Distinctive ring vs. new line vs. adding VOIP service like Vonage or Ooma
munster
Newbie

I'm currently a FIOS/phone (double play) customer.   I need an additional phone number and am considering my options (getting a new line put in, signing up for a new VOIP service like VOnage, going cheap & just getting distinctive ring), trying to understand everything and weigh the costs/functionality/gotchas.

"Distinctive Ring" is a new option I just learned about, and it seems the easiest, and definitely the cheapest (around $5 extra a month).   However it also seems the most limited and there are a few things I don't understand for 100%.

If anyone can answer any of these questions I'd appreciate it:

- Can you setup SEPERATE voicemail greetings for the existing landline vs. the new "distinctive" ring number?  Or would everyone calling hear the same greeting? 

- If only same outgoing message can be used, then I assume that each number uses the same voicemailbox, but can you setup different mailboxes for each line in a different way, like having your outgoing message say "Press 1 to leave message for Herman or press 2 to leave message for Granpa", thus create at least quasi-seperate voicemailboxes based on who the person was trying to call?  And if so, how?

- As I understand it not all phones support "distinctive ring" - so how can I findout which of my existing phones do support this (other than signing up for the service then calling myself and seeing how the phones behave)?

- Is there any way for my callerID boxes to show which # it is that is being called instead of just who is calling?

- And is this true, that calling out I would only be placing calls from my original line, that for example on callerid of who I am calling, even if pressing callback on my phone and they called my new second #, they would see my original #, not the new one?

Thanks for any hints.

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Re: Distinctive ring vs. new line vs. adding VOIP service like Vonage or Ooma
admkshr
Enthusiast - Level 2

Hi, the only tip I can give you is as far as testing if your phone is compatible with distinctive ring you could try one of two things, neither of which are free unfortunately.

1) Call a number that is busy and then use Repeat Dial (*66) to let you know when the number is free. You will get a special ringback when the number is no longer busy.

2) Try dialing *61 on your Verizon landline phone. In many states you will reach a feature called either Priority Call or Selective Distinctive Alert. If you add numbers to the list, when those numbers call you there will be different kinds of special rings on your phone.

Again, there will be charges on your Verizon bill to do either of these. If you use *61, be sure to clear your list and turn off the feature when you are done so you will not incur any further charges.

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