Have you ever found yourself needing to be in touch, but not wanting to give out your personal mobile phone number to work colleagues for example? Want to give telemarketers a hard time?
If so, we might be able to help. And it need not cost you a penny. And, if the number you wanted had a one-off connection fee, we might even be able to offer you a discount. Either way there are no ongoing charges to pay, there are no incoming call charges or monthly number rental charges.
How does it work?
You will get another number - 0701 and 0871 numbers may be routed to mobile phones or landlines (0871 can't go to 3UK phones), 0870 and 0844 numbers may only be routed to landlines - and where this number connects to may be controlled by our supplier FleXtel's website. Additionally, 0871 and 0701 numbers can be routed to some international destinations, and in the case of 0701, international mobile numbers too. So, you can now use Second Number to offer your callers a number in the UK even if you are abroad. All at no charge to you - there are never any call diversion charges. [This needs updating - all numbers can go to any destination, but some may be chargeable.]
How do I get the number?
Just click on this link to our supplier, and choose Shop (or the desired number range immediately below it) at the top left. A selection of numbers will be shown, just choose the number you want. It's really as easy as that.
How will this help me?
1) Simultaneous privacy and contactability. This gives you a Second Number that you can give out to colleagues and other work contacts that points at your mobile phone (especially if your employer won't give you a company phone) or landline allowing you to be reachable while keeping your real number private. You can log in to the website and send your calls to your mobile voicemail service (depending on mobile network, this can't be done with Orange) or refuse all incoming calls, whilst allowing your friends and family to reach you on your real mobile number. If your network or service doesn't give you a separate voicemail number, then you can use our free voicemail to email service.
2) For more personal use, if you want to give a guy or girl your number you can give one of these. This makes you contactable but if that person happens to be a complete psycho you can disconnect the number without having to change your real number. (Combined with the DND feature, you can also tell it's the psycho who is calling even if s/he uses 141!)
3) One number always reaches the right person. If the number is for a role contact (e.g. out of hours support), it can be pointed to whoever is on call.
4) Dialled Number Display (DND). You can get a handful of 08xx or 0701 numbers and give each business you have dealings with a different number. When used with the DND feature, the number you have allocated to them will appear on your phone's Caller ID so you know which organisation is calling you even if they choose not to present a number of their own. Also if you get cold-called on one of them you will know instantly who sold your details. (See also the Email Notification below.)
5) Similar to (4) above, if you're running several marketing campaigns, you could get a handful of 08xx or 0701 numbers and use a different one in each marketing campaign. Again, when used with the Dialled Number Display feature you can track which advertisements are generating more responses without having to ask the caller how they heard of you. If you work from home you can use this to identify whether the call is a work call or personal, and answer the phone appropriately.
6) Intelligent Call Diversion (ICD) is a free service that allows you to specify a second destination should the first have no answer, be on another call or if you choose, the caller withheld their number. With an 0701 or 0871 this could be set to call your home or desk number, and if you're not there, re-route to your mobile. And you pay no divert charges for this. (The 0870 and 0844 numbers cannot be diverted to a mobile.)
7) Voice mail by email. You can choose this as a target for your number (this also works with ICD - see above) where you will be emailed a WAV file containing the message.
8) Faxmail. A Second Number can be set up to receive faxes, which will again be emailed to you. No need to have a second phone line fitted just to receive faxes. (You still need a traditional fax or fax-modem to send faxes.)
9) Virtual Conference Room. With no set-up fees or special hardware required, just configure a Second Number to be a virtual conference room. (We recommend you use an 0844 or 0870 for this as these are cheaper to call than 0871 or 0701.)
10) Email notification of incoming calls. When this is enabled you will receive an email any time someone tries to call your number, giving you the exact time and date of that call, their caller ID (or partial ID if withheld) even if you have Dialled Number Display enabled. If you're on the phone and the line is engaged, you will still get an email telling you someone tried to call.
11) Lower exposure to SMS spam. By only letting your Second Number out beyond your circle of friends and family, you lower your exposure to SMS spam, as Second Numbers do not support SMS forwarding.
12) Avoid telemarketers. If you want to fill in surveys which seem to offer big prizes, but they insist on being given a phone number, get one of our 0701 numbers and use that. As telemarketing call centres are run with fairly tight budgets they are far less likely to call a number that is rather more expensive than a landline. Yet, if they have a genuine query you are reachable.
... and no doubt many more applications too.
Yes, all this is absolutely FREE. All you pay are the initial connection charge (if any) of your chosen Second Number, and in the case of conference calling, your own leg of the conference call (as you have to call in yourself to the system). Even if you chose a number that has a connection fee, there is no monthly charge to keep it nor are there any incoming call charges.
What's the catch?
There isn't one. The number is free (depending on your choice), and the 0701 and 0871 numbers may be pointed at landlines and mobiles at no charge to yourself. 0870 numbers may be routed to landlines, again at no charge to yourself. Rerouting the number is also free via the website, though you may also reroute it using a call to their automated 0870 number or a text message (to a normal 07 number charged at your network's standard rate). You are guaranteed privacy, our supplier will not sell or otherwise reveal your details to any third party, and we won't even see your details. Those are between you and FleXtel.
If the number you want has a connection charge, we may well be able to offer you a discount (typically 50%) - please email us.
What's more - 0870, 0871 and 0701 numbers can now be routed to some international destinations, again at absolutely no charge. Also, with 0871 now allowing forwarding to mobiles (apart from numbers originally on Three), callers may even find your mobile cheaper to call via the 0871 than by direct dialling it.
What's in it for you?
Why are we doing this? We find this service to be extremely useful here at the Matrix Network. Also, FleXtel make some money out of the incoming call revenue, and we receive a small commission from them for referring new customers. It is from this call revenue that they make their profits and fund the cost of the above services (and pay our commission), so they can offer the numbers and services completely free of charge and thus we can do likewise, completely free of advertising.
Get your Second Number here!
Email us at: secondnumber at matrixnetwork dot co dot uk.
