Frequently Asked Questions
What is VoIP?
VoIP is a general word describing conversations that happen over the internet. It stands for Voice over Internet Protocol. VoIP is commonly referred to as ‘Voice over Internet’ and ‘Voice over broadband’ as well. VoIP lowers the overheads for providers, resulting in really cheap phone calls for you, and free calls between you and other VoIP users!
What is an Extension?
An extension is the number your SIP (internet) phone is assigned when it registers to (logs onto) the Montec Connect VoIP service. Each SIP device on our system has a unique 5 digit extension number, and you can call other Montec Connect extensions for free! (Including extensions on other people’s Montec accounts - so that you can ring your friends for free if they have an Montec Connect account). You can have more than one extension for example one at your house, and one at your business - you can make calls between them for free.
What is a Line?
The number of Lines you choose is the number of simultaneous calls you can have active at once, incoming and outgoing.
What is a DID?
A DID (Direct InDial) number is one that exists on the PSTN (Public Switched Telephone Network) and can be connected to the Montec Connect VoIP to PSTN gateway to allow you to receive calls through that number via your Montec Connect Extension. You can set the destination of your DID to an extension, a voicemail box, an external phone number, a fax inbox or an infoline!.
Currently Montec offers DID’s in all of the capital cities, and in some regional locations.
Which DID locations are available?
ADELAIDE
BRISBANE
BUNDABERG
CARINS
CANBERRA
DALBY
DARWIN
DONGARA
GEELONG
GLADSTONE
GOLD COAST
GOSFORD
HAWKESBURY
HOBART
LAUNCESTON
MACKAY
MAITLAND
MELBOURNE
NEWCASTLE
PENRITH
PERTH
PORT MACQUARIE
PROSERPINE
ROCKHAMPTON
ROMA
SUNSHINE COAST
SYDNEY
TOOWOOMBA
TOWNSVILLE
AUCKLAND
How reliable is VoIP?
The reliability and quality of each call you make or receive can depend on many factors. The most important is the internet connection between your VoIP phone and our gateway. If your ISP is experiencing problems or your internet has been slowed due to exceeding your quota, then your call quality may be affected. Every now and then Montec will perform off-peak maintenance in the early hours of the morning which could cause your service to be offline during a maintenance session. You will be notified at least 24 hours before maintenance occurs, unless it is emergency maintenance (eg: Something has broken!).
How secure is your service?
Our website has a high grade SSL encryption engine using our certificate from RapidSSL. We use this encryption for access to the control panel, and payment pages to ensure your information is kept secure. All credit card payments are processed by secure vendors.
Which codecs do you allow?
- G711 (ulaw/alaw)
- G729
- G726
- G722
- GSM
- ILBC
Our preferred codec is G729 because it offers the highest compression and works on all internet connections, however G711 is available because it offers the highest quality speech.
What are the minimum requirements to use Montec Connect VoIP?
You need a broadband ADSL connection with a minimum speed of 256/64. If you plan to use a software based phone on your computer, you will have to check that your PC meets the minimum requirements for that software. If you are going to use an Analogue Telephone Adapter (ATA) eg SPA2000, then all you need is a broadband ADSL and you are all ready to go!
What do I need to get started?
Your broadband needs to meet the minimum requirements above, and then you will need to choose how you will connect to Montec Connect. You can use a software phone on your computer with a headset or microphone & speakers to make calls with virtually no setup cost. For more serious VoIP users, you can purchase some hardware so that you can make & receive calls without using your computer. For that you can get a VoIP phone which plugs straight into your broadband connection/computer network, or a VoIP analogue telephone adapter (ATA) which plugs straight into your broadband connection/computer network and then you plug a regular telephone (or even a cordless telephone) into the ATA. Take a look at our VoIP shop to buy hardware and for more information.
Do I need a Hosted-PBX Account?
Having a Hosted-PBX account allows you to completely mange the way incoming calls work, with the ability to setup intricate call routing (Including Ring Groups, Call Queues, Time Switches ect.).
No more costly PBX system to buy - instead you simply purchase the handsets, and for less than the price of the equivalent landline rental, you can have all the features of a PBX system. You can make changes to the phone system yourself online, or call our friendly support team for assistance at no cost.
What are the Hosted-PBX Dial Codes?
Page Extension: ‘*’ then the extension (*101)
Page All Phones: (*94)
Call Spy All: (*95)
Call Spy Specific: ‘*95″ then the extension (*95101)
Call Pickup: (*98)
Call Pickup Specific: ‘*98’ then the extension (*98101)
Prefix a number with 1831 to make the call private, or 1832 to show your caller id.