While On-LineAre you tired of missing phone calls while on-line? Do your friends stop calling because
all they ever get is a busy signal? Well, finally, here is the breakthrough we've all been waiting for. There is
now a way to receive phone calls while surfing the internet. And you do NOT need a second phone line.
How It Works
1. This service is provided by a company called
CallWave 
.
They call their product the "Internet Answering
Machine."
2. The Internet Answering Machine works with the Busy Call Forwarding feature provided by your local phone company.
3. When someone calls while you are on-line, instead of getting a busy signal, your call is forwarded to CallWave's
1-800 number.
4. They will be greeted by this message, "Hi. The person you're trying to reach is using CallWave's free Internet
Answering Machine-please leave a message after the tone."
5. Your callers then leave a message (up to 30 seconds) that you hear over your computer speakers, instantly.
What You Need
1. You must download (it only takes a minute, 177k) the software from
CallWave
2. It works with Windows 95, 98, and NT 4.0. You need at least 10 MB of free hard disk space,
8 MB of RAM and no less than a Pentium 90. You also need a dial up Internet connection via an ISP or AOL account
(The Internet Answering Machine does not support Local Area Networks).
The Software
1. After you download and install the software, the Internet Answering Machine will automatically
start when you connect to the internet. If you have closed the Internet Answering Machine window you can open it
by double clicking on the CallWave Icon in the lower right corner of your computer screen (system tray) near the
clock.
2. The Internet Answering Machine will appear on your screen. Here's what it looks like (actual
size):
3. You can move it around and place it anywhere on your screen. You can also close it if you
do not want to receive calls.
4. The Internet Answering Machine has several useful features, some of which include: storing
messages (up to 100), customizing sounds, and setting an option to play a "beep" if your speakers are
currently in use.
5. The Internet Answering Machine is a free service that is sponsored by advertisers. You will
see banner ads in the call display area of the Internet Answering Machine when you are not receiving any incoming
calls. You can click on these banner ads to visit the advertiser's website. If you would like to temporarily remove
the advertisement so that you can scroll through your messages, just click the CallWave Icon (orange CW logo) on
the left side of the Internet Answering Machine.
Dealing With The Phone Company
1. You must have Busy Call Forwarding, provided by your local phone company, for the Internet
Answering Machine to work. This normally costs about $2 per month. When notifying your phone company, make sure
you spell out exactly what you want:
I want CALL-FORWARDING-ON-BUSY to 1-800-380-4341.
Please INCLUDE THE "1" BEFORE THE 800 NUMBER.
This request is for FIXED call forwarding NOT VARIABLE.
Please ACTIVATE this feature once it's set up, or tell me how.
The Bottom Line
1. This is a great service that is necessary for anyone who keeps missing important phone calls.
It is an excellent alternative to a second phone line.
