How to use 2 phone numbers on a cell phone?

Question

Ok, I know how to get a 2nd phone # (Google, others). I want to use the 2nd number on marketing materials. My 1st phone is my personal one, of course. Here's what I figured out so far:

1. People can call the 2nd number and listen to my recorded voice message. If they leave a message, then an email is sent to me with that recording.

What I don't know how to do:

(1) when I return the call, I want them to see the 2nd phone number as the one that shows up on their caller id?

(2) how can I switch it so that I can answer the phone, if I want to?

What do you all do?

Thanks! Julie

Ryan Dossey · Answer

@Julie Groth If you have a smartphone you want to download the google voice app. You can set it up so everytime you make a call it asks what number you want to use to call out. Works great! And you can listen while they leave a message and all of that good stuff. You can even text them from the 2nd # through the app.

Michael Quarles · Answer

If you use the skype app on your smart phone that should do what you're wanting.

Ryan Dossey · Answer

@Todd Plambeck you can set google to ring as either the # that is calling or your google #. We just set up a separate contact in our phones with our google number called direct mail. When my phone rings I know it's a "deal". And its free. Plus I have a business partner and we both have the google voice app so either of us can answer the call, listen to the vm, or return calls from our "company number". Unlike a separate flip phone that can only be in one place at one time. Plus if you lose your phone everything is archived by google. ex:call history, vm's, texts, etc. I can even return calls from a computer. Just my 0.02

Todd Plambeck · Answer

Get a service like Vumber that has a VOIP app for your smart phone that dials out using your marketing number(s) or go to Walmart and get a $12 flip phone with a $25 a month plan. Vumber is $10 a month for 500 minutes and two numbers.  It's nice to have a separate "deal" phone so when it rings you know it's someone responding to your marketing.

Baltazar Camacho · Answer

* Scratch that it only works for the first 2 lines...I assumed you could get more but doesn't look like it.   You can definitely do it with 2 numbers going to one phone, i'm doing that now.  One rings my phone and the other just shoots voicemails to my email.

Baltazar Camacho · Answer

If you want a whole bunch of numbers for tracking marketing but just want to have one phone, you can do that through google voice as well.  Only one number will go straight to your phone though and will be able to be answered directly.  That will be your primary.  You can set the rest of your numbers to go straight to voicemail and you will get an email when they leave you a voicemail.  (It's $10 to change your number every time you add a new one, and then $20 to keep the old number you had around permanently).  That's what i'm doing now.

Larry Turowski · Answer

@Julie Groth You've already got great advice on using google voice.  I use google voice, and the google voice app, but I also have a second cell phone on my account, as @Todd Plambeck suggested.  For me it is an extra $10/mo (plus an absurd $5 in taxes).  I return call using that phone all the time.  It's not a smart phone so I can't use the google app on it, but I really don't think it makes any difference whatsoever.

Account Closed · Answer

I use Skype, and I have a separate phone number with Skype.  If you are using the Skype app on your smart phone or computer, you can set it to show your Skype number when you call people.  If you pay the year service up front, it works out to  around $5 or $6/month.  Gives me unlimited calls to the US and Canada, and I can forward calls to any number, too.  So, you can forward calls to your cell number, and not use your data plan using Skype for incoming calls.

Mike Pilkington · Answer

I looked at Skype pretty closely too.  It seemed like a good option, especially since it won't be going away.  The major downside to me is that it doesn't support MMS messaging to send/receive pictures.  I want this second line to be effectively identical to a second cell phone.  Also, I used to run the Skype app on my iPhone 4S and it really drained my battery towards the end of the day, so that's a concern too.

I used these two articles to compare Skype vs. Google Voice (though they are both a bit dated now):

Skype vs. Google Voice: Feature-by-feature showdown

Google Hangouts vs. Skype: A comparative look

Julie Groth · Answer

Can you set a different ring tone for the GV?

How to use 2 phone numbers on a cell phone?

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