As a small business owner I typically pinch every penny (within reason) and I absolutely abhor wasting money. I usually travel abroad a few times each year and when I do I NEVER pay the roaming fees for the countries I visit. I don’t think $3 for 1 minute of talking or $1 for a text message, or even worse yet $25 per megabyte of data is reasonable.

I usually recommend that people buy a local sim when they arrive in a new country, especially if they’re only visiting 1 country. I also keep my sims from trip to trip because I tend to visit the same places (sims typically last 28 days to 1 year with no use before being deactivated, depending on the plan you paid for). Shops that sell sim cards (sometimes also rent phones) are prevalent at most airports now and I’ve seen them just outside train stations as well.

You can get deals for as low as free for 2 months with an initiation fee of just $10 for unlimited talk, text and web. My parents are visiting my sister and we found this deal for them. I don’t think I’ve seen anything cheaper ever. Most deals aren’t that enticing but still far cheaper than roaming with your home telco.

One of the best features of Phone.com is call forwarding. Problem is with this scenario you won’t have computer to forward your work number to, so you can either set the call forwarding from the browser of your mobile phone or call our customer service number +1-858-633-8053. We have agents available 24 hours a day, every day of the year. Now you won’t miss any of your important business calls. Additionally you’re able to make outgoing calls showing your work number with our Mobile Office app for Android and BlackBerry or the Bria app for iOS.

Safe travels this summer!

Did you know that every Tuesday Phone.com holds a free webinar? It’s true! Customers and potential customers can quickly learn about our service and get their questions answered.

Topics will include: an introduction to our service; how to use and configure our service; and how our service works. We’ll also include a visual demonstration. Additionally, you’ll hear about the benefits of using Phone.com and you’ll learn about our company history. There will be a Q and A period where our team will answer any questions you may have about our service.

Webinars are held most Tuesdays at 10:30am Pacific time and usually last for 30 minutes. To register, visit our webinar page.

We’re here to help you, so if you need help now, call us 24/7 at 800-998-7087. We’re also available on Facebook and Twitter.

The Phone.com Mobile Office App, and the Bria softphone app, helped save my vacation.

I recently spent a couple weeks on the East Coast for a little rest and relaxation. Since I run a consulting business, it’s hard for me to go on a true “vacation.” I need to be connected all the time, and most vacation days have me working, at least an hour – a few emails, some voicemails, and a conference call or two.

I couldn’t beat the accommodations; my brother-in-law put me up in his basement. (For those of you who live in California like I do: a basement is an entire extra floor below ground!) There was only one problem – no cell signal. I was in a bind, since I had a few work calls that I absolutely had to attend and I couldn’t use my cell in the traditional sense.

Luckily, my brother had WiFi and the signal was strong in the basement. Using the Phone.com Mobile Office App on my Android was a breeze – I could check messages, listen to voicemails, view faxes, and send and receive SMS, all without a cell signal and without a laptop. When it came time to join those conference calls, I used the Bria softphone app, which I got free from Phone.com, to place and receive VOIP calls using my Phone.com service.

I’ve talked about these apps extensively in the past so I won’t go into more detail today. Using our mobile apps was a brilliant way to solve my problem. Plus, calls sounded better then a traditional cell phone. Whether you have problems with cell reception at home, at work, or on vacation, I suggest checking out our mobile options. They are a great compliment to our IP phones, and a wonderful solution all by themselves.

Tomorrow is the 4th of July, the day we celebrate Independence Day with family, fireworks, barbecues and parades. Let’s not forget our founding fathers who in 1776 declared America’s independence from Great Britain and adopted the Declaration of Independence.

We at Phone.com are also celebrating our National holiday and would like to wish you a very Happy 4th of July. 

Should the need come up, our customer service representatives will be available 24×7 to answer any questions you may have.  Don’t forget to change your phone menu greeting for the long weekend and please remember to be safe and have a responsible celebration.