Setting Up a Softphone on your Cell
A softphone allows users to use their Android/Iphone as an extension to their office phone system.
Characteristics of a Smartphone
- Calls can be made from smartphone without using cellular minutes. Particularly useful when roaming
- Calls can be made using your office callerid rather than cell number. Keep your cell number private for business calls
- Can be configured to receive calls made to your office extension, as an alternative to call forward/follow me to cell number
- The downside is that softphone apps can drain the smartphone battery, particularly if set to receive calls as well as make calls
Getting Started
In order to use a softphone, you will need to contact technical support. A special extension needs to be configured, and you will be provided with the following parameters to configure the device:
- Host (the domain)
- username
- Password
Download the App
In this example, we have used the Zoiper app. This is a free app that has decent functionality.
Search for Zoiper and select the one below
Installation and Configuration
1) You will be asked to enter the usernam and password. The username will look like ‘123-yourcompany’
Click on create account once entered
Click on create account once entered
Now enter the hostname provided and click on Next.
Skip the step asking if your prvider requires an authentication username or outbound proxy
This will validate the user and password.
If everything has been entered correctly, you will see the SIP UDP go green. You are now ready to make and receive calls
Battery Life
You will be asked to give various permissions. You will be asked if you want to allow Zoiper to run in the background. For best battery life, so not allow this. However, you may not receive incoming calls if the Zoiper app is not running. Many customers have inbound calls forwarded to their cell service, and use Zoiper for outbound calls which will use their office callerid.
You can change this later in the settings if you see your battery running down quicker than usual
Making and Receive calls
IF your softphone is connected, you will see the message below when you click on the menu
To make a call, just click on the Keypad