Tell me about the Business hosting plan

The new Business plan is a more powerful version of our Baby plan. Since Baby offers unlimited disk space and bandwidth, and unlimited hosting, the Business plan needs something special to set it apart.

So here it is.

The Business plan comes with a free dedicated IP address and a free private SSL certificate. You must order these features online for now.

Dedicated IP - Applies to all websites but not to email. A dedicated ip is required to use SSL.

SSL certificate - Can be applied to either the primary domain OR an addon/ subdomain, however only 1 certificate per cPanel. This kind of certificate validates the domain name only (Positive SSL). This is still fine for most sites and will allow the Business plan to accept credit cards.

You may keep the SSL as long as you are a HostGator customer. You can renew the certificate for free every year by submitting a new request form (you must still have a Business plan to renew for free). Click here for a site seal (logo) which can be displayed on your website.

The Business plan also includes a free Toll-Free number.

How to order.

You do NOT contact VOIPo to order your number. Instead, request this from within your HostGator cPanel using the link under Addons. This link only shows up if you are on the Business plan and using the HG style, which can be changed from the change style link in the cPanel. Signup is automated by VOIPo, and we cannot set you up manually.

Sign-Up Screenshots:

How It Works and Features

This is a forwarding-only service. To use the toll-free number, you provide an existing number (US and Canada only) where VOIPo can forward the calls.

There's no equipment. It doesn't use your computer, and you don't have to set anything up on your end.

This does NOT offer voicemail or any other features normally offered with residential service. It does NOT offer PBX extensions, faxing, etc. It only forwards to whatever number you provide. You have a control panel where you can login to change that forwarding number and view your call history. You'll get e-mailed the login for that after you signup.

So if you setup a toll-free number and put in your cell phone number, when someone calls the toll-free number, your cell phone will ring. It's that simple. If your cell phone has voicemail, then it'd go to that. Basically this doesn't offer any features on its own, it just forwards to the provided destination number.

Billing and Usage

There is no charge for the number. The first 100 minutes you use each month are free. After 100, you will be billed 4.9 cents per minute directly by VOIPo. If you incur charges, you'll get an invoice e-mailed from VOIPo and have 7 days to pay it online.

VOIPo only bills for the minutes used. You don't get billed twice for the inbound part and the forwarding (outbound part). It's just 4.9 cents total per minute after the 100 included minutes. The included (free) minutes are based on the calendar month. So if someone signs up on May 11th, they'd have 100 free minutes they could use in May.

Toll-Free numbers issued must be called at least once every 30 days. Toll-free numbers with 0 calls in a 30 day period will be considered inactive and disconnected. If you cancel your hosting package with HostGator or switch to a plan other than the business plan, your toll-free number will be disconnected unless you contact VOIPo to change to a paid service plan prior to the HostGator cancellation.

What if I want to reactivate my phone number after it has been cut off?
Unfortunately, once the phone number is disconnected, you cannot have it back. Please contact billing@voipo.com, and VOIPo will re-verify your eligibility and issue a NEW number.

Forwarding Destination Number

In order to use this service, you must provide a US/Canadian phone number. It cannot be forwarded to international numbers or your computer.

Receiving Calls

The toll-free number can only receive calls from the US by default.

If you want to enable calls from Canada, you can do that in your VOIPo vPanel, but you will be billed 6.9 cents per minute for all calls that come from Canada. Calls from Canada are not included in the free minutes. The 100 free minutes are for calls from the US only.

Note: If you receive calls from the US, but the forwarding number it set to forward to a Canadian number, that's fine. It's still considered a US call. It's always billed based on from where the incoming call originates.

Can I choose my toll free number? You'll be able to choose from VOIPo's existing inventory of 866, 877, 888 numbers, but it has to be one already in inventory.

Who do I pay if I go over the 100 minutes? Customers are setup with a plan in the VOIPo billing system with a discount to bring the charge to $0.00, so any overage charges will just be applied to your VOIPo account. You're fully billed by VOIPo. (VOIPo bills HostGator a flat rate for all accounts on this plan to cover the first 100 minutes.)

If you exceed 100 minutes, you'll be billed 4.9 cents per minute after that and you'll get an invoice e-mailed monthly from VOIPo directly. You can then login to the VOIPo billing system and remit payment there.