What service do you use for phone?

Question

Hello BP'ers:

Does anyone have any experience dealing with "Sideline" for their phone service?  I have been using Google Voice, and since Hangouts was released a year or two ago, it made things slightly complicated.  Additionally, Hangouts uses a data connection for phone calls, so no matter if I'm on WiFi or using 4G/LTE, call quality is marginal at best (the original Google Voice used standard cell phone connection, which was the same quality as your personal phone calls).

Anyway, I stumbled across Sideline this morning, and it seems to work well.  Although I like the idea of being able to use Hangouts from my computer to send texts, calls, etc., Sideline (so far) seems to be simple but effective.  Before I switch my number over to Sideline, can anyone give feedback?

Darryl D. · Answer

For the most part. I'm an application developer and do some things in real estate. So pretty comfortable with using API's. But, it's services out there like Zapier (example: connect Twillio to a Google Sheet and do the same thing I'm doing) that helps bridge the gap. Let me know if you need some help or direction getting something up and running

Peter MacKercher · Answer

@Darryl D. I only see APIs on Twilio's website, so you just threw something together on your own website to use those features?

Darryl D. · Answer

At the moment, I'm using it to handle all text messaging through my lead mgmt system. I can send and receive txts from the browser and since I have each person number saved to my system, I have all the messages link to each respected lead account. Just one way I'm using it. Overall, only for organization at the moment.

Greg B. · Answer

i use sideline

You can make calls, receive calls, text all over your current networks service. Its not VoIP. You'll lose your free number if its inactive for 30 days but for $2.99 a month you can get permanent number. You can set up voicemail separate from you normal number with its own greeting. It works great for me.

Peter MacKercher · Answer

@Darryl D. Mind sharing any more info about how you're using Twilio? It looks interesting but not like an end-user product at this point, so I'm curious how you implemented it for your business.

Darryl D. · Answer

Sideline looks nice for a second number, but not much more outside of that?

I like Twillo simply because you can do anything with it with the proper knowhow or someone who knows how to navigate it.

I too tried to use Hangouts and even Skype but, all people don't use it so... becomes a pain. Twillo I have something custom I threw together that let me call and do drip txt campaigns from my computer/tablet/etc...

Hope this helps.