vTalk is a VoIP phone service provider. vTalk gives you local and long distance calling anywhere in the USA and Canada for one low price.
vTalk works with your existing high-speed Internet connection (also known as broadband) instead of standard phone lines.
You'll save money and get great features like Caller ID with Name, Call Waiting, Voicemail and many more included free of cost.
vTalk offers competitive rate packages for residential and business. Check monthly plans from the Phone Plans.
There is no activation fee, no agreement or contract to sign, no sign up fee, no cancellation fee and no hidden charges.
You just have to pay one time price for your VoIP phone adapter and save money every month on your phone bill.
Yes, any VoIP phone adapter can be used with vTalk service but some features may not work properly because of compatibility with vTalk service.
If you want to use existing phone adapter, it should be unlocked phone adapter so that we can configure our service on the phone adapter.
No, vTalk does not provide Internet service. You need to get Internet Service from an Internet Service Provider. How ever if you don’t know which Internet service provider to choose then contact vTalk for recommendation of Internet service provider in your area.
There is a simple test to see if your AOL Cable will work with vTalk. Simply check to see if you can access the Internet using an Internet browser. If you can reach the Internet without having to connect to AOL then you can use vTalk.If you can not access the Internet without first connecting to AOL, then vTalk will not operate. This is because AOL Broadband authenticates the connection using the software client and is not compatible with vTalk.
If you received a package that is visibly damaged, please note the damage, keep the carrier's freight bill or receipt, keep the original carton with packing materials or parts and contact vTalk Customer Service immediately.
If you received the device from vTalk and you suspect it may be defective, please Contact Us. We will make every effort to resolve your issue. If your problems continue, we will advise you on what steps to take and will ship you a replacement unit at no cost to you. You may be asked to return your original device to us.
If you purchased your product from retail store and suspect it may be defective, please Contact Us. We will make every effort to resolve your issue. If your problems continue, we will generally advise you to return your unit to the store with your proof of purchase. Please note that the warranty for hardware purchased at retail exists between the retailer and the equipment manufacturer - not vTalk.
If you purchased your product online and it does not arrive, or you suspect it has been lost or stolen, please Contact Us or call vTalk Customer Care and we will track the order for you. If the product is lost we will ship out a replacement unit immediately at no cost to you.
Money back guarantee means the charges which you pay for the service, should be returned within the grace period of money back guarnatee. Since, vTalk is not charging any activation fee or sign up fee. So there is no money back guarantee or there is nothing to refund. Also, there is no cancellation fee and customer can cancel the service at any time.
VoIP phone adapter is not part of the vTalk phone service. Customer can buy the VoIP phone adapter from any where. vTalk gives a free hand to the customers to use any VoIP phone adapter. When customer buy a phone adapter from vTalk then vTalk is buying Phone adapter from a third party at the conditions of no refund. So vTalk does not provide a refund on VoIP phone adapters or vTalk does not accept the return of VoIP phone adapters.
vTalk takes the responsibility of defective Phone adapters within 3 days of receiving the package. Customers need to contact vTalk customer care within 3 days of receiving the package. After 3 days, vTalk does not cover the warranty. Customers need to contact the manufacturer company direct for any warranty issues.
vTalk customers can register on our website to open their online account. Online account is simple, easy and user friendly with advanced features set up to control and make changes related to their service. The benefits of having an online account.
Say good-bye to: Paper bills, Writing checks, Buying stamps, Missed payments & late fees.
View a customized call history of both inbound and outbound calls.
View current and previous invoices, charges summaries, monthly usage summary, payments history, print invoices, pay and analyze your billing statements.
Make automatic payments to save time.
Configure Premium Features from your online account such as call forward, voice mail, fax, etc.
Access your account from any where in the world through an internet connection.
Update your payment information, mailing address and many more.
Once you sign up with vTalk after that you can create an online account on our website. During the registration process customer need to fill up a simple form of customer’s basic information, Username and Password. You and only you hold the key to your vTalk Online Account. It is a secure online account mangement system. Remember, if you have an any questions about using your vTalk Online Account, we're here to help.
We know it's frustrating to forget your password, but we can help you regain access to your vTalk Online Account quickly and easily. Click on Forgot password on the login page to Reset Your Password. A temporary password will be sent to the email address on file. You'll then be able to change your password for your security.
Passwords must be eight or more characters in length, and are case-sensitive.
Try creating a "strong" password containing upper-case letters, lower-case letters, numbers and special characters. That makes it much harder to guess. An example of a strong password could be 19MyXy56.
A "weak" password could be your pet’s name, a nickname, names of family or friends, your Social Security number or other personal information that can be easy to guess. One such example could be "Debbie01."
If you write your password down, keep it in a safe place.
Unless you have authorized others to make changes to your vTalk account when you first opened it with us, it’s a good idea to not share your username and password with anyone else.
Do not send your username and password by e-mail or by instant message. Sometimes messages can be intercepted while in transit.
If you suspect identity theft or fraud please contact us immediately.
We value your business greatly and would like to address any concerns you may have regarding our service. We are sorry to hear that you are considering cancelling your vTalk service. Please call a customer care associate to either assist with the issue you are having or to help terminate your account. We need to verbally verify the owner of the account; therefore we can not process cancellations on-line. This is done to protect you from having another person terminate your service without your knowledge, as well as ensure we have all the relevant data to fully process your cancellation. You can contact customer care.
We are constantly upgrading our service and adding features and hope that if your needs change in the future you will decide to give us another try. In order to begin your port out process, please contact your new telephone service provider to initiate the number transfer. We will automatically terminate our service for that number upon successful completion of the port.
No, vTalk does not apply any disconnect fee. If you are planning to get service from any other provider, we want you to try other provider’s service first at least for a week and then disconnect our service because we want you to compare our service with other providers. Also, vTalk applies a re-activation fee of $12.99 plus applicable taxes to any account that was closed.
Accounts that accrue more that $75 in overage or international charges can be charged anytime during the course of a billing cycle. On a daily basis, our system looks for accounts with overage and international charges of $75 or greater. If the system finds an overage or international charge of $75 or greater, we will automatically charge the payment type on file.This can happen several times per billing cycle depending on the activity on the account. At the end of the billing cycle, our system calculates your bill and deducts all accrued credits and will charge the payment type on file the remaining balance.
Applicable taxes are billed and collected on services and equipment. Taxes are applied based on the jurisdiction in which the service is being provided.
Per Section 2(3) of the Ontario Act specifies that every purchaser of a taxable service shall pay to her Majesty in the right of Ontario a tax in respect thereof computed at the rate of 8% of the fair value thereof. This includes telecommunications services of all kinds, including without restricting the generality of the foregoing, telephone and telegraph services. Subsection 1(1) also states that "telecommunication" means any transmission, emission or reception of signs, signals, writing or image or sound of intelligence of any nature by wire, radio, visual or other electromagnetic or laser-based system.
No. There is no fee to switch between plans. If you select a more expensive plan, you will be billed the difference in cost between your old and new rate plan. If you select a cheaper plan then your cheaper plan will be activated from the date of your billing.
You will be notified by email if your monthly credit card payment is declined. Make the payment within 30 days, otherwise your account will be suspended. You will not be able to place or receive any calls or retrieve your voicemail messages until a payment is made. Your service will be reactivated when your payment is processed successfully.
We keep your costs low by providing you with online billing. No need for paper bills! We provide you with an Online Account Manager – your vTalk Online Account. Through your Online Account you will be able to see your Invoice at any time. You can also see your past and present billing activity, print copies of your bill and keep them for your own records.
On a monthly basis, you will be automatically billed, using your payment method on file. Note, the day you sign up for service will begin the date of your monthly billing cycle. Accounts that accrue more that $75 in overage or international charges can be billed anytime during the course of a billing cycle. Please note: vTalk accepts Visa and MasterCard.
vTalk offers a comprehensive security solution for all customer transactions. vTalk utilizes security technology, digital authentication services and products for electronic commerce and secure communications. All customer information is secured by the SSL protocol.
vTalk will now be providing our Goods and Services Tax (GST) registration number when billing Business accounts. The Goods and Services Tax (GST) Registration number will appear before your "Total Amount".
For greater privacy and security, you can use Call Display Blocking to block the delivery of your name and phone number on a per call basis. If the person you have called subscribes to Call Display, your call will be identified as “Private Name/Private Number”.
Call Forward - This feature (CFW), when activated, redirects all calls made to the Line to another destination. The destination may be any dialable Telephone Number (Local, Long Distance, Toll Free, International) The subscriber is responsible for any toll charges incurred if the line is forwarded to a Telephone Number outside the line's free calling area. CFW is activated or canceled from onling portal by entering the Telephone Number to which calls are to be redirected.
This feature lets you free up your hands and put your caller on hold. Simply press the LINK¸ FLASH or HOLD button located on your phone, once. To reconnect the caller, press the LINK¸ FLASH or HOLD button once again.
This feature sends the Name and Number of the calling party to the Line for each incoming call it receives. The terminal equipment (telephone, fax, modem) on the Line must be capable of reading and displaying the Name and Number information it receives.
This feature alerts the Line subscriber who is involved in one call that there is another call coming in on the line. The alert is done by a beep that the Line subscriber hears when the new call arrives. The subscriber may use a switchhook flash (or Link button) to put the original call on hold and answer the new call. The subscriber may then use a switchhook flash to toggle between the two calls. If the Line subscriber chooses not to answer the second call, that call will receive the no answer' treatment assigned to the line (e.g. it will forward to voice mail if the line has a voice mailbox).
When you are having a phone conversation, Visual Call Waiting notifies you about an incoming call by 2 beeps. You will also see the caller’s phone number on your phone’s display. You can put one call on hold while you answer a second call. You may then alternate between the two. If additional callers try to reach you, they get a busy signal.
Conference Calling (or 3-Way Calling) allows the subscriber to either conference in a third party to an existing call, or transfer the current caller to another number. To initiate a Call Transfer, the caller performs a switchhook flash (often using a "Link" button on the phone), and dials the 3rd party. The original caller is put on hold. The subscriber may carry on a private conversation with the 3rd party, or perform another switchhook flash to connect all parties in a conference call. If the subscriber goes onhook before the 3rd party answers, the original caller will be connected with the 3rd party (likely still in a ringing state). If the destination of the Call Transfer is a long distance call, the subscriber will be responsible for any toll charges, even if they subsequently drop off of the call. At any time, any of the called parties involved in a conference call may drop off, and the other two parties will remain connected.
One of the call treatment options available within the My Home Phone Portal. This feature allows you to create lists of phone numbers, such as your office or cell phone numbers. That will ring simultaneously or sequentially if you are not answering on your Home Phone line.
This feature allows you to retrieve the phone number of the last person who called your line. This feature can be used whether the last call was answered or missed.
Voice Messaging service provides a wide range of Voicemail and call handling capabilities. The service ensures that calls are not missed, as messages will be left in the subscriber's voice mailbox if they are unable to answer their phone. You can also access your voice mail via the Voice Mail tab of online Portal. From there you can see if you have got a new voice mail, listen to it.
Configuring Functions via Phone
Following is a list of functions that can be configured by dialing access codes on the phone.
Function
Access Code
Anonymous Call enable
Offhook, dial *60, then onhook
Anonymous Call disable
Offhook, dial *61, then onhook
Call return
Offhook, dial *69
Call Forwarding
Currently, Call Forwarding feature is available only from web portal
Caller ID
Block CID enable (privacy)
Offhook, dial *65, then onhook
Block CID disable
Offhook, dial *66, then onhook
Block CID enable for this call
Offhook, dial *67, wait DIAL tone, dial peer phone number
Block CID disable for this call
Offhook, dial *82, wait DIAL tone, dial peer phone number
Conference or 3 Way Call
Conference or 3 Way Call
Call first party, hookflash, Dial 2nd party, hookflash
Call Waiting
Hookflash to attend call waiting
Do not disturb
Do not disturb enable
Offhook, dial *90, then onhook
Do not disturb disable
Offhook, dial *91, then onhook
Redial
Offhook, dial *00
Voice mail
Offhook, dial *123
Description of Codes
Feature access codes are a quick way of using your phone to program phone line services. Each has a predefined access code. A description of available features is provided below.
• Anonymous Calls (ANC) Activate: Code Activates blocking of incoming calls whose caller ID is anonymous (Blocked).
• Anonymous Calls (ANC) De-activate:Code Deactivates blocking of anonymous calls.
• Call Return: Returns a call to the last party that called you.
• Call Forward;Currently, Call Forwarding feature is available only from web portal.
• Conference or 3 Way Call: Call first party. Press flash and dial 2nd party number when call is connected press flash button to invite first party.
• Call Waiting: Press flash to attend call waiting. Press flash to toggle between calls.
• Caller ID Block Activate: Code Activates blocking of your caller ID, which prevents your phone number from being displayed by the party you are calling.
• Caller ID Block De-activate: Code Deactivates blocking of your caller ID.
• Caller ID Block Per Call: Code Activates blocking of your caller ID for a specific call. (Dial the access code, then the number of the party you want to call.)
• Caller ID Unblock Per Call: Code Deactivates blocking of your caller ID for a specific call. (Dial the access code, then the number of the party you want to call.)
• Do Not Disturb Activate: Code Activates “Do Not Disturb”. The phone will not ring when this feature is activated.
• Do Not Disturb De-activate: Code Deactivates “Do Not Disturb”.
• Redial Call: Code redials the last number you dialed.
• Voice mail: Code connects you to your voicemail.
Yes. You can transfer your existing number to vTalk. You just have to Fill out the Number Transfer Authorization form and rest we will do it for you. As an added convenience vTalk provides you with a temporary "Virtual Number" to use until your carrier releases your existing phone number. Your Virtual Number is provided when you initiate your number transfer.
Ensuring a Successful Number Transfer, read the steps below carefully.
1) Fill out the Number Transfer Authorization form. Make sure that the information you provided in the Number Transfer Authorization exactly matches your current phone bill for a successful number transfer.
2) A Number Transfer Authorization is required when transferring your home or cell phone number to our service. The Number Transfer Authorization must be signed by the account holder whose name is listed on the existing service.
3) Respond promptly to email or other communication from vTalk. vTalk will keep you informed of the transfer process along the way via email. Once the form is submitted and approved, you will receive an email message confirming your number transfer is in process. Our First Class Customer Service is available to assist you.
4) Don't add new features to existing service. Pending charges on the account will delay your Number Transfer.
5) The number transfer process takes about 10 days from the time you confirm your transfer request. vTalk will send a confirmation of a successful transfer of your number by email.
6) Keep your existing service with the number you will be transferring. Don't cancel it - we will handle that for you.
7) Your number must remain active with your local carrier, for vTalk to transfer your number. Once you have signed the Number Transfer Authorization, do not contact your carrier to disconnect your service. It will take place when your phone number is transitioned to vTalk. You will receive a final bill from your previous provider.
How can I check the status of my number transfer?
You can check the status of your number transfer anytime through your vTalk Online Account. If there are issues regarding your number transfer an advisory in your online account will have instructions for you or you can contact our customer care to find out the status.
Unfortunately your number cannot be transferred to vTalk unless you convert your line from CENTREX or ISDN back to standard telephone service. Both CENTREX and ISDN have many features that are associated with them that prevent them from being transferred to vTalk.
You need to contact your phone provider's Customer Service Department to have them convert this line from CENTREX or ISDN back to standard telephone service.
Only if the number you wish to transfer is not the current Main Billing Telephone Number on your phone bill, you will be asked to provide the main billing telephone number for your account. You must provide your current phone bill for the number you wish to transfer. The phone bill must include the phone number(s) you wish to transfer, the service address of the phone number, account balance, no older than 30 days, and the name of the person authorized to make the changes to the phone number*.
Only if there are additional numbers on your account, vTalk will need to know the other number(s) associated with the account. You will be asked to provide these numbers.
vTalk offers a form of 9-1-1 service (9-1-1 Dialing) that is similar to traditional 9-1-1 (911) service but has some important differences and limitations when compared with enhanced 9-1-1 service (E911) available in most locations in conjunction with traditional telephone service. With both traditional 9-1-1 and E911 service, your call is sent directly to the nearest emergency response centre. In addition, with E911 service, your call back number and address are visible to the emergency response centre call-taker. With vTalk’s 9-1-1 service, your call is sent to a national emergency call centre. The call centre operator will confirm your location information and then transfer your 9-1-1 call to the emergency response centre nearest your location. You should be prepared to confirm your address and call-back number with the operator. Do not hang up unless told directly to do so and if disconnected, you should dial 9-1-1 again.
You should ensure your location information, when registered with vTalk, is kept current at all times. In case you are not able to speak during the 911 call, the call taker would dispatch emergency response vehicles to your last registered address. Remember that you need to update your 9-1-1 Dialing information if you move your device to a different location and/or if you add a new line to your account. Your 9-1-1 Dialing service is activated when you subscribe to vTalk service.
Remember that the 9-1-1 Dialing service will not function in the event of a power or broadband outage or if your broadband, ISP or vTalk service is suspended or disconnected.
You should inform any household residents, guests and other persons who may be present at the physical location where you utilize the vTalk service, of the important differences in and limitations of VoIP 9-1-1 Dialing service as compared with E911 service, as set out above.
We limit our liability to you in respect of our 911 Dialing service as we do not have any control over whether, or the manner in which, calls using our 911 Dialing service are answered or addressed by any local emergency response centre and we rely on third parties to assist s in routing 911 Dialing calls to local emergency response centres and to a national emergency calling centre. Prior to subscribing to vTalk service, you must review the full text of applicable limitations of liability set out in the Terms of Service available at www.vTalk.ca.
Unlike traditional phone lines, you can use vTalk anywhere. vTalk service is portable to any location with broadband Internet access. Since vTalk uses the address you provide to determine your nearest emergency response center, when you move or travel with your phone adapter in Canada, you must update your new location. It's free and easy - just log into the features section of your vTalk Online Account and follow the instructions. You will receive an email confirming your service is activated for 911 Dialing. Customers traveling outside of Canada will not be able to update 911 Dialing.
Please note that it can take several hours before your new settings take effect. Remember, when you add a line, change your number or cancel your number portability request, you will need to activate 911 Dialing Again.
No. You do not need to test 911 Dialing. If you have received an email confirmation from vTalk stating that your 911 Dialing has been activated, then 911 Dialing will work should you ever need it. If you do choose to test 911 Dialing, you must immediately inform the emergency response personnel that it is not an emergency and that you are testing your vTalk 911 service to make sure it's working. If they ask why you are testing the system, explain that you are using an Internet phone service that operates differently than the traditional phone company. If the operator tells you to dial another number, please inform vTalk Customer Care.
vTalk offers a form of 9-1-1 service (9-1-1 Dialing) that is similar to traditional 9-1-1 (911) service but has some important differences and limitations when compared with enhanced 9-1-1 service (E911) available in most locations in conjunction with traditional telephone service. With both traditional 9-1-1 and E911 service, your call is sent directly to the nearest emergency response centre. In addition, with E911 service, your call back number and address are visible to the emergency response centre call-taker. With vTalk’s 9-1-1 service, your call is sent to a national emergency call centre. The call centre operator will confirm your location information and then transfer your 9-1-1 call to the emergency response centre nearest your location. You should be prepared to confirm your address and call-back number with the operator. Do not hang up unless told directly to do so and if disconnected, you should dial 9-1-1 again.
Remember that the 9-1-1 Dialing service will not function in the event of a power or broadband outage or if your broadband, ISP or vTalk service is suspended or terminated.
You should inform any household residents, guests and other persons who may be present at the physical location where you utilize the vTalk service, of the important differences in and limitations of VoIP 9-1-1 Dialing service as compared with E911 service, as set out above.
There are 5 stages to activating the 911 Dialing feature:
Not Activated (1st try) - When you initially sign-up you will give us your street address for 911 purposes. It may take several hours to verify your 911 address. In the interim, vTalk will send your call to our national emergency response center.
Please note: You should ensure your location information, when registered with vTalk Canada, is kept current at all times. In case you are not able to speak during the 911 call, the call taker would dispatch emergency response vehicles to your last registered address. Remember that you need to update your 9-1-1 Dialing information if you move your device to a different location and/or if you add a new line to your account. Your 9-1-1 Dialing service is activated when you subscribe to vTalk service.
Pending- The address is currently being verified by the address matching system (automated process). It will result in either failure or complete. During this phase of the address verification process, your 911 call will be routed to vTalk’s national emergency response center.
Invalid (2nd and last try)- If, for any reason we are unable to process your street address on the first attempt, you will receive an email notification asking you to login to your vTalk Online Account and retype your address for verification. Please read carefully the format of the form into which you are putting your street address: the street number, street name and suffix are all separate fields. Again, during this process your 911 calls will be sent to vTalk’s 24x7 emergency response center.
Helpful Hint: To quickly get the proper format for your address, please use an online map service such as Mapquest.com
Failed (Cannot edit any more)- If for any reason and after several tries we are unable to process your address, we will capture the last, most recent 911 address you've entered into the vTalk Online Account 911 address field, you will not be able to make any further edits to this address while we attempt to manually process your address within our systems. You will see a message in the 911 feature to contact customer care to resolve the issue. This process may take several days to complete. Remember, you will not be without help in an emergency as vTalk will send your calls to its national 911 emergency response center where agents are standing by to assist in getting local emergency help in the event you call 911.
Helpful Hint: To check your 911 activation status at any time login to your vTalk Online Account or dial 933 from your vTalk phone.
Complete (911 successful)- The address has been verified and the line has been activated for 911 feature. You will receive a confirmation email.
Yes. You can move your number from one vTalk Phone adapter to another vTalk phone adapter. vTalk goes with you anywhere! vTalk lets you Move Your Number to another phone adapter on your account at any time.
The number move will complete once your phone adapter is not in use. Your 911 address information for this phone number will not change. You can update your 911 information in your vTalk Online Account
Note: Move Your Number cannot be used with SoftPhone numbers.
Now you could always have a local number. With vTalk, you can have a local number in nearly every area code and country that we serve and save yourself and those who call you a lot. Just Select a new area code and Add vTalk Virtual Numbers so that you can have local presence anywhere in our service area. So you and your callers can enjoy local rates.
International Virtual Numbers allow your friends and family overseas to call you without paying international rates. And it's cheap for you too. International Virtual Numbers are inexpensive secondary numbers that ring to your primary vTalk line.
The advantage is that people overseas can call you for the price of a local call if you choose a Virtual Number in their area code. You can have as many lines as you like and maintain a local presence anywhere you choose.
You must decide carefully before choosing a new number. Once you give up your number, it will be re-used by another vTalk customer and you won't be able to get it back. Remember, you always have the option of keeping your old number as a virtual number.
Yes. You can add another line online if you are always waiting to use the phone. Is one line just not enough? We can help. With vTalk you can add a line anytime - fast.
Just think what a pleasure it will be having a line all to yourself only for a low price.
Need to send or receive documents fast? You can when you’re a vTalk customer. Simply add a fax line. It will have its own number so it’ll be easy to keep track of everything faxed.
You are unable to send and or receive faxes try lowering the baud rate on the fax machine to 9600. Also disable the ECM feature on the fax machine if applicable. Still need Help? Please contact our highly trained technical support staff – just Contact US.
Going on vacation, or maybe business? You can take vTalk with you. Take your vTalk device with you and keep calling the way you always have – with savings! vTalk goes with you. It’s portable. You have the ability to use your vTalk phone adapter anywhere there is a high-speed Internet connection. When visiting family, going on vacation or traveling for business, as long as you have your vTalk phone adapter and a high-speed Internet connection, you can make and receive calls as if you were home.
Yes. You can use your vTalk service any place you have a high-speed Internet connection. Callers who need to reach you from your local calling area will be making local calls to your vTalk line even if you are out of town or outside the country.
If you plan on using the service outside the U.S., we suggest checking with local Internet Service Providers in the area to see if there are any regulations on using VoIP service in that specific country. Due to certain restrictions of Internet Service Providers outside of the U.S. and Canada, we cannot guarantee the quality of the vTalk service.
If you use our service in another country, you will have to accept a U.S. telephone number and pay our international rates to call within that country. See our International Rates page for our current international rates
No connection fees or hidden charges just low international rates! Please compare our International rate with other providers and you will see the difference. That's what vTalk offers you. Let us help you get connected….
North American Numbering Plan Adminsitration. The NANP is the numbering plan for the Public Switched Telephone Network for Canada, the US and its territories, and the Caribbean.
Calling other vTalk customers without the cost, is Priceless!
When you become a vTalk customer you can talk for free to any other vTalk customer worldwide! It doesn't matter which vTalk plan you're on.
Calling vTalk to vTalk is priceless… That’s vTalk free World.
In-Network Calls are always free with any monthly calling plan. Call domestically. Call internationally. It doesn't matter. If the person you are calling is a vTalk customer you can talk as long as you like without charge.
Earn free 2 months of phone service when you refer a friend or a customer to us.
6 referrals or customers can give you a full one year of free service.
The two months credit appears in your account and if you give more customers, credit will be applied towards your future monthly bills.
There are 2 ways to get “refer a friend” coupon number.
1) When you refer friends, let us have their email addresses. vTalk automatically sends an e-mail with the Refer-A-Friend coupon to your referral on your behalf. Your friend will need to sign up as a new vTalk customer at the vTalk website using the coupon number.
Or Your friends can contact us at customer care and sign up on the phone by providing the coupon number that is sent to them to activate the Refer-A-Friend offer.
2) If you do not have email addresses of your friends then contact us at customer care to get a coupon number over the phone which you need to provide your friends. Your friends must provide the same coupon number at the time of sign up as a new customer on the website or on the phone.
This offer is not valid for new customers that purchase vTalk equipment or service at retail stores or other partners. The Refer-A-Friend program is intended for use by vTalk customers to refer family and friends. vTalk does not support spamming. Any complaints received due to misuse of this program may result in the forfeit of any credits accrued to you.
Because the vTalk service uses your Internet service and network devices, an Internet Service Provider (ISP), electricity, or network outage may cause a disruption in your service. Restarting your network devices gives your network a fresh start and can fix many technical problems. This process is also known as a network reboot or power cycle.
Disconnect the power cord from your Cable/DSL modem. The lights on the modem should go out.1
Disconnect the power cord from your Network Router (if applicable). The lights on this device should also go out.1
Unplug the power cable from your vTalk Phone Adapter. Again, all lights should go out.
Leave all the devices unplugged for at least 60 seconds.
Plug the power cord back into the Cable/DSL modem and wait for all of the lights on the device to glow steadily. It may take up to one minute until the modem is ready.1
Reconnect the power cord to the Network Router (if applicable) and wait for all of the lights to glow steadily. This also may take up to 60 seconds.1
Plug in the power cord for the vTalk Phone Adapter. The Phone Adapter should power up and reconnect to the Internet within one minute.
Once your vTalk Phone Adapter connects to the Internet, it will authenticate with the vTalk servers and become ready to make and receive calls. The "Ready" or "Phone" light will glow steadily. This light will blink intermittently if you have new Voicemail messages.
Information travels to computers from the Internet at speeds that are measured in kilobytes per second, or kbps. The higher the number of kbps, the faster and better a connection. vTalk recommends an upload speed of 90kbps or greater per phone line. A lower upload speed could affect the quality of your calls.
vTalk Features can Interfere with Incoming Calls
vTalk offers many useful features. If you have set up one of these features and forgotten or perhaps improperly set up a feature, it could prevent you from receiving calls. Please review the troubleshooting tips below to quickly identify and fix your problem.
Anonymous Call Block (ACB) is Enabled
If the person calling you has Call ID information blocked, and this feature is enabled, you will not receive calls. Types of Calls Blocked by Anonymous Call Block
Once this feature is activated, calls will be blocked if the Caller ID information reads:
Anonymous
PRIVATE (private followed by 8 spaces)
PRIVATE
PRIVATE NUMBER
PRIVATE NAME
NUMBER,PRIVATE
CALLER PRIVATE
WITHHELD
Review Your Account Status
Make sure your account was successfully activated or check if the status of your existing account changed. a. What is "Account Status" and How Does It Affect My Service? b. How Do I Make a Payment or Update My Payment Information?
Check the Call Hunt Settings
If this line is part of a Call Hunt sequence perhaps the calls are being answered, going directly to voicemail, or forwarded by other lines/line settings on the list. Verify the Call Hunt settings, and the feature settings for the lines on the list. For more information on Call Hunt click here: Call Hunt Basics
Call Waiting May Be Disabled
If you are unable to receive calls while using your phone it could be that call waiting is disabled on your line. For information on how to correct this click here: Call waiting Basics
Call waiting will not work if you were the initiator of a 3 way call, or if the call is following a Call Hunt or Ring List sequence. Do Not Disturb May Be Enabled
Enabling "Do Not Disturb" will prevent you from receiving calls.
Check Your Enhanced Call Forwarding Settings
With call forwarding enabled, you can still receive calls to your number. However calls may be forwarding to another phone number if the time setting to forward them is set to "instantly" or to a very short amount of time. Try adjusting the setting to allow time for calls to connect to your intended number.
Review Your Ring Lists
If the calls are being answered, going directly to voicemail, or forwarded by other lines/line settings on the list, verify your Ring List settings and the feature settings for the lines on the list.
Change Your Voicemail Plus Settings
Calls may be routing directly to voicemail if the time to direct calls is set to "instantly" or to a very short amount of time. Adjust the setting to allow time for calls to connect.
If you are experiencing problems with your vTalk service, there are some simple things you can check. In many cases, what seems like a serious problem can be solved with some very basic troubleshooting steps that anyone can do. Are you facing problem from the list below:
No dial tone
Choppy, one way, or dropped audio
Static or garbled audio
Echo
Unable to receive inbound calls
Unable to make outbound calls
Troubleshooting Audio Problems
With choppy audio and one-way audio, either party on the call hears the audio breaking up, or no audio at all. Dropped audio is when a call is in session and both parties are unable to hear each other.
From your vTalk account, there is a feature called the bandwidth saver. This feature controls the amount of bandwidth used for a phone call. Try adjusting the bandwidth saver to either medium or normal. After you adjust your settings, test and see if there is a difference in the audio quality. Please note that when you change bandwidth saver it could take a few minutes for the device to reboot and take the changes.
Reboot all of your devices (vTalk device, any routers and cable / DSL modems).
Ensure that your vTalk device is at least four feet away from any other device.
Ensure your vTalk device is in a well ventilated area to keep from overheating.
Ensure no file sharing, P2P applications, or large downloads are running while you are using the phone. These activities can use up most of your bandwidth, leaving little left for your calls.
Connect your vTalk device directly to your cable / DSL modem, if it is not already. If this helps the audio quality, then the problem is occurring between the vTalk device and modem.
If your vTalk device connects to another router and not directly to your cable / DSL modem, try disabling any firewalls or SPI (Stateful Packet Inspection) on that router.
If you wish not to disable your firewall, then you can port forward the vTalk traffic to the adapter. Click Here to learn about port forwarding.
Wireless Routers and Cordless phones — If you have a wireless router and a cordless phone:
Ensure all wireless devices and cordless phone bases are at least four feet away from each other.
Home wiring — If you are using home wiring:
Ensure the land line has been disconnected in the Demarc box.
Ensure there are no more than five phones connected through the house wiring. The signal fades as more phones are connected to house wiring.
Test with one phone directly connected to your vTalk device. If this fixes the issue, there may be a problem with your house wiring.
If you have made it through this checklist and you are still experiencing an audio problem, our first class customer service is available to assist you. Please have handy your account ID, phone number, name of your internet service provider (ISP), and model numbers for your vTalk device and any other devices in your network.
In general, Cable Internet and DSL connections both work well with our service. The main difference between the services is the type of connection used. A Cable Internet connection uses your Cable TV line. With Cable Internet, you would be able to disconnect all of your current phone services if you would like and use vTalk exclusively for your local and long-distance calling.
A DSL connection uses a local phone line that must be maintained by your local phone provider. You can generally transfer your phone service and phone number to vTalk while keeping your DSL high speed connection with your previous telephone service provider, but there is an ‘Unbundling’ process that must be followed. vTalk can help you with this. By joining vTalk and maintaining a basic DSL Internet connection with your current phone company, you'll enjoy all the benefits of vTalk phone service without the need to change your Internet service provider.
VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) is a great new way to make and receive phone calls using your broadband Internet connection instead of your standard phone line. vTalk converts your phone calls into data that zips through your high-speed Internet connection just like email. It comes out the other end just like a regular phone call. Your callers will never know that it's any different since it sounds just like a regular phone call.
Broadband is high-speed Internet access such as through a Cable or DSL modem. It gives you a continuous connection to the Internet at speeds much faster than dial-up. You need a broadband connection to use vTalk because we insist on consistent high quality audio for all your calls. As a general rule, if you're getting speeds of 90 Kbps or better, you probably have a broadband connection.
A conversation on a vTalk line is actually more secure than one over an ordinary phone line. A VoIP conversation is broken up into pieces called packets. These packets are sent over the Internet and reassembled at the listener’s end. Packets contain no meaningful identifiers in them. Your account information, for example, is not transmitted in these packets. The packets don’t necessarily take the same path over the Internet, and will travel only to the intended location (the listener). This means that someone can’t simply tap into your conversation, or redirect your packets somewhere else.
Additionally, our servers that handle calls have various security features to prevent unauthorized access to the internal network. All of this makes vTalk an extremely secure means of communication.
North American Numbering Plan Adminsitration. The NANP is the numbering plan for the Public Switched Telephone Network for Canada, the US and its territories, and the Caribbean
The term NPA.NXX refers to the first six digits of a phone number, as derived from the North American Number Plan (NANP). The area code is the first three digits and delineates a toll area in the US, Canada, and Mexico. NPA is the area code and NXX is the exchange. The last four digits are known as the extension or actual phone number assigned to a given subscriber. For example, in the number (123) 456-7890: "123" is the NPA, "456" is the NXX, and "7890" is the extension.
Most routers are compatible with vTalk service. Hint: Your router typically should be configured for PPPoE if you are using a DSL Internet Service Provider. Some cable modem services require that the Mac address of the computer is spoofed in the router configurations. Check your router documentation for more information.
Ethernet is the most common type of network, mainly because it's fast and relatively inexpensive. A wired network, it relies on cables to connect all of the nodes.
Ethernet commonly operates at two speeds, measured in megabits per second (Mbps):
10 Mbps, also know as Standard Ethernet or 10BaseT
100 Mbps, also known as Fast Ethernet or 100Base T
Gigabit Ethernet is a new, faster Ethernet technology, but not as widely used as Standard and Fast Ethernet. At 1000 Mbps, it's lightning fast, but also more expensive.
Each computer in an Ethernet network needs a network interface card (NIC) so it can talk to the other devices on the network. Network interface cards are also sometimes called Ethernet cards, network cards, or network adapters. The good news is that most newer computers already have an Ethernet card installed. If not, you need to purchase an Ethernet card for every computer you want to add to the network.
Cables are used to connect all of the nodes on an Ethernet network. The most common type of cable is called Cat 5 (short for category 5), an unshielded twisted-pair cable. Cat 5 looks like ordinary telephone wire, but with 8 wires inside instead of 4 and a larger wall plug-in called an RJ-45 connector.
All of the devices on an Ethernet network need a common place where they connect. There are three kinds of equipment that do the job: Hub
A hub is like the hub of a wheel, a central box that all of the devices on the network plug into. A hub allows any two devices on the network to communicate with each other. Switch
A switch is like a hub, except it not only connects devices, but directs the flow of information between them as well. A switch allows for faster communication when many people are using the network at the same time. Router
A router is a type of switch that also connects to your DSL/cable modem, allowing many people to access the Internet on different computers at the same time. It acts as a sort of gateway between the Internet and all of the computers on your home network.
There are two main things to consider when you're deciding whether to go with a hub, switch, or router: (1) how many devices you want to network, and (2) if you want to share a single Internet connection. If you want multiple computers to share one broadband Internet connection, then a router is the best choice. Otherwise a hub or switch will work just fine. As a rough rule of thumb, use a switch if you are connecting more than four computers. Less than four, and a hub is okay.
No matter what you choose, pay attention to the number of ports it has, because the number of ports tells you how many devices you can connect to it. For example, a four-port hub can connect four devices.
Because all of the nodes are connected via cables, Ethernet is the fastest and most stable of the home networking options. But cables can also be a limitation. If your home is not pre-wired for Ethernet and your computers are far apart, running cables between rooms can be unsightly and installing wiring and jacks can get expensive.
If your vTalk adapter is located behind a routing device that has firewall capabilities, and you do not wish to reconfigure your network, then that routing device must be configured for port forwarding for vTalk service to operate. LEARN MORE
A "port" is a logical connection on a computer. It is not a physical port that you plug a cable into; rather, it is like a virtual door into a device. Ports are used to separate data that is being sent over the internet. For example, when you connect to a website, port 80 is used for the traffic to pass to and from your computer. There are more than 65,000 ports that computers use to send and receive data. vTalk uses only a few of these ports.
The first step is to assign your vTalk adapter a static IP address. LEARN MORE
Once your vTalk adapter has been assigned a static IP address, the next step is to configure port forwarding on your routing device. Please consult your manufacturer’s device manual or website to learn how to configure port forwarding on your routing device, as this process is different for different devices. The ports to configure for port forwarding are listed below
The following ports are needed for OUTGOING Internet communications from the vTalk device to the vTalk servers.
DNS: Port 53 UDP
TFTP: Port 21, 69, 2400 UDP
HTTP: Port 80 UDP
NTP: Port 123 UDP
SIP: Port 5061 UDP (used for older vTalk devices provisioned before 2005)
The following ports are needed for INCOMING and OUTGOING Internet communications from and to vTalk devices and servers.
RTP (Voice) Traffic: Ports 10000-20000 UDP. When a call is made, a random port between 10000 and 20000 is used for RTP (Voice) traffic. If any of these ports are blocked, you may experience one way or no audio.
If you would like to read more about port forwarding, please visit www.portforward.com
A firewall is used to control access between two networks. Firewalls can either be hardware (e.g. router, proxy server, a computer host designed to function as a firewall) or software (e.g. products by Zone Alarm, McAfee, Norton). When set up correctly, firewalls control access to and from your network, keeping unauthorized users from gaining access to your network or computers. Firewalls can also, however, cause bottlenecks in data transfer.
Stateful Packet Inspection (SPI) is a method used by some firewalls to provide even more security. As data travels through the firewall, SPI examines each packet for information, such as the source IP address, destination IP address, port number, and protocol, to determine if that packet should be blocked or allowed to pass. SPI also prevents certain types of Denial of Service (DoS) attacks. A DoS attack is caused by a malicious program that floods a network with meaningless traffic.
Firewalls, especially those employing SPI, can sometimes interfere with your vTalk service. They can prevent your vTalk adapter from registering with our network, produce one-way audio on calls, and block incoming calls. These problems can be avoided two different ways: 1) arrange your network configuration so that the vTalk adapter is located outside of the firewall (see diagrams below), or 2) port forward the vTalk traffic to your vTalk adapter Note: Moving your vTalk adapter outside of you firewall will not compromise the security of your network. Note: If you use VPN to access the internet, moving your vTalk device outside of your firewall may adversely affect your service. VPN users should instead use port forwarding to fix firewall issues
The second most common type of home network is a wireless local area network, also known as wireless LAN (WLAN) or wireless Ethernet. Unlike Ethernet, no cables are required. Instead, the nodes communicate over the airwaves using small, low-powered radio transceivers.
Here's an example of how a typical Ethernet home network might be set up.
Say you have three computers that you want to network, one of which has a printer attached. Plus you have a broadband Internet connection you want to be able to use at all of the computers simultaneously Step Action
1. Each of the computers needs a network interface card so it can talk to the
other computers. So check each computer and install a NIC in any that
doesn't already have one.
2. Since you want to be able to access the Internet at all three computers, a
router is the best choice for your connecting device. Plug your DSL/cable
modem into your router
3. Run Cat 5 cable from each computer to the router.
4. Configure the software on each computer to enable your network.
And that's it! With a setup like this, you can swap files between the computers, surf the Internet on all of the computers at the same time, and print from any computer to the printer.
A wireless network can be configured in two modes: Ad Hoc and Infrastructure. The difference is the way the nodes communicate.
In Ad Hoc mode, computers talk directly with each other through a process called peer-to-peer communication. This eliminates the need for a base station. But because there's no central device directing the flow of information, Ad Hoc mode supports only basic file sharing between computers.
An Ad Hoc wireless network is very simple to setup. All you have to do is install a wireless adapter in each computer you want to link, set the adapters to Ad Hoc mode, and configure the software on each computer to allow file sharing.
In Infrastructure mode, wireless devices communicate via a central access point, similar to the hub in a wired network. If you want to be able to share Internet access or a printer on your wireless network, Infrastructure mode is the way to go.
For example, say you have two computers that you want to network, one of which has a printer attached. Plus you have a broadband Internet connection you want to be able to use at both computers simultaneously. Here's how you might set things up Step Action
1. Install a wireless router in a central location where there will be little interference
from physical objects or home appliances
2. Pl Install a wireless adapter in each computer and set it to Infrastructure mode. .
3. Install a wireless adapter in each computer and set it to Infrastructure mode.
4. Configure the software on each computer to enable your network.
With this type of network, you can swap files between computers, surf the Internet on both computers at the same time, and print from any computer to the printer.
Loss of internet connectivity to the vTalk adapter can cause issues with placing or receiving calls. To check for internet connectivity, try the following steps:
Ensure all power cords and ethernet cables connecting your computer, vTalk adapter, cable/DSL modem, and other equipment on your network are securely plugged in.
Open a browser on your computer and try to browse to a few web sites. Make sure you refresh the page, to ensure you are not simply viewing a cached version of the page. If you can open up a few web pages, then your internet connection is not down.
Place an outbound call from your vTalk line.
If the call does not complete, move on to Step 4.
If the call does complete try placing an inbound call to your vTalk line. If this call does not complete and you receive an error message or fast busy sound, please contact customer support.
Restart your Phone Adapter and Network Devices. Then try placing an outbound call. If the call does not complete, move on to Step 5.
Connect your computer directly to your Cable/DSL modem. Open a browser on your computer and try to browse to a few web sites.
If you have tried all of the above steps, and you still are unable to browse the internet, then there is a problem with your internet connectivity. Please contact your internet service provider.
The MAC address of a router uniquely identifies it on a network. It is a 12-digit hexadecimal number. Some ISPs (Internet Service Provides) require that you register a MAC address. If your ISP requires you to register your MAC address then you can perform what is called MAC cloning, or MAC spoofing, when you install your vTalk device into your home network. This "clones" your router's MAC address onto the vTalk device, so you can avoid a call to your ISP to change the registered MAC address to the vTalk device's MAC address.
AOL DSL subscribers can use the vTalk service with our Phone Adapter and any home router that supports Point-to-Point Protocol over Ethernet (PPPoE) to log into your AOL account.
To setup your AOL DSL service to work with vTalk follow the instructions listed on this page Step Action
Create a new AOL screen name designated for PPPoE login with a password that is all lowercase and alphanumeric with no special characters. This will allow the router to log into AOL DSL to share your Internet connection.
Log into AOL DSL using your new screen name to connect to the router to open IP connectivity. Leave your new screen name logged in at all times.
Next log into your Phone Adapter. Open a browser (e.g. Internet Explorer), type the appropriate login IP address for your vTalk device in the address line, then hit Enter on your keyboard. When prompted, enter the default username and password (unless you've changed them, in which case enter your login username and password). This will take you the Phone Adapter status pag
Next select basic and scroll down to "Enable PPPoE" and select this setting. Now enter your new AOL screen and password and leave the Service Name box blank
Follow the vTalk Quick Start Installation instructions in our Help section. You can also log into AOL DSL for any other computers that are connected to the router using one of your other screen names.
Unfortunately vTalk cannot re-activate disconnected or closed accounts. You will need to sign up for a new account and contact Customer Care at 1-877-272-0528 to use your old Phone Adapter on your new account
You can choose a number anywhere vTalk has service. Please keep in mind that if you choose a number that is outside of your local calling area, normal long distance, regional or local toll charges may apply for anyone who calls you depending on their telephone provider and their calling plan.
Unfortunately we have not yet tested with different models of PBX and other phone systems. You may certainly try our service to see if our service will meet your needs. You may need to work in conjunction with the company that initially installed, or who maintains your phone system for assistance in installing our service.
Though each vTalk line can be assigned to only one phone port on one Phone Adapter at a time, it is easy to set up multiple phones to use that one vTalk line. Through the use of standard phone equipment you can use several phones to answer or to make calls on one vTalk line throughout your home or place of business.
The number of phones vTalk customers can have in their homes is based on a factor called Ring Equivalence Number (REN). REN denotes the amount of load telephones that are physically wired, via phone cables, splitters, and house wiring, have on one line. This number can usually be found on the bottom of the phone. The total sum of the individual phone REN numbers for vTalk Phone Adapter must add up to 5 or less per line.
Wireless handsets do not supply a REN, therefore they do not need to be added. The number of wireless handsets that can be used is limited only to the amount the wireless handset’s base can support.
If you are moving and want to keep your vTalk number, simply take your phone adapter with you. Your phone number is programmed into the equipment so you do not have to change a thing. Unlike other VoIP companies, with vTalk you are not tied to your local cable provider. Simply plug your phone adapter into a high-speed Internet connection anywhere and your vTalk line is ready to go!
Congratulations! vTalk offers the convenience of taking your number with you so you there is no need to disconnect! Keep your vTalk service, keep your phone number, keep your independence and keep your privacy. As long as you have high speed internet access at your new address you can re-connect the service in your new home. You can also run a 2nd line through the same internet connection for your roommate! Use your vTalk Online Account to add a 2nd line today at www.vTalk.ca
Don’t give it a second thought.With vTalk International Call Block, you can block and unblock international calls at no extra charge. No special codes, no confusion.Block those worries with International Call Block from your online account.
vTalk offers this feature as a safeguard. International Call Block prevents accidental calling if a user hits too many digits or places unauthorized international calls from your vTalk account.
