Ask HN: Phone systems and contact me flow for small businesses
I am a self-employed/freelance IT consultant and web dev, and while I have a business set up, I'm the only employee and I work out of my house, which I rent with friends.
When I first started I got a second cell phone added to my plan. This was so I would have a business number for clients to call because I didn't want to give out my personal cell phone number to people who might be calling me at any time.
I have been making the second cell phone work, but I'm getting tired of carrying around two phones all of the time, and think that there has to be a better solution out there. To a reasonable extent, money isn't an issue (and I'll save money from dropping the 2nd cell phone)
What I am looking for is a hosted service that will provide a number for my clients to call or text at any time that I can forward to my personal cell (if I want to) or keep as a voicemail box. Ideally, the voicemails would be transcribed to email as well as possible and sent to me, and if the translation wasn't good enough I could dial into my box or listen to them though a smartphone app or website. Basically just whatever options they provide, I'm not too picky. If this number has an online fax component as well, bonus.
I looked into Google Voice, but have stayed away from it because I want a service that has people I can call if there are issues.
What does everyone here use? Am I unrealistic in my expectations?
Thanks!