DIGITAL PHONE FAQ
Uniserve's digital phone service is a new way of making and receiving phone calls through a high-speed Internet connection from any touch-tone phone. 2. How is the voice clarity with the Digital Phone service? Thanks to Uniserve's private voice network and carrier-grade soft switches, we are able to deliver the same sound quality traditional telecom companies provide. 3. Do I need to keep my traditional home phone land-line service to use Uniserve's Digital Phone Unlimited service? It's up to you. You don't need to keep paying for a traditional home phone line in order to use our digital phone service. You simply need an internet connection, the phone adaptor and any standard touch tone phone. However, you may want to have a backup communications plan in place for 911 calls, primarily during a power outage. Many people have a mobile phone. Some have a second line to support a busy home and as a backup during power outages 4. Will the Digital Phone service work in the event of a power outage? If you have no source of electricity the service will not work. To maintain power in the event of a power outage in your house, you can get an uninterruptible power supply (UPS) where you can connect your equipment. 5. When can I cancel my traditional home phone service? Once your Digital Phone Unlimited service is up and running, and your number has been set up or ported over, you can cancel your traditional home phone service if you wish. Please note: If you are currently using our DSL high speed internet service, please contact one of our representatives before cancelling your phone line, some conditions may apply. 6. Can I keep my current phone number with this service? Yes, provided you live within our network coverage area. You will need to accurately fill out a Local Number Portability (LNP) form and provide us with a phone bill that has your name, phone number, and address on it. Please do not cancel your phone service with your current carrier; we will notify them that you are porting your number. 7. How long does it take to transfer my phone number? The length of time it takes to port (transfer) your old number is dependent on your current provider. In most cases it can take 2-3 weeks from the time we receive the required information from you. 8. How quickly will I be able to start using the service? You will be able to use the service as soon as you are in possession of the equipment. If you asked for the equipment to be sent to you by mail, it may take 3 to 4 business days. If you've requested to keep your existing phone number, the transition period will vary depending on your telecom provider. During this transition period, you will be able to make outgoing calls and benefit from our international rates. 9. Does the 911 service work with the Digital Phone Unlimited? Yes. However, there are important differences between Digital Phone Unlimited 911 service and traditional 911 services. Please visit http://www.ca.inter.net/en/voip/digitalphone_911.php for a detailed explanation of the 911 service provided with the Digital Phone Unlimited plan. 10. Does your Digital Phone service work with my cable or satellite Internet connection? Yes. Our Digital Phone service works with any type of high-speed internet connection as long as your internet package provides you with enough bandwidth. We suggest you verify that access to this type of service is not blocked by your high speed Internet provider. 11. What is the minimum bandwidth required to use Uniserve's digital phone service? Uniserve's Digital Phone Service used with the digital phone adapter requires a minimum upstream and downstream capacity of 90 kbps. 12. Will a Uniserve technician need to visit my home to install the service? No. You don't need to take a day off work to wait for a technician. With our Digital Phone Unlimited service, there is no need for a technician to visit your home. We will mail the phone adapter to your home (please ensure you give us your physical address). Simply follow the User Guide installation instructions provided with the device and we'll take care of the rest from our office. Our support staff is available 24/7 so you can call us any time. 13. Will the Digital Phone service work when my computer is turned off? Yes, the Digital Phone service will work even when your computer is turned off. As long as your high-speed Internet modem is turned on and is connected to the Internet, you'll be able to place and receive calls. 14. What can I do if my phone line is not working? Most phone issues are due to internet problems. The first thing to try is to turn the power off on your modem and your telephone adapter, wait for 30 seconds and then turn them back on. This is called "power cycling." If this does not resolve the problem, please call our friendly technical support agents at 1.800.920.7873. They're available to help you 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. 15. Do I have to buy any hardware to use Uniserve's Digital Phone service? In order to connect your home phone to our digital phone network, you will need to purchase or rent a digital phone adapter from Uniserve. 16. Can I plug my digital phone adapter into any high-speed Internet access? Yes. However, the quality of service depends on broadband quality. 17. Is it possible to use the service when I am traveling? Yes, as long as you have access to a high-speed Internet connection. Your 'home' phone number travels with you, thus eliminating long distance charges for you and those who call you from your home area. However, we do not sell our service internationally, nor do we ship our equipment outside Canada. We advise you to check the local digital phone / VoIP laws of the country where you plan to use it in because some countries regulate the use of such services. 18. How is the duration of a call calculated? For international, Canadian territories and non-continental US calls, the minimum duration for a call to be valid (chargeable) is 1 second. Calls are billed in 60 second increments. This means:
19. My invoice only shows total usage. Where can I see my usage/call details? You can view your usage details via our website by logging into the services manager. 20. Can I change my plan? The Digital Phone Unlimited plan is the only one offered at present. We invite you to visit our website from time to time for any updates and new plans. 21. Is digital phone subject to Provincial and Federal taxes? Yes, provincial and federal taxes apply to digital phone service. In addition, Ontario residents please note that both taxes are applicable to digital phone services, unlike Internet services where only Federal taxes are applied. 22. Will I be charged extra for dialing U.S. numbers? The Digital Phone Unlimited plan includes unlimited calls within Canada and the continental U.S. However, please note, that Canada and USA calling does not include the following areas: North West Territories, Nunavut, Yukon, Hawaii, and Alaska. If you place a call to these areas, you will be charged at our low International rates for these areas. 23. Does the service include Voicemail usage? Voicemail usage is included with the Digital Phone Unlimited plan. 24. How do I set my voicemail? Simply dial *98 on your phone to access your voicemail functions. The first time you access the voicemail, you will have to use the default password of 1-0-0. Afterwards, you can use the menu to change your password and record your message. Detailed information is available on the voicemail setup guide. 25. How much does Call Forwarding cost? No more than it costs to make any regular phone call! Call Forwarding is included at no extra charge and forwarded calls are treated - and billed - like outgoing calls. 26. Can I forward calls to any phone number? You can forward calls to Canada and the United States. These calls will be treated like regular outgoing calls within your plan. 27. Can I add more calling features to my plan? You currently have access to all the available features - at no extra charge. We have plans to expand our features in the near future. Please check our web-site regularly. 28. Can I access directory assistance with the Digital Phone? Yes, you can access directory assistance the same way you would on a traditional phone line: simply dial 4-1-1. As with most telecom providers, there is a nominal charge for each 411 call - $1 per call. 29. Will my phone number be listed in the White Pages? Yes. If you prefer that it is kept unlisted, please let one of our service representatives know at time of sign up.
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