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Frequently Asked Questions About G3 Office

Here are the answers to some of our most frequently asked questions regarding our hosted pbx services. If you need any other questions answered, please call our customer service at 1-888-825-1860 or or e-mail us custserv@g3pbx.com.

The Basics

What is VoIP?

Voice over Internet Protocol is a technology for transmitting telephone call over an IP (Internet Protocol) enabled network, which may be a private network or the Internet. VoIP is a standard expression used to describe a set of services for managing the delivery of voice information using the IP. This means that voice calls are converted from analog to digital which is different than the traditional circuit-committed protocols of the public switched telephone network (PSTN).

How does it work?

VoIP calls are routed over an IP network by converting voice traffic in to data packets, which are then transported over an IP network. When the data packets reach their destination they are then reassembled and converted back into voice. G3's VoIP services allows you to communicate with other customers, wherever they maybe in the world at no additional cost.

What are the benefits of using G3 Office?

G3 Office is feature rich. It gives you the functionality of a traditional PBX without the high cost and management issues.

Enables remote workers
Frees up IT staff to address core business issues
Drives cost savings while enabling corporate flexibility for seasonal business trends
Retain telephone numbers

Are the calls for G3 Office secure?

G3 ensures that its VoIP network is secure. G3 Office's phones and gateways are protected with an encrypted password to prevent unauthorized users from gaining access and exploiting your phone. Through IP you calls will only travel between your network and our switching platform.

Is G3 Office better than a regular (POTs) telephone line?

Regular phone lines are generally used by small companies with a few phone lines. They offer users a low initial investment for hardware and little to no maintenance costs. However, the features on the lines are limited and potentially have a higher recurring monthly cost and there is normally a high cost to move or add lines.

The advantage of G3 Office over a regular phone line is that G3 gives users a significant amount of calling features and the ability to take their phone service with them - all at a lower cost.

Is there an advantage to using G3 Office over a key system?

Key systems are generally used in small to medium companies. They can support a few business lines and are used with multiple phones. They have common features that can be shared amongst the phones and require hardware start up costs. Most systems require out of pocket costs to purchase, install and maintain the system and have limited expandability.

The advantage of G3 Office over key systems is that there is no need to purchase costly hardware that depreciates and becomes outdated. G3's Office service is feature rich and is easier to scale. Other than the monthly fee there are no monthly maintenance contracts. G3 provides a modern phone system that is always up to date with the latest software at a lower cost than a key system.

Is G3 Office a suitable replacement for a PBX?

PBX systems are generally used in large companies and in campus settings. They can handle a high call volume and support many phones and trunks. They offer flexible features and are expandable; however, most PBX systems require a high initial capital expenditure and are expensive to support and maintain.

G3's Office service can provide the same functionality of a PBX without the burden of high up front costs and maintenance contracts. G3's Office does not require a full time resource to maintain it.

How does G3 Office compare to Centrex?

Centrex systems are used for business that have employees in different locations and/or do not want to maintain a PBX or key system. However, Centrex systems typically come with high monthly recurring costs and incur charges from the telephone company anytime a move add or change is required. Centrex systems normally come with proprietary phone sets that can only be used with the telephone company.

The advantage of G3's Office over Centrex is that G3 Office offers the best of both Centrex and PBX systems to businesses by providing the most features and the flexibility of a virtual office solution. G3's solution is cost effective and easy to manage.

What is the difference between Office and Mobile Office?

G3 Office is a phone system replacement and telephone line replacement that provides all the functionality that a business will need to communicate with their customers. It is ideal for a business with a remote workforce, branch office or a business looking for more productivity while reducing costs.

G3 Mobile office provides a virtual receptionist that answers incoming calls on your behalf and routes it to the phone of your choice. It is ideal for companies that would like to have a professional presence while using their existing telephone lines.

My office has an alarm system that is connected to the phone lines. Can I use it with your service?

No, If you have this type of alarm system you will need to maintain a traditional phone line.

Does my computer need to be turned on to use G3 Office?

No, as long as your Internet connection is working, you can use our service with your computer turned off.

Getting Going

How long does it take to transfer to your service?

Your service will be activated right away and your phones will be shipped to you in 7 to10 days. If you are porting numbers over to our service, the port can take up to 15 business days.

What is required to install my service?

Once you have received the G3 Office equipment, you will need to plug it into your Internet connection and a power supply. Our Support team will be available to help you get up and going if you have any questions.

What type of Internet connection do I need for the service?

Our service will work with any reliable high speed Internet service. We advise that you have 100kbps of bandwidth available for each concurrent call you anticipate having. Our service will not work on a dial up connection. Please go to [link} to see how many phones your existing Internet connection can support.

What equipment do I need to have in my office?

You will need a router that is connected to your Internet connection with enough ports to support the total number of G3 devices you have purchased. For best quality we suggest that you use a modem with QoS capabilities and configure it to make voice calls a priority over your other Internet traffic.

How much bandwidth do I need for your service?

We recommend 100k per concurrent telephone call. You will not likely have everybody on the phone at the same time, so a quick rule of thumb is to determine how many telephone users you have in your office and how many of them are on the phone at the same time. Then divide the number of people on the phone at once by the total number of users and multiply this amount by 100k. This is the total amount of bandwidth you will need to have available on both an upload and a download to have good quality telephone service. We advise you to take a speed test to determine how much bandwidth you have available.

Are there other factors that will impact the quality of the phone service that I receive?

There are many factors that impact the quality of your phone service. When you do a speed test you should look at the following key factors?

Ideally, latency should be 150 ms, if it is above 300 ms, you will hear a lot of echo on your telephone service. If your Internet service is above this threshold you will need to consider an alternate provider.
Packet loss impacts your ability to understand the quality of your phone call. If you miss one out of every ten packets your call will not be tolerable. If your service has a high packet loss it will not be suitable for our service.

Do I need to adjust my router settings?

Our system works without making adjustments to your router; however, if your IP phone does not work immediately, you will need to ensure that voice data can flow through your network router. It is advisable to enable port triggering from within your router's configuration page.

Enable: 5060 – 5090, type UDP

I can not get my service to work?

There are a few reasons why this may occur:

Check if your ISP permits VoIP traffic on their network.
If your ISP has provided your modem/router, ensure that port 5060 is open to allow VoIP traffic.

Do I need to have QoS on my modem or router?

QOS is feature of many modern routers which connect you to your internet service provider. Voice over IP is a real time protocol which means that if it is interrupted by other bandwidth intensive applications such as video, peer to peer file sharing or even sending a large e-mail it can affect the clarity of the digital audio signal. Quality of service on your router makes sure that lower priority bandwidth like peer to peer file sharing does not interfere with voice conversations by giving it a lower priority. QoS makes sure that enough bandwidth is reserved for voice over IP conversations and higher priority. In a business environment QoS is a good idea because of the number of applications sharing the internet connection with voice over IP. An alternative to quality of service is to have a dedicated internet connection just for voice over ip in which QoS is not required.

Are there any modems or routers that are not compatible with G3 Office?

We have found that some customers have had problems setting up the following routers

SMC 2 wire
TP-Link

We will modify this list on an ongoing basis.

What happens in during an Internet or power failure?

G3's Office is a hosted solution, which will allow the internet to continue operating should there be a power failure. Your call will continue to be answered and your voice mail will continue to be active. You will be able to use the find me follow me or call forwarding service to have the service routed to another phone of your choice

Using The Service

How do I log into my account?

You can log into your account by going to [link to Commportal] and entering your assigned phone number and password.

How do I reset my password?

You can change your password by logging into the web portal at [link to commportal] and then select the settings tab.

How do I get my voice mail?

There are several ways for you to retrieve your voice mail:

From your desk: You can dial *98 from your phone and then enter your voice mail PIN and then #.
From another desk in your office: Dial *98 and then *. You will then be prompted to enter your office number (please enter all 10 digits) and then your PIN then #.
From a phone outside your office: Dial your office number, when the voice mail greeting plays, dial *, then input your PIN. Note, if you have activated "Find me/Follow me" you will need to adjust the number of rings before the other voice mail picks up in order to allow your G3 voice mail to play prior to the voice mail of your forwarded device(s).

How Do I record my Voice mail box greetings?

Dial*98 from your phone
Input your voice mail PIN
Select option 3: "Work with your greetings"
Follow instructions to record your own greetings or select a system generated greetings.

How to change My Voice mail PIN?

Using your phone:

Dial*98 from your phone
Input your voice mail PIN
Select option 4: "Change Setting"
Select Option 3: "Security Options"
Select option :1 (Change PIN)

If you changed your PIN, your web portal password is changed to the same value. Using the Web Portal

Login in to your web portal as a standard user
Select the "Settings" tab under "Security"
Enter the new password and confirm it
Click on "Change Password"

This new password will be applicable for both your voice mail and the web platform

How do I adjust the length of time it takes for my voice mail to answer a call?

Login your Web portal as a Standard User
Select "Settings"
Select "Preferences" under "Voicemail Preferences"
In the box for "Incoming calls are forwarded to voicemail after seconds," enter the desired amount of seconds that you would like the phone to ring before it goes into voice mail (Note: Each ring is approximately 5 seconds and the maximum length of time is 60 seconds.)

I accidentally deleted a voice mail message, how can I get it back?

Dial *98 from your phone
Enter you PIN
Select option 6 "recover deleted messages"

What features are available with the service?

We offer a feature rich service that combines the features available with a telephone line along with those of a fully featured PBX at a cost effective rate. Please see our feature list at the following link.

Can I make international calls?

Yes, you can dial international calls directly from your phone, using the same dialing sequence that you use today. We offer a very competitive rate for long distance calls. Please refer to [link to international] to see our rates.

Can I dial directory assistance?

Yes, you can reach directory assistance by dialling 411 or 1 (area code) 555 1212. We charge a rate of $1.50 per call.

Can I make a collect call?

Yes, you can make a collect or billed to third party call. Billing for this service is handled by a third party that has full responsibility for the rates and customer service issues.

Can I receive a collect call?

No, you are not able to receive a collect call with our service.

How do I make a long distance call?

There are no PINs or access codes to dial. You can make long distance calls in the same way as you would from a regular phone.

How many minutes are included in my account?

G3 Home comes with unlimited minutes for your phone lines. The unlimited minutes applies to Canada and the USA. Unlimited plans are subject to our fair use policy as identified in our terms of service.

Phone Numbers

Purchasing Your Phone System

Support

Web Portal

What is an Administrator?

The administrator is the designated manager of the phone system that has full access to make changes to the settings and configuration of the phone system. If you are the administrator and you would like to log into your account, click here and select the "administrator" option. You may then log in using your assigned phone number and password.

What is a Standard user?

This is an end user that uses the service. They will only have rights and privileges to manage their own account. Any changes impacting the company as a whole is managed by the Administrator.

How can I login in to the web portal to manage my company's features?

To login as Administrator, follow the following steps:

Go to http://g3pbx.com/commportal_admin.aspx or www.g3pbx.com, click on "My Account", and then click on "Administrator."
Login number is the telephone line number with administrator privilege.
Click the Auto-Attendant link towards the bottom of the left hand side of Webportal Portal.
Follow the instructions in this section.

How can I login to the web portal to manage my features?

To login as a Standard User, please use the link below:

http://www.g3pbx.com/commportal_euser.aspx
Click on "My Account" then click on "Standard User."
Enter your telephone number (all 10 digits) in the number section.
Enter in the password associated with your account.

When you login to your voice mail box for the first time you will need to initialize your voice mail box by following the voice instructions.

I am the administrator how do I log in to manage my personal line features?

To manage your own features, follow the login instructions of a "standard user."

How can I check my voice mail from the web portal?

Login into the web portal as a "standard user."
On the portal dashboard you will see "You have X messages."
Click on the "Dashboard" link, which will display a new page with all of the voice mails listed with a "Play" button besides each voice mail.
Press the "Play" button beside the message you will like to hear.

How do I set up the voice mail to email function?

When you set up the voice mail to email feature, your voice mail will be forwarded to you email as an attachment, and will use your default media player to play the message. To set up the voice mail to email feature:

Login to your webportal as a Standard User, Click on "Settings", then click on "Messaging."
Check on check box "Auto-forward all voicemail messages as emails to."
Type in your email address in the text box.
Click the "Apply" button.

It is recommend that the "Leave a copy of forwarded voicemail messages and faxes in the inbox" box be checked as it will ensure that you have a copy of your voice mail in your mailbox.

How to setup follow me/ find me service (FMFM)?

Login to the system as a standard user.
Click on the "follow me" link on the lower right hand side of the dashboard.
Click the add rule button at the bottom of the screen.
Enter required information and then click on the enter button.
If required repeat the step above to add additional telephone numbers.
Click on the apply button.

How do I customize my answering rules?

Login to the system as a standard user.
Click on the call manager tab.
Select the feature you would like to change.

Auto Attendant Configuration

How Can I manage my Auto-Attendant?

Log in to the You can manage your Auto-Attendant with WebPortal (login as administrator) or with a telephone via Telephone user Interface (TUI), You can manage most of the features of your auto-attendant with Web portal, some features with Telephone User interface (for example, recording extension names).

How can I use my telephone to manage my auto attendant?

Using the telephone interface you can:

Activate or deactivate the Auto Attendant.
Record and check announcements and the recorded names for extensions.
Test the Auto Attendant menus to ensure that they are operating as you intended.
Change the password you use to enter this interface.
1. To access the telephone interface for Auto-Attendant, dial 4163420781 (no charge from a G3 telephone).
2. Enter the main telephone number.
3. Enter the Auto-Attendant password.

You can now manage the auto attendant in the same manner that you would via the web interface.

How can I manage my auto-attendant announcement via phone using Telephone User Interface?

You can call 4163420781 (no charge from a G3 Phone) from any phone then enter your Auto-attendant account number and password.
Follow the voice instructions, for announcement management.
Press option 2. Each announcement has an announcement ID.

You can login to the web portal as an administrator, to determine the announcement numbers.

How can I manage my auto-attendant announcement via web portal?

You can upload your pre-recorded announcements from Webportal. The pre-recorded announcement files must be in WAV or MP3 format.

Select the announcement in the menu tree.
Edit the Announcement Name field.
Edit the Announcement Description field.
Select a new announcement to upload by clicking on Browse.
Click on Save.

How Do I Add a Menu?

The Menus entry allows you to create the menus used by the Auto-Attendant, and the valid key presses in each menu.

To add a menu, follow these steps:

Click on Menus.
Enter a name in the Menu Name text box.
Enter a description in the Menu Description text box.
Select the announcement to be played from the Announcement drop-down list.
Set the timeout period using the Timeout Period text box. This is the amount of time the Auto-Attendant will wait after the announcement is finished for an input from the user. If the user doesn't select an option within this time then the Auto Attendant will perform the action configured for the Timeout filter (described below).
Click on Save .

How do I configure the menu options?

You can use the Menu Options section to define what should happen when keys are pressed, or a Timeout happens.

To add an Action, follow these steps:

Select a Filter from the drop-down list. This filter is either a key that the user can press, or when a timeout happens.
Select an action from the drop-down list. The action can be one of the following:
- Announce-Release. This plays an announcement and then drops the caller's call.
- Announce-Return - This plays an announcement and then returns the caller to this menu.
- Directory - This enters the directory function, which allows the caller to select and extension using dial-by-name.
- Menu - Go to another menu.
- Menu-Back - Return to the previous menu.
- Release - Drops the caller's call.
- Transfer - Transfers the caller to either an extension within your business or to a number outside your business.
If you have chosen either the Announce-Release or Announce-Return actions, you need to select the announcement which will be played.
If you have chosen the Menu action, you need to select the menu you wish the caller to be transfer to next.
If you have chosen the Transfer action, you must either select an extension to transfer the call to, or enter the full number you want the call transferred to, as you would dial it (so for example if you usually dial 9 for an outside line, you must enter 9 as the first digit here if specifying an external number).
Click on Add.

How do I configure menu assignments?

Once you have created your menus, you now need to assign which menus will be played to the caller depending on whether they call during business hours, outside business hours, or during holidays. If you want to use the same menu for two or more of these cases then you can do this.

To assign menus, follow these steps:

Select the Menu Assignments entry in the tree.
Select the menu you want for holidays by using the drop-down list to the right of "Select the menu that will be used on holidays."
Select the menu you want for business hours by using the drop-down list to the right of "Select the menu that will be used for calls made during business hours."
Select the menu you want for out of business hours by using the drop-down list to the right of "Select the menu that will be used for calls off business hours."
Click on the Save button.

Note: If you want to use the same menu 24/7, you need to assign the same menu for business hours, off hours and holidays.

How do I record an Extension name for the Auto Attendant?

If you use a dial by name directory, you must record each extension's name. You can record extension names in one of two ways:

You can pre-record the extension names in WAV or MP3 format, then login webportal as Administrator, Click on "Auto-Attendant" link, expand "Extensions", select the extension you want to record the name, click on "Browse", then select the pre-recorded file, then click "Save."
You cam also record the extension name with a phone via Telephone User Interface.
Call 416.342.0781 (this is a local call from a G3 Phone) from any phone, then input your account number and password, choose option 3 to manage extension name.

Phones and Devices

What devices do you sell?

We provide a selection of Polycom phones, Netgear PoE switches and Linksys ATAs, to ensure that you service will be reliable. For a complete list of our devices, click here.

What phones do you sell?

We currently sell the Polycom Soundpoint line of phones as they are a reliable industry leading telecommunications equipment manufacturer.

You offer many IP phones, which one should I select?

There are different phones available to meet your requirements. Please review our device section to find the phone that meets your needs.

Do I have to buy my Phone or ATA from G3?

No, you can reuse an existing SIP phone or source it from another supplier. You will need to ensure that your IP phone is not locked and that you know the associated passwords. Please note that our support team will not be able to troubleshoot or configure your IP phone that you get from another vendor. At this time we have found the following phones tend to be compatible with our service. A phone that is not on this list may still work, however its compatibility has not been evaluated. Additionally a phone that is listed below may not have full functionality with our switching platform.

The following devices have been found to be compatible with our switching infrastructure.

Compatible ATA

Cisco	PAPT2-NA
Cisco	SPA2102 family
Cisco	PAP2-NA
Enablence	RGN
InnoMedia	6000 Series
Tilgin	Vood

Compatible IP PBX

Aastra	Aastralink 160
Allworx	6x
Avaya	Aura CM/SM
Avaya	IP Office
Cisco	Cisco Call Manager Express & UC500
Cisco	Linksys SPA9000 SIP PBX
Mitel	3300MXE SIP PBX
Mitel	Mitel 1000 SIP PBX
NEC	SV8100
NEC	SV8300
NEC	SV8500
Samsung Electronics	OfficeServ
Toshiba	StrataCIX
Turin Networks	adit 600 with MSR card

Compatible IP Phone

Aastra	6739i
Aastra	6751i
Aastra	67xi IP phone family (Excludes 6751i, 6739i)
Aastra	480i IP phone family
Aastra	67xi IP phone family (Excludes 6751i, 6739i)
AudioCodes NJ	3OO HD IP Phone Series
Cisco	7940/7960
Cisco	SPA50X and SPA30X IP Phones
Cisco	SPA525G and SPA525G2
Cisco	SPA9xx IP Phones
Cloud Telecomputers	Glass Phone
Grandstream	GXV3140
Polycom Inc	Polycom VVX 1500
Polycom Inc	SoundStation IP 5000/6000/7000
Polycom Inc	KIRK
Polycom Inc	SoundPoint IP 300
Polycom Inc	Soundpoint IP 400/500/600
Polycom Inc	SoundStation IP 5000/6000/7000
SNOM	8xx
SNOM	MeetingPoint
SNOM	Snom 300 series

Compatible Soft Phone

AdvaTel	PhoneEasy
CounterPath	Bria
CounterPath	Bria iPhone
Iscoord	IS-Phone

What is an ATA?

ATA is an Analog Terminal Adapter, which is a small box that allows you to connect your normal phone to a VoIP system.

What is an IP PBX?

An IP PBX is a PBX that is able to use the IP network as opposed to the traditional analog network of a regular phone system. G3's infrastructure has been tested with a number of manufacturers (link to list of devices) as well G3's service has been certified by 3CX (configuration file available at http://www.3cx.com/blog/voip-howto/3rd-party-supported-voip-providers/). Switches that are on this list may also work with our service.

Can I use my regular phone on your service?

Yes, you can use your current analog phone with our service, if you purchase an ATA.

Can I use a cordless phone with your service?

Yes, you can use a cordless phone with our service, if you purchase an ATA.

Can I use a soft phone with your service?

Yes, you will need to contact our support team to provide you with the user name and password for your service. You will need to treat this information in the same manner as you would your credit card or your debit card PIN information. All charges incurred with this service are billable.

Can I use my fax machine with G3's Service?

G3 recommends using the included fax service as opposed to a fax machine. It allows you to send and receive faxes via your email or by our web portal. It is possible for you to use a standard ATA, however it is not recommended for use by heavy fax users as it has a higher than acceptable failure.

What is Fax to Email?

Fax to email is a service offered by G3 that enables a faxed document to be received by e-mail. The document can be faxed as usual but received in your email inbox.