How does Buzzbox work?
Buzzbox is a software platform hosted in the Cloud. Think of it as an intelligent switch following the rules you set up on what to do when calls are made and received. We provide the glue between your phones (be they desk phones or our App on your smartphone) and the traditional network operators like Telkom, Vodacom, MTN and CellC. We use the internet as the pipe for connecting your phones to our servers so your phones can be anywhere in the world. You can move between offices, travel the globe – your extension will keep working so long as you have internet access. Our servers are located in South Africa’s biggest and best data centres as well as overseas so you get great quality and reliability.
I there a way I can use Buzzbox from my PC/Laptop?
Yes! We are fully compatible with a free application you can install on Windows/Mac/Linux called Linphone that allows you to make and receive calls on your computer. Here are the instructions to set this up:
How safe are my call recordings?
Multiple copies of your recordings are stored in the cloud and distributed across multiple disks for resilience. The underlying storage provider guarantees us that 99.999999999% of files stored will not be lost in any given year. That’s about 2 billion times better than storing on your own hard drive!
When it comes to security, your recordings are encrypted using state of the art 2048 bit public/private key encryption. Someone without your private key would take 500 000 times longer than the age of our universe to crack your recordings using a top of the line computer!
Nobody but you has your private key. We delete it off our systems once we email it to you so even if we really really wanted to help you decrypt your recordings we would not be able to. So in short, your recordings are as safe as how you choose to store your key when we email it to you – so keep it safe.
How much data does Buzzbox use?
You will use about 1MB per minute of calling – pretty much the same as WhatsApp voice.
What will need to change on my current VOIP desk phones to connect to Buzzbox?
Each phone needs to know how to contact the phone system (our Buzzbox servers in the cloud), what extension the phone should have, and a password so hackers can’t make calls and charge them to you. We have done our best to simplify the setup of VOIP phones so it can be done quickly and easily. Unfortunately, the process does depend on the exact make and model of your desk phone. Here are the instructions for common phones. If yours is not listed then contact us and we will add it immediately.
Who are you and where can I find you?
Please see our contact page for more information.
How have you managed to make it all so simple?
If you ask this question then we are fulfilling our promise to you. We got sick and tired of all the complexity in setting up a new business and wanted to do our bit to make life simpler for us all. If you have any ideas on how to make your telephony even simpler then let us know!
How many calls can my business make/receive at the same time? Does it matter how many numbers I have?
Good Question! There is really no limit to how many outbound and inbound calls you can make at the same time. Even if you only have one phone number. Normally companies like to have more than 1 number so that they can use some numbers and set them up to directly ring on a certain extension. E.g. Your CEO could have a phone number that rings directly on their PA’s phone without ringing at the company secretary first.
The great thing about Buzzbox is you can register and get started with one number and then add more as your needs evolve. If you don’t need a number any more you can remove it with 1 click in our online portal.
What is your SLA and how often does Buzzbox break?
The Buzzbox team are seasoned techies who have built some of the worlds leading telecoms platforms. We pride ourselves in building reliable and scalable solutions. If Buzzbox breaks then trust us – we will be more upset than you. We understand how important telephony is to a business and do everything in our power to deliver on our promises.
All said, our goal is to never ever go down, and we work every day to achieve this.
What is the call quality like? How can I test it?
The call quality depends on who you are calling and what your network connection is like between you and our servers in South Africa. Unless you are connected to the internet with a cup and string, we bet you will have excellent quality. When you call between your extensions we use the latest high definition voice as we don’t need to cater for the old telecoms networks. You will hear a pin drop!
Tell me more about the Buzzbox App? What is it used for and do I need it?
Some people like having a traditional desk phone that they know is always there, powered up and good to go. Others are out on the move doing deals, meeting clients and never in one spot for long. We cater for both of you. You can connect your VOIP desk phone to Buzzbox or use the Linphone App that gives you the functionality of your desk phone (and more) while being able to carry it in your pocket. Or you can use both – they will both ring when someone calls you and you can answer either.
What if I have an office phone number/s and don't want to change it?
We can help you port your phone numbers over to Buzzbox so no need to update business cards, websites and company stationery! Register and give us a go and if you like what you see and want to port your numbers onto Buzzbox then give us a shout.
I have an existing PABX in my office or hosted with someone else - can I migrate to Buzzbox?
Yes! You can port your phone numbers to Buzzbox and never look back. Unfortunately porting requires a bit of documentation to get it done but it is well worth it. Contact us for more details and we will answer any specific questions you may have.
Is my business too big or too small for Buzzbox?
Buzzbox is perfect for companies from 1 to 1000 employees. We have solutions for very large call centres but those typically need lots of customisation and fall outside of the goals of what Buzzbox can do for you. So if you are a typical company wanting to have some business lines, voicemail, call recording, transfer calls and make free calls internally then Buzzbox is perfect.
What are your call rates?
Our prices are largely based on what the traditional telecoms companies charge us to send calls to their networks. If we could make then free, we would, but for now, we can’t.
Please go here to see more details on pricing.
When will you charge me and how much?
At the end of each month we will check how many extensions and extra phone numbers you have added and charge your credit card accordingly (see here for detailed pricing). We prorate the charges so its all fair. If you add an extension at the end of the month you will only pay for the portion of the month.
If we can’t charge your credit card at the end of the month then we will keep trying and let you know if we give up and need to have a chat about it. We are human too!
You get a tax invoice by email each time you buy airtime or pay for your monthly extensions so your accountants will be happy.
Do I need special phones?
No! Our software is based on global standards and we have 2 options for you:
- You can use pretty much any “VOIP” compatible desk phone. Common manufacturers are Snom, Bell, Ubiquity, Gigaset, Cisco, Yealink. If you are not sure if your existing phones will work then contact us and we will check for you.
- You can install Linphone on your mobile phone and connect it to Buzzbox.
You can move your extension between different phones and also have it on many phones at the same time.
Why is there no "Click here for a quote" button?
Our pricing is transparent and simple. Just sign up and control your spend. It’s that simple. If you feel that you do need someone to talk you through our pricing or provide more details then please contact us and we will get back to you ASAP.
How much does it cost?
Our technology and business model is focused on lowering our cost to serve so that you can get great service at a great price. Think Uber vs Metered Taxis! We cannot see how a competitor could beat our pricing – If they can then less us know and we will do something about it! For detailed pricing go to our pricing section
How do I know if my internet connection is good enough for Buzzbox?
As a thumb suck, we recommend at least a 3G connection with 3 bars or more. A fixed connection is better – if you have at least a 2Mbps ADSL or Fibre link then you can have great calls. If you are going to have lots of staff calling at the same time then you will need 1Mbps per 4 concurrent calls.