Joe's Apt.

The home line was easiest. I worked with Optimum Voice directly. In a word, easy-peasy. (OK, two words with a hyphen.)

For Nancy’s business lines, I contacted Optimum Business. Again, no trouble at all. The deal I got was largely offset by the larger and non-negotiable installation fee for businesses ($199!) but if I spread it out over 12 months and do all the math, it all comes out in the wash.

Only one problem: Optimum doesn’t handle toll-free calls. I have to stick with AT&T or go elsewhere. However, lots of home businesses do just that with OV and it works just fine. So …

I called AT&T Business to see what would happen if I changed my local/long distance carrier but kept them for toll-free service. In short, I learned my toll-free rate per minute would nearly quadruple! (Yes, 4x.) A followup call with another AT&T representative ended the same way. Amazing. Instead of giving me an incentive to stay with them, I was immediately “disincentived.”

Right. On to Verizon. What would their toll free charges be? At first I was told I had to get Verizon local/long distance just to qualify for toll free service! However, a second phone call the following morning revealed quite the opposite. What’s more, their rates are very competitive.

Next, looking at Nancy’s monthly toll-free spend over the past year, it also made sense to sign up for FlexDistance for additional per minute discounts. The key reality-check here is to simply recalculate your projected monthly spend (at the adjusted rate). That way you can pick the most appropriate plan. With that, Verizon and Optimum Voice for Business were both a done deal.

For the wireless phone, I anticipate Verizon but we haven’t decided just yet. Stay tuned.

For my business line, I added SkypeIn and SkypeOut to my pre-existing Skype account. Here’s where things got murky at best. I (wrongly) assumed my chosen SkypeIn number would be shown on SkypeOut calls to landline phones via Caller ID. Indeed, you think I would learn not to have assumed by now.

Oops.

As explained by yours truly on the Skype forum and in a fall 2005 article from ZDNet (if only I had read it before plunking down $38 US), the display flashes “Out of Area” and a number of “+1 (000) 012-3456” - a surefire way for folks to NOT pick up the phone, fearing a telemarketer or worse.

Emails to Skype customer support asking for the straight dope (in the nicest possible way) haven’t revealed much except “we don’t offer caller ID.” Well yes, I figured that much out already. Sigh.

CallerID is more than a “nice to have” - and not just for businesses. I wonder what the gotcha or challenge is for Skype? Does it have to do with keeping their inbound and outbound calls separate so as to avoid E911 compliance? I’m not suggesting they’re definitely avoiding anything but, in the absence of any other definitive info, “I’m just sayin’.”

I really wish Skype would issue a formal announcement about this (other than “we don’t support it”). Meanwhile, I’m increasingly regretting my one year SkypeIn purchase, as Gizmo and Zfone patiently wait for me on the sidelines.

Here’s an interim idea I submitted to Skype for consideration:

We already know CallerID is showing that 0000123456 number. Perhaps if CallerID showed “Skype Caller” or “[Name of State/Province] Caller” plus a phone number tied to a brief explanation - that it’s a Skype caller and not a robot, please visit skype.com for more info … how ‘bout that? If they have to pick a boilerplate name/number, they might as well make it one that really counts. It could end up being a nice way to promote Skype while assuaging any fears from the callee.

Your turn: What are your experiences with VoIP, AT&T, Verizon, Optimum Voice, Skype, etc.? (I’ve consulted various friends, family and colleagues but it turns out I left you, dear reader, completely out of it! Now’s your big chance.)