August 28, 2008 -- Written by WebCallNet.com Staff

Virtual Number. This is a new phrase. What is it? What good is it to me? Is it something I need?

Virtual number is a new term in the telephone industry. It’s a term that the old Baby Bells generally do not use and probably wish no one else did either. But, the newer VOIP or Broadband Phone providers use the term a lot. Most provide virtual numbers in the service packages they sell. So, what is a virtual number?

A virtual number is a phone number from an area remote from your location--say another state. This number rings on your primary phone line. You have 2 phone numbers that ring on your phone, your local number and the virtual number from another state.

Why would anyone want such a thing? Well, a virtual number is a very nice thing to have. Here are some examples of what can be done with virtual numbers:

• Let’s say that you live in New Hampshire in the summer. In the winter, you pack your bags and move to Arizona where you maintain a second home. You can get a New Hampshire phone number assigned to your VOIP box as the main number and an Arizona virtual number. Now, in the summer, with your VOIP box at your New Hampshire home, you can receive calls made to your Arizona number as well as calls made to your New Hampshire number. In the winter, when you move to Arizona, you can take your VOIP box with you and you can receive calls to the Arizona number and calls to your New Hampshire number. How about that? Can you do this with your present phone company?
• Let’s say that you live in Denver and you have a Denver phone number. Your mother lives in Atlanta. You want your mother to call you whenever she wants to, but you don’t want her to worry about the cost. You could get a virtual Atlanta number. Now when your mother wants to call you, she calls the Atlanta number, toll free, and the call rings through on your Denver phone. There are no worries about what the call will cost. She can call as often as she desires. For her, it’s a local call.

These were just two examples of how people can and do use virtual numbers. Can you think of cases where a virtual number would be very nice to have in you situation? If you still have phone service from a conventional telephone company, do they provide virtual numbers? If so, is the number free or nearly so? Check out Broadband Phone service available through providers profiled by WebCallNet.com. You will be pleasantly surprised at all of the features available. Your current telephone company may be surprised too—when you make the switch and cancel their feature poor service.