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Laying Lines and Cutting Cords
Oct. 13th, 2015 06:45 pmThirteen days into my new office tenancy, the phone rang. The one behind my actual desk.
This is a Thing. I'd hoped they'd have ported the number over even before 1 October, but nobody at either my old phone company (Verizon) or the new provider (Time Warner) seemed to be in much of a rush to do the port/ install. It didn't especially bother me, as I almost always forward incoming calls to my mobile, and I had it, plus outgoing lines (admittedly not mine), to make outgoing calls from. But the transition was still important, for two reasons.
One: I wanted to be around on The Day, because as soon as they disabled my phone number in its own location, it would likely end Verizon's forwarding of my incoming calls to my cell. Which is exactly what happened sometime round 10 this morning: callers went into the previous tenant's voicemail, and some got confused. I've rerecorded the message on that line, and re-established the forwarding, so that issue is likely done.
Long term, though, is Thing Two: I can now get rid of the landline in our house that hosted that number. Which I will do forthwith, along with killing the two other landlines that together total over $250 a month for home calls and faxes, once two things happen:
(a) I move my fax number to an internet-based service that will replace landline transmission with automatic scans to and from fax machines. Cost? Ten bucks a month. I have the number to call to set that up and will do so tomorrow.
(b) I move our landline number to my current cell phone, and upgrade THAT to likely an iPhone 5 or 5S; I don't need or want the extra goodies or bulk of any of Generation 6. That recurring cost, beyond whatever the phone itself will cost: 10 a month for the basic service, 30 for the cheapest data plan, some unspecified amount to use that iPhone as a wifi tether, plus tax and garbage fees- but in all way less than what the three landlines are costing now. I will likely do that tomorrow, as well.
The only oddity is that at this moment, I still have dialtone on the business line in both the old and new locations. That may be a programming thing that will die at midnight or somesuch, but it's kind of weird.
----
The other component of the new office setup today was them switching their internet provider to Time Warner, as well. I'd hoped that would then enable me to send/receive emails from Outlook, as I can from home and my other office where we have TWC as the provider.
Nope. Same as it's been since I first tested it before moving: I could receive emails, but not send. Fortunately, that was when my computer guru for such things called me.
After dealing with his issues, I offered up mine, and it turned out that my smtp-server settings wouldn't work. A few changes, a few clickies, and I was in business- and those new settings work at home, as well. Now to see if they work in Rochester (I will find that out Thursday) and I'll be good and set.
The attorney I took over the office from is back here this week, and we've been getting along great even with four of us in three offices at the same time. Everyone's kind, and accommodating, and it's working out to be a nice setup:)
This is a Thing. I'd hoped they'd have ported the number over even before 1 October, but nobody at either my old phone company (Verizon) or the new provider (Time Warner) seemed to be in much of a rush to do the port/ install. It didn't especially bother me, as I almost always forward incoming calls to my mobile, and I had it, plus outgoing lines (admittedly not mine), to make outgoing calls from. But the transition was still important, for two reasons.
One: I wanted to be around on The Day, because as soon as they disabled my phone number in its own location, it would likely end Verizon's forwarding of my incoming calls to my cell. Which is exactly what happened sometime round 10 this morning: callers went into the previous tenant's voicemail, and some got confused. I've rerecorded the message on that line, and re-established the forwarding, so that issue is likely done.
Long term, though, is Thing Two: I can now get rid of the landline in our house that hosted that number. Which I will do forthwith, along with killing the two other landlines that together total over $250 a month for home calls and faxes, once two things happen:
(a) I move my fax number to an internet-based service that will replace landline transmission with automatic scans to and from fax machines. Cost? Ten bucks a month. I have the number to call to set that up and will do so tomorrow.
(b) I move our landline number to my current cell phone, and upgrade THAT to likely an iPhone 5 or 5S; I don't need or want the extra goodies or bulk of any of Generation 6. That recurring cost, beyond whatever the phone itself will cost: 10 a month for the basic service, 30 for the cheapest data plan, some unspecified amount to use that iPhone as a wifi tether, plus tax and garbage fees- but in all way less than what the three landlines are costing now. I will likely do that tomorrow, as well.
The only oddity is that at this moment, I still have dialtone on the business line in both the old and new locations. That may be a programming thing that will die at midnight or somesuch, but it's kind of weird.
----
The other component of the new office setup today was them switching their internet provider to Time Warner, as well. I'd hoped that would then enable me to send/receive emails from Outlook, as I can from home and my other office where we have TWC as the provider.
Nope. Same as it's been since I first tested it before moving: I could receive emails, but not send. Fortunately, that was when my computer guru for such things called me.
After dealing with his issues, I offered up mine, and it turned out that my smtp-server settings wouldn't work. A few changes, a few clickies, and I was in business- and those new settings work at home, as well. Now to see if they work in Rochester (I will find that out Thursday) and I'll be good and set.
The attorney I took over the office from is back here this week, and we've been getting along great even with four of us in three offices at the same time. Everyone's kind, and accommodating, and it's working out to be a nice setup:)