive screen shots.

Recommendation:  Due to the instant setup, availability to choose your own number or use an existing one, a multitude of features and great prices I highly recommend this site.

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One Box Receptionist
www.onebox.com

Freelance Weekly Rating:  2 Stars

About:  One Box is a Virtual PBX (Private Branch Exchange) phone system that wants you to think inside the box!  A subsidiary of J2 Global Communications Inc., One Box offers a comprehensive suite of services available for the individual business owner or the entrepreneur with several employees.

Set up:  There is no setup fee involved and once you fill out the online registration, pick your plan and phone numbers you should be ready to go within 1 to 3 business days.  No special software or hardware is needed for setup.  I do not see that they offer a free trial period at this time.

Navigation:  Upon navigating around the site I noticed there was not a world of information listed as seen on other sites.  However, they do provide a little video on how their site works, and offer testimonials from previous customers.  According to user feedback their online interface for invoicing is very user friendly and easy to navigate through.

Sharing:  Due to the subject content of this article I have replaced the “sharing” component with a “pricing” component.

Pricing:  There are no contracts, cancellation fees, taxes or hidden fees.  There are 3 pricing options and they are as follows:

4 Extension Plan:  $49.95 per month / includes 2,000 free minutes of connect time / standard features

10 Extension Plan:  $79.95 per month / includes 2,000 free minutes / standard features

Enterprise Plan:  For companies needing more than 20 extensions, call 800.964.9910 for quote

Unlimited usage plans are available for customers who choose this plan

On hold calls, voicemail and outbound calls made directly from your number are all included at no additional charge.  Forwarded calls to your number, sending and receiving faxes, managing your One Box account via the telephone and conference calls are charged in addition to your monthly plan.

Customer Service:  One Box has offices located all around the world and provides phone numbers for each of their office locations.  They also have email support for setup, sales and marketing.

Recommendations:  This site does not seem to have near the features and options as some of the other sites available.  Their setup is relatively easy and their web site is simple and easy to navigate through.  I would recommend One Box for the individual that needs a virtual phone option for their business.  That being said, if you are a bigger company that needs more mailboxes and features I would recommend using another site.

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Freedom 800
www.freedom800.com

Freelance Weekly Rating:  1 Star

About:  Give your small business a big voice with Freedom 800’s virtual phone service.  Owned and operated by Telecentrix based in Southern California, they offer services worldwide.

Set up: Using the online registration setup was easy and quick and activates your chosen phone numbers in minutes!  Once you choose your plan, a per-minute charge rate, service and preferred options you will be ready to begin using their services.

Navigation:  The web site itself has a wonderful layout and a host of information on almost any subject matter pertaining to virtual phone service.  All features offered are fully explained and easy to understand.  With Freedom 800 you will receive standard features that include Caller ID, Auto Attendant, Unlimited Inbound calls 24 hours a day, Call routing and Hold Music Services.

Sharing:  Due to the subject content of this article I have replaced the “sharing” component with a “pricing” component.

Pricing:  At this time they are not offering a free trial and their toll free usage services are based on a per-minute charge.  They have 3 available plans to choose from and they are as follows:

Freedom Light:  $9.95 per month / toll free separate / 5 extensions

Freedom Pro:  $19.95 per month / toll free separate / 10 extensions

Freedom Xtreme:  $29.95 per month / toll free separate / 10 extensions
* Plan includes all features of Freedom Light and Freedom Pro *
* Also includes WebLink (internet control panel accessible anywhere)*

The per-minute charges for toll free minutes are currently at 6.9 cents per minute.  There are bulk rates for toll free numbers available upon request and those rates are currently listed at 4.9 cents per minute.

Customer Service:  Offered on the site is a fair FAQ page, instant price quote form, email request form and toll free customer service number.

Recommendation:  Although this site offers much of the same features as some of the other sites, its pricing plans rank it among one of the lowest.  There are not a lot of self help options available and the charge per minute rates make this option much more expensive for some business owners.