Virtual Office Featured Article

8x8 Introduces Comprehensive VoIP Telephone, Unified Cloud Communications Solution

May 04, 2011
By Carrie Majewski (née Schmelkin), Director of Content Marketing, Content Boost

Consumers will now be able to benefit from an all-in-one business VoIP telephone and unified cloud communications solutions designed specifically to meet the needs of single person businesses, thanks to cloud communications and computing solutions provider 8x8 (News - Alert), Inc.


8x8’s new Virtual Office Solo service allows a single person business to enjoy the benefits of big business communications services as they enjoy complete telephone capabilities including voicemail, call recording and archiving, call forwarding, Internet fax and unlimited local and long-distance in the U.S. and Canada.

“Solopreneurs,” home-based workers and mobile professionals can enjoy a complete business communications package without having to purchase any hardware or software.

"With this system, even the smallest one or two person business can have the same professional-grade telephone service and accompanying collaboration tools you might expect from a big company at an incredibly low price," said Debbie Jo Severin (News - Alert), chief marketing officer at 8x8, in a statement. "And, because it offers advanced call forwarding, call management through our free Virtual Office app on iPhone and Android (News - Alert), and computer-based soft phone client, you can get all this business productivity without being tied to a desk."

The benefits of the new platform include powerful softphone calling features, mobile integration and included Internet fax and virtual meeting service.

By using a Web-based soft client, Virtual Office Solo provides a dedicated business phone number and VoIP telephone service that allows the user to place and receive calls over the 8x8 network using a PC headset or other specified calling device such as a mobile or home phone.

Those afraid of missing important calls while away from the office need not worry with the new platform as incoming calls can be automatically forwarded to any handset. The system includes “powerful call handling features” that allow a user to set up rules to send calls to a preferred device if Internet service is down. The system also includes voicemail, call waiting, music on hold, caller ID, three-way calling and the ability to record calls for storage as digital audio files.

The platform also boasts mobile integration as Virtual Office Solo includes free downloadable mobile apps that enable users to place and receive calls through iOS and Android devices while displaying their Virtual Office Solo phone number as the Caller ID.

“This allows on the go professionals to seamlessly conduct business while keeping their mobile phone number private,” officials explain.

Other features include a built-in Internet fax service to send and receive fax; a comprehensive inbox that shows the complete incoming call log and voicemail messages; a feature in which existing contacts can be imported from Microsoft Outlook, Gmail, Facebook (News - Alert) and Twitter, and a History tab that shows all previous call logs, call recordings, meeting appointments and even chat records.

"With more than 25 million small businesses in the U.S., we are committed to providing the powerful voice and unified communication services they need to move to the cloud and grow their business," Severin said. "At this price point, Virtual Office Solo makes it possible for everyone to take advantage of a full-featured business phone system with all the benefits of communicating in the cloud."


Carrie Schmelkin is a Web Editor for TMCnet. Previously, she worked as Assistant Editor at the New Canaan Advertiser, a 102-year-old weekly newspaper, covering news and enhancing the publication's social media initiatives. Carrie holds a bachelor's degree in journalism and a bachelor's degree in English from the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications at Syracuse University. To read more of her articles, please visit her columnist page.

Edited by Rich Steeves

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