Frequently Asked Questions
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Fax, Alarms, Credit Card Readers,
Other devices that use phone connections.
Does your city have 311 service?
Alternative to dialing "311" may be listed here
311 online
VoIP Mechanic, Learn about VOIP VoIP Mechanic Site
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What should I expect using VOIP Phone service? |
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Why should I change to VOIP phone service? |
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The reason to change to VOIP is to save money and get all the extra features you want. | |
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What should I expect from VOIP phone service? | |
VOIP service is powered at your home or facility. When the power is off you will not have VOIP phone service unless your modem, router, ATA device,
and phone are on a battery back up system.
VOIP service is portable, you can take it with you when you travel and make local calls from your phone.
With VOIP service there is no need for a long distance service, all calls within the USA and Canada are considered local calls.
From time to time you might have no service, because your internet connection has failed, or because your router has lost it's connection or the ability to preform it's function.
If your internet connection or your LAN is overloaded with network traffic, you phone quality will be degraded.
Your call might drop. There are many reasons for this, your connection to our servers can travel through as many a 12-15 routing points. Any one of these has a potential of loosing your connection. If this happens, just call back.
If our servers are down or we can not get to the internet, or the providers who route to us are down, you will not have phone service. This hardly ever happens, but it has happened.
We make every effort to limit the negative things described above. However we thought it is important to describe the worst case possibilities.
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What if I want a new number?
Can I choose the new number?
Can I get a new number in another area? |
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New numbers are assigned automatically based on the E911 address you enter in the sign up process. The number will be a local number for your address.
If you want a new number local in different area ( not local for you ), we can do this. Contact us for more information. | |
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What is the process when I port my number?
( keep my existing number ) | |
The loosing service provider has control of the porting of numbers. They set the port date and it is their responsibility to stop their billing process when the port is complete.
After we submit a port request with the documents you provided.
We receive notification from the loosing provider that the port is accepted and they give us the planned date for the port.
5 to 10 days before that port date, we set up your TinCanTalk service, program and test an ATA device and test your TinCanTalk service.
This is your start date and the day we capture and settle your first credit card charge. This will be your billing date each month from then on. The billing should be automatic and you should receive a receipt by email.
We ship you the ATA device and email you a "service is active" notice. It usually takes about 2 or 3 days for you to receive the ATA device.
Once you have the ATA device or soft phone software set up after your service is active, you can make calls.
Incoming calls to your phone number will continue to come through the former service until the port is complete. You will need a phone connected to both services until the port is complete. You will know it is complete, when you begin receiving incoming calls on your TinCanTalk service.
Once you are sure that the port is complete we recommend that you call the billing department of your former service and ensure that they stop billing you for services.
There are things that can happen during the port process that can stall the port and are out of our control. But, we make every effort to avoid any delays and make sure you have everything you need in advance of the port, so you will not be without phone service.
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| | What am I agreeing to when I sign up? | |
Some VOIP Providers are not clear about their payment terms. We have included below a brief
summary of our payment terms, to avoid any confusion now or in the future.
TinCanTalk's payment terms are simple and clear:
When you sign up for any of our plans, you are agreeing to the following:
At sign up: To pay the monthly service fee, a $1.50 FRR fee and a $25.00 number connection fee.
Each month: To pay in advance the monthly service fee and a $1.50 FRR fee.
At time of Account cancellation: To give a one billing cycle month of advance notice of termination.
To pay any unpaid monthly fees , a $25.00 number disconnect fee, and you will return any equipment we have supplied for free. You pay the shipping cost.
When you sign up for any of our VPBX services, you agree to the above terms, but there is no free equipment provided.
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| | What am I actually paying for? | |
You are purchasing a monthly service. We provide telephone service over the internet to your local internet connection.
Our responsibility ends at your local internet connection.
For residential and single line business plans we loan you a device to consume these services.
For PBX plans you must provide your own equipment, IP phones or ATA devices.
We will make every effort to train you in the use of the devices and services.
We will help or teach you how to set up your router and LAN. Over the phone we help with connecting analog phones to ATA devices.
We provide 24/7 USA based technical support by phone and email.
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The ATA device I received looks used? | |
You may receive a used ATA device. From time to time we recycle devices returned from customers.
These devices are tested and in good working order. This should not cause any problems with your phone service. | |
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| | What do I need to use TinCanTalk services?
Do I need a computer? | |
You need a high speed DSL or Cable connection and a touch tone phone.
We provide the phone adapter.
No computer is needed to use TinCanTalk phone service.
If you want to share your high speed connection with your computer and phone, you will need a router. We recommend the Linksys routers.
We do not like Netgear routers.
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What if my DSL is on my land line, if I port my number will I loose my DSL connection? | |
This depends on your DSL connection provider. We have found it is important to contact your current
phone company and let them know you plan to port your phone service to a VOIP company
and you want to keep your DSL without phone service.
In most cases they will try to discourage this action, even to the extent of telling you it is not possible.
All phone companies have the technical ability to provide DSL without phone service. This is often called "dry loop DSL" or "naked DSL".
We have found it is often as simple as separating the billing for the DSL and the phone service. Get the DSL billing on a separate account.
It is important to make these arrangements in advance of porting your phone number. If this is not done, when the phone number is ported, you may loose you DSL connection.
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| | Where is TinCanTalk located?
Does TinCanTalk have U.S. based customer service?
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Business Office:
265 Hazelton Ct.
Morgan Hill, CA 95037
Phones: Office (408) 779-1748 Toll Free (866) 829-4139
Email: info@tincantalk.com billing@tincantalk.com
support@tincantalk.com Fax (408) 465-0535
Customer Support Services and our servers are located in Texas
24/7 Technical Support Toll Free (866) 797-8992
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| | Will TinCanTalk service work with a satellite or cellular internet connection? | |
The best connection types for our service are cable or DSL. Satellite and cellular internet connections are not designed for real time connections.
Our service will work with a these types of connection, with these types of connections there are delays and at times the the quality of service is poor. We are happy to discuss VOIP using these connections. | |
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| | Are there any additional fees? | |
There is only one additional fee, a $1.50 per month Fed Regulatory Recovery Fee. Each month you will be charged for your monthly service plus $1.50.
Important Note: Basic accounts with limits on minutes will be automatically charged for overages.
The automatic charge will be a $25.00 minimum, which will yield 625 minute reserve minus the overage. Overage minutes are priced at $0.04 each.
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| | Can I pay by check? | |
We prefer payment by credit card. We do accept payment for services by check in yearly payments in advance. | |
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| | What is the start up cost?
What is the cancelation costs? |
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There is a number connection fee of $25.00 and a number termination fee of $25.00.
There is no charge for our standard shipping of the ATA device to you. You pay the return shipping on the ATA device on termination.
The first charge on your credit card will be the connection fee, the first month's fee plus $1.50.
We supply the ATA device at no charge to you. It is on loan to you for as long as you have TinCanTalk phone service.
Failure to return the ATA device upon termination will result in a $79.00 charge on your credit card for the ATA device.
Please read our complete Terms of Service
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| | When do my charges start? | |
When you sign up there is an authorize only hold placed on your credit card. It may appear as a charge or a debit memo on your account.
The charge does not actually happen until we activate your phone account. | |
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| | Who do I contact with for answers about my
credit card charge or billing? | |
Business Office:
265 Hazelton Ct.
Morgan Hill, CA 95035
Phones: Office (408) 779-1748 Toll Free (866) 829-4139
billing@tincantalk.com | |
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How can I change the number of rings?
How can I get help with voice mail?
How can I set up my outgoing voice message?
How do I retrieve my messages?
How can I view my call log? | |
When we set up accounts we send an email to the account owner with the subject "service is active".
In the body of the email are the answers to these questions.
Also at our support page there is a link to helpful on line documents available for down load.
TinCanTalk Customer Documents Download
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| | People say they hear beeps when I talk to them?
I am getting random DTMF tones. Sometimes the listener gets it and I don't hear it,
other times I get it and they don't. | |
This is a common problem with VOIP. The technical term for this is DTMF talkoff. Google this term "DTMF talkoff"
Talk-Off, or Talkoff, is the term that describes when a human voice is able to trigger touch tones, or DTMF tones during a
telephone call. Talk-Off occurs when a signal processing system tries to translate sounds into to touch tones.
Some people's voices are able to recreate touch tones frequently relative to the general population.
BTW, it happens with male voices...just a mention because I've read that high frequency female voices can cause tones to be generated. (Don't shoot the messenger) | |
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How can I change call forwarding?
How can I change the text in the caller ID?
How can I block 800 numbers?
How can I send voice mail to my email?
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When we set up accounts we send an email to the account owner with the subject "service is active".
In the body of the email are the answers to these questions.
You can log in to your on line account where the call features and services can be managed. These items can be edited here.
Also at our support page there is a link to access your account.
Access Your Account
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How can I see my billing on line?
How do I change the charge card used to pay for services?
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When we set up accounts we send an email to the account owner with the subject "service is active".
In the body of the email are the answers to these questions.
You can log in to your on line account where the call features and services can be managed.
Also at our support page there is a link to access your account.
Access Your Account | |
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| | How long does it take to get TinCanTalk phone service?
Do I cancel my current phone service first? |
| Brand new numbers take just a few days, if there is E911 service available at your street address.
Keeping you current phone number is considered a port to TinCanTalk. Porting numbers have the same need for
E911 and usually take only 10 working days to transfer. However many things can effect the time required to port existing numbers.
DO NOT TERMINATE YOUR EXISTING PHONE SERVICE IF YOU WANT TO KEEP YOUR NUMBER.
Inactive services can not be ported. | |
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| | When I travel, can I take my phone? | |
You can either take your ATA device and a phone or use free software on your computer. Contact us for more details.
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Fax, Alarms, Credit Card Readers,
Other devices that use phone connections.
Will my alarm system work using VOIP?
My satellite tv provider requires a phone line, can I use VOIP service for this?
Can I use my credit card machine with VOIP service?
Can I use my fax machine with VOIP service?
Faxing over VOIP, check out this site VoIP Mechanic
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Every device that uses a telephone line to communicate has a built in modem for this purpose.
These devices will work if you can access their control settings and slow down their communication rate.
We have customers using these devices successfully.
We can help with these devices, however we do not guarantee they will work.
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What is the definition of Residential service? | |
Residential Use of Service and Device. If you subscribe to TinCanTalk residential services,
the Service and the Device are provided to you solely for residential use. You shall not resell
or transfer the Service or the Device to another party without our prior written consent.
You are prohibited from using the Service or the Device for auto-dialing, continuous or
extensive call forwarding, telemarketing (including, without limitation, charitable or
political solicitation or polling), fax or voicemail broadcasting or fax or voicemail blasting.
We reserve the right to immediately terminate or modify your Service if we determine,
in our sole and absolute discretion, that your use of the Service or the Device is, or
at any time was, inconsistent with normal residential usage patterns. In addition,
you will be required to pay our higher rates for commercial service for all periods in
which your use of the Service or the Device was inconsistent with normal residential use.
We consider more than 3000 calling minutes per month inconsistent with normal residential usage.
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