Office & productivity software: Home telephone answering program using my PC with XP

Not really the right forum.

by MarkFlax  - 4/20/08 4:59 AM

This isn't the right forum as Telephone Answering software is not a Microsoft Office product. Your best bet would be to repost in either the PC Utilities or Computer Help forums.

Be sure to state what your Operating System is, ie if it is Windows whether it is Windows 95/98/ME/XP or Vista, or if it is a Mac or Linux, say which one.

Having said all that...

If you have Fax capability on the computer then maybe you already have a Voice/Fax modem which will be necessary for any telephone answering software to work. Only you can say if you have the right kind of modem and if the Fax software is also Voice answering machine software. If you have the Voice/Fax modem but not the software try Google for PC Telephone answering.

Possibly an alternative is VOIP, or Voice Over the Internet Protocol. This is software that uses the internet to make and receive calls. You can make and receive calls for free to other VOIP users, or use VOIP for normal landline or mobile telephone conversations at chargeable rates. Skype is one such VOIP provider and I see that Skype offers Voicemail facility, where you can have calls recorded when you are not available to take them.

There are drawbacks to both systems. With either PC based answering software or with VOIP, the PC has to be on and running for them to work, and if you go with VOIP and give up your land line, there is no access to any phones if there is a power failure.

I hope that helps

Mark