I reviewed and tested a number of call
alerts. In order to select the right Call Alert service or Internet
call alert you'll need to know which caller alert services are
available, how much each service costs, and which features each
has.
Good question! Here are the Internet Call Alert products I examined.
Click on each title to read an in-depth review of each. I put
each through its paces, and checked for key features. Specifically,
I looked to see how reliable and advanced each product's basic
functionality is -- whether it correctly provides a Caller ID
alert on your PC when someone calls, and whether it adds any
bells and whistles.
Those bells and whistles include whether the system lets you
forward calls to another device, like a mobile phone, or whether
it lets you send a caller into voicemail. Some also let you
forward voice messages in e-mails, download them as WAV files,
or integrate with Outlook to make sure your Caller ID information
is up-to-date with your own records,
Some of these also can be used to replace your home answering
machine or voicemail service -- they can answer missed calls
anytime, rather than just when you're on your computer.
Of course, all these features come at different prices, so I
make sure I explain all of the different pricing models to you.
Oh, and I also list any "hidden" fees -- like the
fees you'll have to pay to your local telephone company to turn
on Busy Call Forwarding, which many of these products depend
on.
The person making the final judgment, however, is you. So make
sure you weigh just how much you're willing to spend, and weigh
that against the cost of alternatives (like installing a new
phone line, which is almost guaranteed to be NOT CHEAP.)
Once you give one of these products a spin, be sure to come
back to the site and let me know what you think of the reviews.
Or better yet, give me a call -- if I'm online, I'll still be
able to answer it! :-)
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