Frequently Asked Questions
Is it truly unlimited calling within Canada and the USA?
Yes! Just like Silo Wireless Internet, Silo Phone is a true unlimited service- no catch!
Can I cancel my Bell (or existing phone carrier) land line?
Yes! Silo Phone uses the data from your Internet connection and doesn’t require a link into the old analog phone systems.
Can I keep my existing phone number?
Yes! A one-time fee of $19.95* will allow us to acquire your old phone number and set it up to work through Silo Phone. For more information on this process please see our rates page.
What equipment do I require?
All you require is the VOIP adapter, which is included in the $69.95* equipment & activation fee. From the adapter you can either plug a phone in directly or tie into the existing phone wiring already in your home (home wiring service also offered through Silo, click here for more information).
I don’t have a cell phone/cell reception at my home. Should I replace my existing land line with your service?
If you do not have an alternate method of contact in case of emergency we do not recommend switching to Silo Phone.
Will my phone work if the hydro is out/ there is a problem with the Internet?
No. This is why we recommend having a back up method of communication in case of emergency. To minimize down time we strongly recommend our customers invest in a battery backup power supply (with a rating of at least 500VA) in case there is a hydro outage. This should keep your Internet (and therefore phone) service running for at least an hour. If you receive a call during an outage you can have the call automatically forwarded to a phone number of your choosing (cell phone, for example) to ensure you are not out of the loop just because your home phone is currently down.
Does the service work with 911?
Yes! We are fully e911 compliant. This means you have access to the 911 emergency system, and through our user portal you can update your emergency response location as needed.
How fast does my Internet connection need to be?
We do not recommend using Silo Phone on anything below our Gold package. However, it's important to understand that the faster your Internet is the more overhead you will have available for other uses. For example on the Gold package your call quality may be great until a computer is being used to stream a video, but performing these same tasks at the same time on the Platinum package may work without issue.
Can I make international calls?
At this time international calling is not available. This is because we don't currently have a system in place that would effectively prevent the possibility of fraudulent activities that have been known to happen when scammers compromise a VOIP connection with open-ended International billing. We want to be confident that our customers are fully protected against this kind of situation, and are in the process of developing a system that will allow our customers to preauthorize an amount of money to be used for international calling. Once this system is in place we will update this answer as well as the main Silo Phone web page to indicate International calling is officially available.
Can I use this service away from my home?
If you have access to an Internet connection, yes! Plug your VOIP adapter into the Internet and your home phone (and its local number) is available for use! Remember, your 911 emergency response address must be updated each time you move the location of your phone service.
Please note this is in no way a replacement for a cellular phone.
Does the service work with collect calls?
Unfortunately VOIP does not support the collect calling systems. If the collect calls typically come from the same caller we suggest adding a virtual phone number from the caller's area code. This would make any calls to you 'local' and therefore exempt from any long distance charges.
Will I have any echo or delay in the conversation?
Given proper bandwidth is available the quality of Silo Phone is indistinguishable from a properly working land line. Again, we suggest making sure you are subscribed to an Internet speed package that provides enough bandwidth to support the needs of your home.
What makes Silo Phone better than Brand X VOIP provider?
The main advantage to our service versus using another VOIP provider is the location of our servers and equipment. With another VOIP provider every packet of voice information has to leave our network and travel through multiple hops and devices along the Internet to reach the provider’s data center. With Silo Phone all of that equipment is internal to our Silo Wireless network, so you will not experience the delay and deterioration that can happen while travelling over the Internet to reach the voice servers.
Can I use Silo Phone to send/receive faxes?
We do not recommend using the service for fax duties. While some fax machines can be set up to communicate over VOIP we do not find it stable enough to endorse. We recommend moving to an online fax service that assigns you a virtual fax number and relays faxes to you via e-mail.
Most home security companies can configure their equipment to work through our service. If your security company is not familiar with our service but has the ability to work with other VOIP providers please have them contact us and we can provide them with whatever they need to get things running through our service.
No. If you have more than one phone number they will ring the same to your phones. You can however add a second line to your service which will allow you to plug in a different phone for each number.
Can you accommodate my business needs (toll free numbers, multiple lines, etc.)?
Absolutely! Our introductory business package is $59.99* per month. Services such as multiple lines and toll free numbers are available to tailor the package specifically to your needs. Please contact us to get a quote for your specific requirements.
If your answer was not found above please contact us and we will be happy to answer any questions you have!
*Plus applicable taxes.
