atcomsystems.ca/forum Forums General General Telephone & Systems Information What's the Difference between Home and Business Service?

I have a home office with three CO business lines in rotary and one fax line. The three lines go to a Bizfon unit with eight telephones. I currently use AT&T for phone, Time Warner for TV and Internet. My cell is T-Mobile. My home landline is T-Mobile VOIP.

In looking around to reduce my AT&T costs that have gone up over $100 in the past year, I see -- of course -- different rates for home and business service. Is there any particular reason why I need "business" service if "home" CO lines do all I need? If everything can be "home" -- because after all this really is a home office -- then perhaps I can combine much of this to one vendor and save some money.

One thing I found is that business phone service comes as a package with various features attached. Caller ID, VM, Hunting. as a total package, it may be cheaper than if you were to get similar set up through individual residential lines.

There is also a percieved difference in service, a business package may expedite resources being diverted to it over a residential line when something goes wrong or a change needs to be made.

Technically, there is no physical difference between a residential or business account. They charge more for business accounts because they include a listing in the Yellow Pages, plus they can get away with charging more since they assume that the service is being used to make money. There was a time here where the only way to get a "good" number (XXX-1234, XXX-2000, etc.) was to pay for business rates. If you paid residential rates, you just got whatever came up out of the hat.

With residential lines you also wouldn't be able to "cascade" AKA "Roll over" the lines when busy.

In other words, you get what you pay for.

On another note, some providers limit the number of "residential" lines to an address.

Years ago, the 2nd level management's secretary used to go through the papers just to check the ads to see if the number posted within were indeed business numbers. If not, the client was given a choice....convert the line(s) to a business account or get disconnected....their choice.

That being said, many of us here and elsewhere (myseld included) use residential lines for fax, modem etc.

I'd say the hunting feature is the biggie, business rates used to be based on an assumed higher usage than resident lines, there were other perks too like the yellow pages ad that was mentioned. Best bet is talk to a rep to see what the differences are now.

How is your main number listed and what name is the account under?

-Hal
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I currently have a business account which is in the name of the business (not me personally) and appears in the Yellow Pages under the business name (which is an S-corp.). Part of the reason why I thought moving to residential lines might not have a downside is that I can easily do without the Yellow Pages -- that no one reads anyway. So if that's all I give up, but I get cheaper rates, then why not?

Keep in mind that the Yellow Pages listing isn't just the phone book anymore. It is linked to their website which provides HUGE search exposure. Don't be stupid with regard to inexpensive advertising exposure. Change the name on the account if necessary. It can be done; I'm in the process of doing that.

If you're truly not doing business on these lines, then don't sweat it.

Well, you are a business, have the account in the name of the business and have a business listing in the WHITE pages. Just how, short of canceling your service and getting a new account in your name with all new numbers do you think you can change your service to residential? The phone company ain't stupid so I doubt they will let you keep your existing business numbers if you decide to change. If they did that what would be the sense of charging businesses more? The bell has been rung and they know you are a business. You can't unring it. You should have set up the account originally in your name if you wanted resi rates. But then you deprive your business of a directory listing and I'm not just talking Yellow Pages. All your numbers will be listed under your name- or nothing if you want them unpublished.

-Hal

Your only real solution is:

a) Cancel the 3rd line
b) Make the 2nd line a "Centrex" line where you can program "Call Forward Busy" to a new residential line.
c) Cancel the fax line and install a new residential line for fax.

Don't do this all at once or they'll catch on...