Call Stations       Frequently Asked Questions             Fax i-Line (PC) - $6.95     General Questions Menu         Fax i-Line - $9.95         Home i-Line - $9.95     General Information Accessories Service Costs         Office i-Line - $19.95     i.e., What is VoIP? i.e., What is a soft phone? i.e., What is the Cost?               i.e., Who is People Line? i.e., What is an adapter? i.e., What is FREE ?         Services Summary     i.e., Who should use? i.e., How do I buy? Rent? i.e., Call plan questions         Sign Up                     Service Questions Network & Settings Fees & Payments       Shopping Cart     i.e., How do I sign up? i.e., Firewalls i.e., Billing questions       i.e., Can I call reg. phones? i.e., Suitable routers i.e., How do I pay?     Call 10 - $10     i.e., Do you support 911? i.e., Dynamic vs. Static IPs i.e., Who is Pay Pal?         Call 25 - $25             Call 50 - $50     Quality of Service Fax Questions Rewards Policies          Adapters     i.e., Improving Audio i.e., Fax service costs i.e., referrals         Gateways     i.e., Improving QoS i.e., Files formats i.e., reward policy         IP Phones     i.e., What are codecs? i.e., How to send/receive             Soft Phones                                   International Calling Rates                 Download FREE Soft Phone                 Shopping Cart                                       Bright Side     General Information               Bright Side Main     Q: Who is People Line? Answer: People Line is a Voice over IP (VoIP) and Fax over IP (FoIP) service, which enables network members to contact each other via their computers, telephones and fax machines. VoIP network members can communicate free of charge using broadband such as DSL, Cable or T1. Q: How does People Line differ from other VoIP providers? Answer: People Line is truly local and its goal is to provide services in the local community. People Line offers a full range of VoIP services, including all your favourite services like voice mail, call display and conferencing. People Line offers a more options regarding choices of accessories, ranging from soft phones, adapters, gateways and IP Phones. People Line also offers Email to Fax and Fax to Email services that other VoIP companies do not offer at very low prices. Other providers generally offer less reliable real-time faxing and do not offer Email based faxing, nor do they offer the range of hosted VoIP softswitch and hosted gatekeeper services to business. We do not require you to enter lengthy contracts, subscribe to unnecessary service bundles that include calling time that you may or may not use. Our long distance rates are also very low, and our local i-Line prices are much more competitive than the larger VoIP companies. Lastly, we reward people for using our services. Our policy is to provide a free monthly subscription for people that you refer to us when they signup. Click here for Details. Q: What is VoIP? Answer: Voice over IP (also known as "Voice over Packet", "Voice over Internet Protocol," or "VoIP") is comprised of several interconnected processes that convert a voice signal into a stream of packets on a packet network and back again. Voice over IP (VoIP) allows the human voice and real-time fax information to travel over your Internet connection. Q. Who should use VoIP? Answer: People Line Services are ideal for a wide range of High Speed Internet users: Families with teenage children who need a cost-effective solution for additional phone lines Cable High Speed Internet and cell phone users who would like to replace their land line service People who have family and friends in other parts of Canada Home offices. Top           Cable & Mobile               Second Line               Services Galore               WI-FI               Peer to Peer               Email & Fax               Computer Shy               Global i-Line               Passport               Independence                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 Home                                 Q: What do I need to join your service?     Requirements                   Answer: It depends on the service plan that you choose. For Fax, Home, and Office i-Line service plans, you simply need a high speed broadband Internet connection like ADSL, Cable or Wireless broadband. You can then choose from an assortment of accessories, soft phones, adapters, gateways and IP Phones. For VoIP, the easiest and most affordable accessory is our free downloadable x-Ten Lite softphone, which will run on Windows and MAC platforms. If you require a hardware phone set, you can either use an adapter in conjunction with a regular phone or use an IP Phone. Click on Adapter or IP Phone for information. For FoIP, the easiest solution is to subscribe to Fax i-Line PC. In this case, you just need your PC, Internet service and an Email application or Web browser with access to WebMail (i.e., Hotmail, Gmail, etc).     For PC to Phone Calling (VoIP) Home or Office i-Line services Softphone (Lite or Pro Version) OS: Windows 98SE / 2000 / XP / ME / NT4; Mac Hardware: PC, Mac, Pocket PC, a computer microphone, speakers, or headset IP connection: ADSL / Cable / Wireless broadband. For Phone to Phone and Fax to Fax: Fax, Home, or Office i-Line Service An adapter, gateway, or IP Phone IP connection: ADSL / Cable broadband. For adapters and gateways, you need a phone or fax machine. For PC to Fax (FoIP): Fax i-Line Service IP connection like ADSL/Cable; PC and Email client.           Back to FAQ General Questions Menu                                       Accessories Questions                       Q: What is a Soft Phone? Answer: A Soft Phone is a phone which is virtual. This phone is the combination of your computer and a headset. You can place calls receive calls just like if you had a regular phone. People Line currently recommends soft phones from x-Ten. The x-Ten Lite softphone is free to download for Windows and Mac, and the x-Ten Eyebeam costs $79 CDN to license. Both allow you to call regular phones (land lines/cell phones) and receive calls from regular phones. The x-Ten Eyebeam, however, supports additional features such as call forwarding, conferencing, call hold and transfer, as well as up to 6 lines. There are also Macintosh and Pocket PC versions of the Eyebeam version. The Lite version works on PC/Windows and Mac OS. For more information, click here. Q: What is an Adapter? Answer: An adapter is a device that converts your analog phone signal to digital, so that your call can be sent over your broadband connection and into the People Line Network. An adapter can support a full range of features like multi-line, voice mail, conferencing, call forwarding, caller ID, etc. People Line currently recommends adapters from Linksys,Grand Stream and Azatel. Adapters cost $99 to $155 Canadian, depending on the unit. For more information, click here. Q: What is a Gateway? Answer: Voice and fax gateways work like adapters in that they handle the analog to digital conversion from calls originated from regular phones and fax machines for connection over the Internet. The gateways are a little more sophisticated than the single port Grandstream adapters in that they include IP and Telecom network management, security and access features. They can also be scaled from 2 ports to T1 and T3 scale, and support real-time and store/forward fax routing. When configured properly, they can be a very powerful voice and fax call routing tool for a company with a LAN, WAN or VPN. People Line currently recommends gateways from Cisco. Gateways start at $300. For more information, click here. Q: What is an IP Phone? Answer: Traditional telephones transfer sound using analog, while VoIP transfers sound digitally. You can either use an analog adapter, like the Linksys PAP2 adapter, to translate the analog signal from a regular phone to the VoIP digital signal, or you can use an IP phone. An IP Phone sends and receives data digitally, so there is never a need for conversion. It connects directly to your broadband connection, eliminating the need for an adapter and analog phone. An IP phone looks and functions just like a regular phone. It can support a full range of features like multi-line, voice mail, conferencing, call forwarding, caller ID, etc. We recommend IP Phones from Grandstream, SNOM and Linksys and Polycom. We also recommend Pirelli DP-L10 Dual Mode WiFi/GSM Phone for use on wireless broadband networks and at hot spots, and cell phone.. Our IP Phones cost $90 to $395 Canadian, depending on the unit. For more information, click here. Q: How do I buy accessories and calling plans from People Line? To buy accessories and calling plans, click on Shopping Cart, which appears near top left of each page on the site. You'll have the choice to checkout and buy these items. By checking out, you will be asked for a Credit Card to pay and process your order. When you have completed your payment, you'll be emailed an order confirmation. A People Line representative will then contact you to confirm your order and shipping details. Back to FAQ General Questions Menu     xTen Soft Phone Linksys PAP2-NA Adapter SNOM IP Phone Pirelli DP-L10l Wi-Fi/GSM Dual Mode Phone                             Enjoy Your Savings Break!     Service Questions   Top     Home         Q: How do I sign up for People Line? Answer: You simply click on any of the Order Now buttons at the bottom of every page on this site, and as displayed to immediate the left. These will guide you to our Sign Up page where you can select and subscribe services suitable for your needs. Q: How do I buy accessories and calling plans from People Line? To buy accessories and calling plans, click on Shopping Cart, which appears near top left of each page on the site. You'll have the choice to checkout and buy these items. By checking out, you will be asked for a Credit Card to pay and process your order. When you have completed your payment, you'll be emailed an order confirmation. A People Line representative will then contact you to confirm your order and shipping details. Q: How long does it take for my service to be activated and for my shopping cart purchases to be received? Answer: Depending on the service, activation may be immediate at the time the People Line representative contacts you, or take 1 to 5 days, depending on whether you require an accessory delivered to your location. In most cases, it will take 2-3 days and approval of your credit card via PayPal. If you have ordered an adapter or IP Phone, we will activate your service before you receive the unit. All accessories that are shipped to you will be pre configured with a local 10-digit phone number, so you can connect and use the service as soon as you receive the unit. Simple setup Instructions will be provided with each unit. Q: Do I need a broadband Internet connection to get a phone number and service from you? Answer: Yes, you should have DSL or Cable or T1 in order to be able to communicate without any delays. Dial-up will work with a x-Ten- Pro Soft Phone, but the quality of service will not be as good. Q: What is a 6-Digit Number? Answer: A 6-digit number enables you to call others who also have six digit numbers for free and an IP connected device like a softphone or IP Phone. You can setup a virtual PBX that spans the globe and a community of family, friends and peers. It is like giving out extensions or speed dials to contact frequently called numbers with the benefit of local calling (free calls). Q: Can I contact other People Line users if he/she is outside of my local area? Answer: Yes, regardless of member's location, all People Line users can talk to each other via their computers and VoIP devices free of charge. Q: Can I call others who are not People Line users? Answer: Yes, you may call anywhere from a People Line assigned 10-Digit Number for fraction of the cost you pay your current telephone Company. Q: What is a 10-Digit Number? Answer: A 10-digit number is a local phone number (i.e., 604-228-1212) that is provided as part of any i-Line service plan. It enables you to place and receive calls to/from land lines and mobile phones. Our 10-digit numbers will remain unlisted, which provides greater privacy for you. Q: What phone features do I receive with my 10-Digit number? Answer: The features you receive will depend on the service plan. All plans support popular features like Voice Mail Call Display, Call Waiting, Call Block/Screen and many more features. For business customers, you can use call forwarding, conferencing, multi-line call park, hold and transfer and other features. Q: Do I need a 10-Digit phone number to call none People Line users? Answer: Yes, in order to call a 10-digit number (most US and Canada) you must be a paid member of People Line, and subscribe to one of our i-Line service plans, which include a 10-digit number for your none network member connections. Q: Can I keep an existing number instead switching to a People Line 10-digit number? Answer: Yes, we can arrange this for you. This way, your number remains the same and remains listed in the phone book. This may take up to 2 to 3 weeks to change however. Q: Can I have conferencing features? Answer: Yes, Office i-Line Services and accessories like the SNOM 200 and 220 IP Phones and x-Ten Pro Soft Phone allow you to support 5 or more lines with call hold, transfer and conferencing features. Q: Can I order multiple phone numbers for friends, family or work colleagues? Answer: Yes, you can order as many phone lines as you need. Q: How do I place and receive voice calls? Answer: The operation of making a call is just like a regular phone. There are no special dialing prefixes like 9. You just enter the number that you want to call and press send. For long distance, you are required to add the standard long distance dialing prefixes, i.e., 1+ phone number for calls in North America and 011+phone number for overseas calls. To receive calls from the public phone network, callers simply dial your 10-digit number. To receive calls from other People Line users, users can either dial your 10-digit number or your 6-digit number. Q: How do I place and receive fax calls? Answer: For Fax to Fax, fax calls are placed in the usual manner: place the document in fax machine, dial the number and send real-time. You add the standard long distance prefixes i.e., 1 or 011, when needed. For Email to Fax, please use the following format in your Email application's To: to Recipient Field: fax=faxnumber@fax.ucantalk.net i.e., Local and North American calls: fax=16042222222@fax.ucantalk.net i.e., International calls: fax=01144513870004@fax.ucantalk.net You can also send faxes from Email without the default cover page and attach your own cover page as file attachment to the Email message. For example, some customers prefer to create a custom cover page in MS Word and attach it as the first file attachment. This replaces the default cover page. To send a fax without the default cover page, please use the following: ncfax=faxnumber@fax.ucantalk.net i.e., ncfax=16042222222@fax.ucantalk.net i.e., ncfax=01144513870004@fax.ucantalk.net Receiving Faxes: You can receive faxes from any fax device. If you have a fax machine connected to an adapter, received faxes will print out as usual. If you are using Fax to Email, received faxes will be delivered to your Email in-box. Q: Can I use IVR or navigate auto call attendant menus or enter PIN numbers to use alternate services such as a calling card? Answer: Yes, you will need to set your adapter, phone or softphone to send out DTMF tones when you dial such services. For the soft phone, please go to: Menu->Advanced Settings->DTMF->DTMF Force Send IN Band->Yes For the Phone and Adapter, please consult your user manuals.. Q: How do I access my voice mail to retrieve messages? Answer: Voice mail can be added to the Home i-Line service and is part of the Office i-Line Service You can access voice mail from: 1) The phone connected to the adapter 2) The XTen soft phone on your PC 3) Email 4) A cell phone or land line. To access Voice Mail from phone connected to the adapter: 1) Dial your People Line Number 2) Play messages by pressing 1 3) Press 4 to repeat messages 4) Press 7 to delete messages 5) Press 9 to save messages 6) To hear caller number, press 2 To access Voice Mail from soft phone: 1) Dial your People Line Number Note: Please make sure your soft phone is has DTMF tone dial set. Goto Xten Soft Phone menu->Advanced Settings->DTMF Settings->Set DTMF Force Send In Band to Yes. To access Voice Mail from cell phone/land line: 1) Dial your People Line number 2) Wait for the autoattendant or voice greeting, press *, enter your default password 0000 Q: Can I customize my Voice Mail? Answer: Yes, you can add voice greetings to personalize your voice mail Recording Greetings: 1) Call your People Line number to access your voice mail mailbox. 2) From main menu, you can record your name, a personal greeting or an absence greeting: To record a name: Press 3 -> press 1 to record name -> press 2 to replay -> press # to save name -> Press * to return to main menu To record an personal greeting: Press 4 -> press 1 to record greeting -> press 2 to replay -> press # to save greeting -> Press * to return to main menu. To record an absence message: Press 5 -> press 1 to record message -> press 2 to replay -> press # to save greeting -> Press * to return to main menu. Setting greetings for playback to callers: After you've recorded and saved name or personal greetings, please return the main menu by pressing *, then press 2 to select the mail box mode (i.e., to select the message you want played to callers) From main menu, select the Mailbox mode to use one of the greeting methods above: Press 2 i.e., use autoattendant greeting, Press 1 i.e., use recorded name greeting Press 2 i.e., use personal greeting, Press 3 i.e., turn mailbox off, use autoattendant absence message, Press 4 i.e., turn mailbox off, use name absence message, Press 5 i.e., turn mailbox off, use recorded personal absence message, Q: How do I change my Voice Mail Password? From main menu, press 2 to select the Mailbox mode -> Press 6 to change your Voice Mail Password or PIN Call People Line number.. Q: How do I access my faxes and retrieve fax messages? Answer: If you subscribe to Fax i-Line, your faxes will be received into your Email inbox of your Email service. Simply login into your Email and click on the Fax Email notification message. You then click on the file attachment to view, print, forward, re-fax, or delete the fax. Q: Can I make a voice or fax call when I'm away from my home or office? Answer: Yes, as long as you have an adapter, IP Phone or laptop and access to broadband Internet, you are able to call from anywhere in the world, and people can also reach you. For faxes, you can send and receive faxes from anywhere you have Internet access and an email application or Web browser. Q: Can other regular fax and phone users contact me? Answer: Yes, anyone that has your 10 digit number can call you from a regular phone, cell phone or fax machine. Q: Can I surf the net and be on the phone or send faxes at the same time? Answer: Yes Q: Do you support 911? Answer: Yes, we support basic 911, but there are important limitations with our basic 911 service as compared to regular 911or E911 service offered by traditional phone companies.Please click here for important 911 information in this regard and also review the Terms of Service Agreement for 911 definition and policy. Q: Can I use directory services such as 211, 411 or area code+555-1212? Answer: No, People Line does not currently offer 211, 411 directory services. Customers can dial the area code + 555-1212 for information in Canada and the USA, but long distance charges will apply. A $1.50 charge will be assessed for each directory assistance call that is made. Customers can also log on to http://www.canada411.com for assistance. Back to FAQ General Questions Menu                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   Setup and Service Costs Top                 Q: What does it cost to be a member of People Line? Answer: If you want to call regular land lines, you must subscribe to one of the i-Line service plans. Q: What are the i-Line Service Plan fees? Answer: You may start with as little as $6.95 / month for Fax i-Line (PC); $9.95 / month for Home i-Line, and $19.95 / month for Office i-Line when ordering 3 months service plan. Three months service plans are normally the mimimum order. If you want to order for 1 month only, this can be done for $25. Please click here to see an i-Line services pricing summary. Q: Do I have to purchase equipment in order to make calls? Answer: Not necessarily, you make calls to anywhere in the world with your x-Ten Lite soft phone. For PC to Fax and Fax i-Line Services, you just need your PC and Email software or a web browser. If you would like to have a regular phone or fax machine, IP Phone or gateway, click here to get to the accessories links in the left column of this page to select a device for your needs. These devices range from $50 to over $500. You can also rent Grandstream Adapters and IP Phones for $5/mo. Q: Can I return my IP Phone, Adapter or Gateway for a refund? Answer: Yes, but you must return the products within 15 days of ordering. There will be a 25% Restocking Charge however.. Please note that we do not refund subscription fees or rental fees paid. Please click here to see billing and payment policies or click here to see refund policies. Q: Can I call any public fax or phone number for free? Answer: No, you must first either have a Fax, Home, or Office i-Line service plan to make calls to the Public Phone network. Local calls are then free, but long distance calling charges will apply on calls to the public phone network outside your local calling area . Q: Will I be charged for minutes when regular phone users contact me? Answer: No, but long distance charges will apply on collect calls. Q: When do I pay for long distance? Answer: Long distance charges will apply on calls to the public phone network outside your calling area. People Line allows you to make calls all over the world for a fraction of what it would cost you with regular land line phones. Please click here to see our rates. Q: Do I need a Long Distance Calling Plan? Answer: No, you do not need to order long distance calling plans. You only need them when you need to make long distance calls. Call 10 or $10 value. This calling plan is carried forward month to month until you run out of funds.  Q: Which Long Distance Calling Plan should I use? Answer: If you are make frequent long distance calls, we recommend that you buy a Call25 ($25) or Call50 ($50) because it will reduce the frequency of renewing your plan. Q: Are there any minutes included in the Long Distance Calling Plans? Answer: No, the calling plans act like virtual calling cards and allow you to call any destination at any time of day. Long distance rates vary depending on destination. You can check long distance rates by clicking here. Once you have the rates, you can easily calculate approximately how many minutes you will receive from the calling plan that you choose. Q: Do the long distance rates always stay the same? Answer: No, Rates may periodically change. We recommend that you review our rates from time to time. There are always new countries joining our under 5 cents club. We may also post some special rates to specific countries from time to time. Q: What other calling costs might apply when I use your service? Answer: If someone calls you collect, long distance charges will apply. If you dial directory assistance such as xxx-555-1212, any related long distance charges and service fees for using these services will apply. Back to FAQ General Questions Menu                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     Billing & Payments Top     Home           Q: What is the billing policy? Answer:  Payments can be made using a Preauthorized Visa or Mastercard. You can also set up automated payments on-line using PayPal. PayPal accepts all major credit cards (Visa, MC, AMEX and others). Pay Pal allows you to make direct payment from a bank account. You can also make payments via bank certified cheque, money order, or using a personal cheque backed by a Visa Card. For cash or cheque payments, these required prepayment of a minimum of three months. Preauthorized credit card payments are also billed every 3 months. GST and PST, where applicable, are extra. Shipping is also extra. People Line does not mail invoices or receipts. If automated credit card payment is your payment method, your receipt is your credit card statement. Receipts for the purchase of equipment or services via PayPal are available from your PayPal account. You must have a PayPal account to purchase products and services from People Line's Shopping Cart. If you change your credit card billing address or move you should update your PayPal account with this information. Cash or cheque paying customers will be invoiced at the beginning of the next billing period. A $5 additional bill processing fees will apply. Q: Who is Pay Pal? Answer: Pay Pal is an Ebay Company and operates as an independent 3rd party credit card billing agency. Pay Pal is an industry leader with over 70 million users (buyers and sellers) world-wide. Q: How does using Pay Pal protect and benefit me as a user? Answer: There is no conflict of interest between People Line and users on billing matters because People Line never holds your credit information and can never collect funds from you without your approval. We only receive payments when you authorize them via Pay Pal. Other VoIP providers may hold onto your credit card information. If there is a billing overcharge or error, this may lead to a bias in a billing dispute or a delay in funds being returned to you. Pay Pal is also a world-class credit card billing authority that provides secure on-line payments that maximize your protection against fraud. We leave the banking to the experts. Q: What fees are there and when do I make my payments? Answer: Subscription fees must be paid for each service. Subscription prices depend on the service plan or feature ordered. Calling Plans and accessories are purchased and paid for using the Shopping Cart and PayPal. Calling Plans are needed to make long distance calls. Calling Plans are prepaid in $10, $25, and $50 increments. For Calling Plans and long distance usage, you can check on-line via your long distance account.  When your calling plan runs out of funds, you will need to purchase another calling plan in order to make future long distance calls. GST and PST, if applicable, are extra. Shipping is also extra, typically $10 to $15 depending on the size, weight and destination. Q: What is your refund policy? Answer: When applicable, all refunds will be made to your PayPal account. No refunds are available for service subscriptions or rental fees. No refunds are provided on discounted, sales, or promotion items such as 1, 2 or 3 year service plans or reduced hardware/equipment prices. No refunds are provided for referral or promotional long distance credits. No refunds are provided on 3-month, 6-month, or 1, 2, or 3 yr service plans. No refunds are provided on remaining long distance balances less than $10. No refunds are provided for referral or promotional long distance credits. Refunds on long distance balances exceeding $10 must be claimed within 30 days of cancellation by calling us at 604-639-2550 or in person at our office.  Note, any charges for declined payments, unpaid subscriptions, disconnection/reconnection fees will be deducted from any possible refund. For products such as Adapters, Gateways, IP Phones and Soft Phones purchased via the People Line Shopping Cart, we will grant a refund up to 15 days after the retail price purchase of the product, less a 25% restocking charge. All returned equipment must be in the original packaging with the UPC or bar code intact. All components, manuals and registration card(s) must be included. The refund will not be issued if you fail to meet these requirements. You are responsible for return shipping. Please email info@peopleline.net or call 604-872-6608 to cancel your service and obtain a return authorization number. Equipment returned without a valid return authorization number will not be eligible for the Money Back Guarantee. Q: What other ways can I let friends, family or business colleagues use the service and save money? Answer: For family, you can set up phone extensions for family members or set each family member up with personal phone numbers. This way, each family member has their privacy and does not tie up the phone for others. You may decide to setup a inexpensive router with 2 or more phones and unique phone numbers, 1 for each member of your family. Imagine getting 4 dedicated phone lines for the average family, but at the price of 1 standard phone line from the phone company. Similarly, for offices and businesses, you can setup a virtual PBX to contact branch offices, key customers, and suppliers without incurring long distance charges. The same is true for friends or family members that live abroad. Back to FAQ General Questions Menu                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     Networks and Settings               Q: Do I need broadband Internet Access? Answer: Yes, you can use ADSL, Cable or Wireless broadband. A dial-up connection only allows 56kps bandwidth. The connection must then be shared between your computer and IP Phone. Some Codecs such a g723 allow you to compress a VoIP session to under 20kps, a bandwidth level that is usable via dial-up. However, the quality of service will not be as good as if you use broadband. On broadband, you have plenty of bandwidth to multi-task, surf the net and talk on the phone at the same time. Anyway, we do not recommend dial-up for this service. Q. Can I plug the a VoIP device directly into the local telephone service wall jack and get dial tone? Answer: No, the VoIP devices require High Speed Internet connections. It will not function if it is plugged directly into a wall jack without going through a High Speed Internet connection. Any attempt at using the WebCall VoIP Gateway inappropriately could result in damage to the equipment. Q. Will VoIP work during a power outage? Answer: No, VoIP will not work during a power outage. It is dependent upon having a working High Speed Internet connection, which requires power. Q. Can my home alarm system work off the People Line service? Answer: No, VoIP is a High Speed Internet service. Alarm systems require primary land line to be able to report emergencies. High Speed Internet service will not work in the case of a power outage and would therefore not be a reliable replacement for a primary phone line for the purpose of a home alarm system. Q. Are People Line's products and services Macintosh compatible? Answer: Yes, People Line products and services are compatible with any computer operating system. The x-Ten Lite and Eyebeam soft phones are compatible with Mac OS. Q: What are Dynamic IP (DHCP) and Static IPs? Answer: An IP address is used by your provider to identify your computer on its network. IP addresses must be assigned to your VoIP device, just like they're assigned to your computer when you connect it to a network or Internet. For example, when you connect to the Internet, you will receive an IP address from your Internet provider for your computer or VoIP device. Some providers will specify either a fixed (static) IP address or automatically (dynamically) issue you an IP Address, each time you restart your computer or phone to connect to the Internet. In the case of a static IP address, the IP address assigned to you never changes, regardless of rebooting your computer, and it is permanently registered with your provider. Dynamic IPs change each time you power up your computer or VoIP device.. Q: How do dynamic and static IP addresses influence my VoIP device's setup? Answer: For most basic Internet services, Internet providers use dynamic IPs. Telus and Shaw Cable for example use dynamic IP on standard residential Internet services. People Line therefore ships units pre-configured for dynamic IP (with your phone number), so they're ready for out of the box operation. For most people, this will work very well. If you're on a private network or require static IP addresses, you'll need to get the IP address from your Internet provider or an internal IP address from your network administrator. Once you have your IP address, you can use the IP Phone's or Soft Phone's menu displays to reset to static IP and enter the new IP address. For adapters, there is a simple phone key menu system that you can use to reset the IP address. Please consult the phone or adapters user manuals. If you have problems configuring your IP address, call People Line for assistance T: 604-638-9931 or 604-872-6608. If you are experiencing difficulty connecting calls, factors like firewalls, network routers, or a non-registered MAC address are likely the reason. These issues are discussed in other questions in this section. Q: What is a SIP Proxy? Answer: A SIP Proxy is the actual server where your VoIP device is registered. It authenticates and routes your call. When you receive a unit, the SIP Proxy IP address or domain name will be pre-configured into the unit. If you do not have a default IP address assigned for the SIP proxy, please contact People Line. You will not be able to connect to People Line without the SIP Proxy IP Address. Q: My adapter or IP Phone was working but I'm having problems connecting calls today. What could be the cause? Answer: If there is Internet service disruption or power failure, your adapter or IP Phone will not work. Please check your basic Internet connection, by trying to surf the net. If you can get on-line, try rebooting your phone or adapter and your Cable or ADSL modem. If you're unable to receive dial-tone, please contact People Line. Q: I do not have a Firewall or router. When I connect my IP phone or adapter to my Internet modem, I do not hear dial tone and cannot complete a call. What might cause this problem and how can I fix it? Answer: Since you do not have a Firewall or network router, the four most likely reasons for your problem are either: 1) You must reboot or reset your cable or Internet modem to allow the adapter or phone to receive a new IP address. In most cases, item 1 will be the problem. Sometimes you must reset your cable or ADSL modem to acquire a new IP address for the adapter or phone. 2) Your service provider must assign your device another IP address Depending on the Internet service plan you're using, you may only get 1-2 IP addresses from your Internet Service Provider. For example, some Lite Cable plans only provide one IP address, while the regular highspeed cable or ADSL offer 2 IP addresses. This is important because you can only connect 1 computer or device for each IP address to the Internet. If you have just one IP address included in your Internet plan, you may need to either upgrade your Internet service to include 2 IP addresses so you can attach your IP Phone or adapter, or use a router to assign more IP addresses and connectyour phone/adapter, or use a People Line adapter like the Grandstream 486, which includes a built-in router. Note: Routers extend the number of devices you can connect to your Internet provider or network, because routers will assign IP addresses to your computers and IP Phones. You therefore only need one public IP address from your Internet provider (for the router). As mentioned, the router will issue internal IP addresses to your phones and computers. The Grandstream 486 adapter, for example, has a built-in router and can be connected directly to your cable or ADSL modem. Your PC can then be connected directly to the adapter. The adapter will issue the PC an IP address, so both your PC and phone can be simulataneously connected to the Internet. 3) Your service provider or network administrator must assign your device a static IP address. Most Internet providers will provide dynamic IP addresses (DHCP), but if your Internet service plan requires a static IP, please consult your provider or network administrator for the IP address. Once you have this IP address, you can use the Adpater's, IP Phone's or Soft Phone's menu displays to reset to static IP and enter the new IP address. For adapters, there is a simple phone key menu system that you can use to reset the IP address. Please consult the adapter's or Phone's user manuals included with this section. If you have problems configuring your IP address, call People Line for assistance T: 604-872-6608. 4) You must first register your device's MAC address with your service provider. Some Internet providers require you to register a MAC address of your computer or IP Phone. They use the MAC address to identify your device and track the number of devices that are connecting to their network. The MAC address of your phone or adapter is always included on the unit's packaging. To register a MAC address, visit your service provider's user account login, login and register the MAC address of your phone or adapter. If your service provider does not have a convenient login to register the MAC address, contact the service provider's help desk for assistance. Q: I have a router and have connected the IP Phone or adapter to my router, but I do not get dial-tone. What might cause this problem? The adapters and phones are always pre-configured for using dynamic IP addresses (DHCP) before you receive them. You can try setting your router to issue internal dynamic IP addresses by setting the router to DHCP mode. You should then restart the router and adapter or phone. If you want your router set to use static IP addresses, then you will need to change the IP Phone's or Adapter's setting from DHCP (dynamic IP address mode) to static IP address mode. You will also need to assign the IP address that you want to use and configure the Adapter or IP Phone to use this IP address. Please consult your network system administrator or router manual to assign static IPs or set to DHCP mode for your router. If using static IPs, please consult the Phone or Adapter's user manuals to use the menu on the IP Phone or Adapter to enter this IP address and switch from dynamic IP to static IP settings. Q: I'm on a network in the office and I cannot get dial tone or complete calls via my adapter or IP Phone? What might cause this problem and how can I fix it? Answer: Please consult your network system administrator. You will likely need an internal static IP address assigned to your device by your system administrator. As in the previous answer, please consult the user manuals to use the menu on the IP Phone or Adapter to enter this IP address and switch from dynamic IP to static IP settings. Your system administrator will also likely need to open ports on your network's firewall. Q: I appear to be connecting calls because people I call answer the phone and can hear me. The problem is that I cannot hear them. What might cause this problem and how can I fix it? Answer: The most likely cause of the problem is that you have your IP Phone or Adapter connected to a router behind a firewall. As a result, your call is dialing out, but the RTP signal coming back from the other party is being blocked by your firewall. Thus, you receive no audio. The solution is to open a port(s) on the firewall for the IP Phone or Adapter. The next question and answer address this issue for a variety of popular routers with Firewalls.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             Top   Home     Recommended Routers     Q: I've connected my adapter or IP Phone behind a Firewall to a network router, but I'm having difficulties completing calls. How can I fix the problem?   Recommended Routers                Belkin F5D5230-4     Answer: Most routers available in the market place for the small business and homes will work correctly using their "out of the box" configuration. If you have any difficulties or phone service disruptions, please try the following: 1. Download and install the latest firmware for your router. Please visit the router manufacturer's web site to download the firmware. 2. Complete a factory reset on the router. Review the router's documentation for the factory reset and be aware that your Internet Provider may have special configuration requirements such as a username and password, which you may need to re-configure after the factory reset is performed. 3. Firewall rules that conflict with the phone / adapter's Internet ports will cause a disruption in service. Only if you configured specific firewall rules and are familiar with the configuration, please allow the following ports for the phone adapter; otherwise your router does not need extra firewall rules. IP Phone and Phone Adapters Internet ports: * 5060 through 5063 using UDP protocol * 123 using UDP protocol * 69 using UDP protocol * 53 using UDP protocol * 10,000 through 20,000 using UDP protocol In the right hand column is a listing of recommended routers that can use the port settings above. To test that the adapter or IP Phone actually works, you can first try directly connecting the unit into your ADSL or Cable Modem, temporarily disconnecting your router. You would run the Ethernet Cable from the Cable Modem into the Adapter or IP Phone's LAN Port. Try rebooting the phone or adapter and wait for a minute or so before trying to make a call. In most cases, the device will acquire a dynamic IP address from your service provider during this boot up phase. You should hear a dial-tone once the unit is connected. This will at least indicate a router or firewall configuration issue. If you do not hear a dial-tone, you may need to register the MAC address of the adapter or phone device at your service provider. If you still cannot connect, you may need to use a static IP address (if applicable to your current Internet service). The static IP address would presumably be the same as your disconnected router's. The static IP address then needs to be set on the phone or adapter (see question on IP Addresses) and the phone needs to be set for static IP. Please also consult the downloadable user manuals included with this section. If you have problems configuring your IP address, call People Line for assistance T: 604-872-6608. Q: Can I use your adapters/ phones with wireless routers? Yes, you may also use wireless routers/ hubs with a cable or ADSL connection. This will allow you more flexibility in where you position your PC or People Line soft phone in your home or office. You can also connect our hardware (IP phones or adapters) to a Wireless router / hub to place phones in rooms away from your ADSL or Cable modem. Q: How Do I Change My Network Settings? You can use the IP Phone's or Soft Phone's menu displays to reset network settings such as IP addresses, dynamic vs. static IP, NAT, SIP Proxy, etc. For adapters, there is a simple phone key menu system that you can use to reset the IP address. You can also access the devices settings on-line by entering the IP address of the device into your browser. Q: How can I change the user information on the Soft Phone program, adapter, or IP Phone? Answer: You can use the IP Phone's or Soft Phone's menu displays to reset user settings voice mail greetings, Do Not Disturb, Caller ID, Name Display, ring tones, and much more. Click on the following accessories links in the left column. There are downloadable user manuals from each of the manufacturers of these devices.   Netgear RP114     D-Link DI-604       Netgear RP614      D-Link DI-804V       Netopia R910      Linksys BEFSX41       SMC Barricade SMC7004FW      Microsoft Wired Based Station MN-100       Sonic Wall - SOHO3     Netgear FR114P        Speedstream SS2524, SS2604                                                                                                                                                                                                                       Fax Service Questions Top     Home           Q: What do I need for Email to Fax and Fax to Email Service? Answer: The easiest solution is to subscribe to Fax i-Line (PC). In this case, you just need your PC, Internet service and an Email application or Web browser that can access Webmail (i.e.hotmail). What is ths difference between Fax i-Line (PC) and Fax i-Line? Fax i-Line (PC) is a computer faxing solution that allows you to send and receive faxes using Email. Fax i-Line allows you to send/receive faxes over the Internet from a regular fax machine, but, you need to connect the fax machine to an adapter (such as a Grandstream adapter). The fax is sent real-time and the line can also be used for general telephone use, as it is a VoIP line. Q: What are the Fax i-Line Service Plan fees? Answer: You may start with as little as $6.95 / month for Fax i-Line (PC). Fax i-Line is $9.95 / month. Q: Can I call any public fax number for free? Answer: No, you must first have a Fax i-Line service plan to make calls to the Public Phone network. Local calls are free, but long distance calling charges will apply on calls to the public phone network outside your local calling area . Q: How do I place and receive fax calls? Answer: For Fax to Fax, fax calls are placed in the usual manner: place the document in fax machine, dial the number and send. You add the standard long distance prefixes i.e., 1 or 011, when needed. For Email to Fax, please use the following format in you Email software's To: to Recipient Field: fax=faxnumber@peopleline.net i.e., fax=6042222222@peopleline.net You can receive faxes from any fax device. If you have a fax machine connected to an adapter, received faxes will print out as usual. If you are using Fax to Email, received faxes will be delivered to your Email in-box. Q: How do I access my faxes and retrieve fax messages? Answer: If you subscribe to Fax i-Line PC, your faxes will be received into your Email inbox at your Email service. Simply login into your Email and click on the Fax Email notification message. You then click on the file attachment to view, print, forward, re-fax, or delete the fax. Q: Can I send and receive fax calls when I'm away from my home or the office? Answer: Yes, you can send and receive faxes from anywhere you have Internet access and an email application or Web browser. Q: I have problems sending Illustrator, Mac files, and HTML. What can I do? Answer: For files not supported by our file conversion, please first save them as a  TIF file. Q: Can I add Email signature files to my Email to fax job? Answer: No, please disable this email feature when trying to send a fax from Email. Q: Can I send files that include scripts and plugins with my Email to fax job? Answer: No Back to FAQ General Questions Menu                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     Referrals and Rewards Policy               Q: What is the People Line Reward or Referral Program? Answer: Simple, anytime you refer another person to our service and he or she signs up, we will give you a free month subscription on your current service. We will simply credit your PayPal account for 1 month subscription each time you refer another person that signs up. The person you refer MUST provide your name and phone number at the time they sign up. Failure to do so means you cannot get a credit. Please also note the following rules for receiving a credit: Rules: The referred person must provide your name and People Line Phone number to us at signup (or on the same day via email) for you to receive a credit. The person you refer must remain a customer of People Line for at least 3 months prior to you receiving your credit. If you or the referred party cancel within 90 days, you will not receive the credit. Referral credits will ONLY be applied when your friend first signs up. This means that you cannot claim a referral credit 1 day later, weeks later or months after the person signed up. Referral credits cannot be earned by adding another phone line on the same account. Referral credits cannot be transferred from one customer to another Referral credits are also not issued as refunds if the customer cancels service or if service is discontinued for any reason. Our reward program is also intended for use by People Line customers to refer their family and friends. We do not support spamming and any complaints received due to misuse of this program may result in the forfeit of any credits accrued by you and a discontinuance of your service. Back to FAQ General Questions Menu                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     Quality of Service Top     Home           Q: How can I improve the sound quality of my voice calls? Answer: On each type of device you can change Codecs for more efficient audio compression (see next question). If you're using a soft phone, audio quality can be improved by first adjusting volume settings on your soft phone. This can be done by using the right mouse key to click on the softphone call display to launch the audio wizard. Follow the Audio Wizard's steps. If you're voice still sounds too loud through your headset, try adjusting the actual settings of your sound card by going to the Control Panel and opening your sound or multimedia player settings. You should be able to adjust the microphone and speaker settings to a comfortable level. Q: What are Codecs? Answer: Codecs are settings used to fine-tune the audio compression of your VoIP devices. They can also be used to compress the VoIP session to use your IP bandwidth more efficiently. On slower Internet connections, codec selection can greatly improve sound quality. On standard highspeed connections, the codec that gives the best results is g711u (default), but this will require 60+ kps. On slower connections such as Lite Speed Cable or busy International connections, we suggest setting your phone to use g.723 or g.729 codecs. These codecs compress voice conversation down to 10 to 20kps. As such, these codecs will utilize your network bandwidth more efficiently. However, for real-time fax, we always recommend g711u (maximum bandwidth) codec. Fax requires more bandwidth than a regular VoIP call. If another caller (on a VoIP device) uses a different codec, our recommended phones will automatically search for the best codec to connect you with the caller. You can further configure your phone to prioritize codecs, giving preference to g711u or another codec, and using other codecs as second, third, etc., choices. Please refer to your Adapter or Phone's user manuals to reset codecs. Q: Will connecting my IP Phone and device to a router that has more than one computer connected influence sound quality? Answer: Your sound quality will be impacted by the number of PCs actively using your network. Each device, including your VoIP device will be competing for the same network bandwidth. The g711u Codec will give you the best quality, but it will require at least 60kps. You may need a higher speed connection, or to reset you codec to g.723 or g.729 to compress your VoIP bandwidth requirement. For IP Phones and adapters, one solution is to connect your VoIP device directly to your ADSL or Cable modem and then connecting your Router to your VoIP device's PC port. This will give bandwidth priority to your VoIP device. For softphones or hardware sitting behind the router and firewall, try other Codecs that compress audio signal to use bandwidth more efficiently. Back to FAQ General Questions Menu                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           Information Line                      Terms of Service     Privacy Policy Billing Policy Refunds     Referral & Rewards Policy     Contact Us     News Site Map FAQ                               © People Line Ltd. All rights reserved. Copyright 2004