ViaTalk is a lesser-known provider of VoIP service for both home and business. But unlike enterprise-class offerings like RingCentral Office, Nextiva Office, or even Broadvoice Cloud PBX, the business plans from ViaTalk don't offer a multiline cloud PBX style system with auto-attendant, nor is there much in the way of user management. That said, ViaTalk Business does offer business-class support and some appealing features for SOHO users, including call recording, call hunt, anonymous call routing, call waiting, softphone use, and more.

Plans and Pricing

Like Broadvoice, ViaTalk offers something of an à la carte pricing model. ViaTalk's intro level plan is Business 1500 (which gets you that many minutes to U.S. and Canada) for $30.95 per month per user with a one-year commitment. The Business Unlimited plan gets you unlimited minutes and costs $39.95 per month. Getting a virtual number adds $3.95 to your monthly bill, a toll-free number adds $4.95, and a fax line is another $5.95.

There's also a BYOD option for those who have their own SIP phone; this cuts out the shipping and activation fees. My test service of one line with 1,500 minutes of talk time came to $52.84 for the first month, after taxes and fees were added. In general, ViaTalk prices are on the high side compared with Ooma Office and other vendors. ViaTalk's home service is far more reasonable, with Unlimited costing just $15.75 per month.

Starting Up

Self-service is a term that comes to mind with ViaTalk when setting up a plan. With most other business VoIP and cloud PBX services, you discuss your particular needs with a customer rep and sometimes also a technician, and then you receive a service quote. With ViaTalk, you can get going on your own simply by signing up via a Web form. You select your service area—every region of the U.S. is available, and in most cases you can choose an area code and exchange. Enter payment info, and voilà, your VoIP adapter is in the mail, and a welcome note is in your email.

One thing I found strange about the setup was that it doesn't require a website registration, so when I wanted to access my account at first, I couldn't. The email said my account would be processed in the next 24 to 48 hours. The email arrived with a link to my Web-based control panel along with a username and password.

Web Console Interface
The interface consists of four groups of icons, for voicemail, privacy, call control, and advanced features. There I was issued (I thought) a rare 212 area-code number, something I've never been able to get from any other VoIP service. Unfortunately, it turned out that this was an error, and my actual ViaTalk number used a 646 area code. Unlike some services, ViaTalk doesn't let you pick your exact number at signup, so that means you can't pick one that spells out a word, for example, or one with repeating digits for easier memorization.

Setting up the Phone Hardware

A Linksys Phone Adapter with 2 Ports for Voice-over-IP (yes, that's the official product name, Linksys PAP2 for short) arrived in the mail a few days after I ordered service. A simple half sheet Installation Guide outlined five steps needed to get going (of which only three are essential). First comes plugging in a standard landline phone (or two), then connecting an Ethernet cable, and finally plugging in the power cable. The final step reads "The installation of the Phone Adapter is complete. You may pick up the phone and begin making calls."