Home     Contact Us    
Main Board Job Seeker's Board Job Wanted Board Resume Bank Company Board Word Help Medquist New MTs Classifieds Offshore Concerns VR/Speech Recognition Tech Help Coding/Medical Billing
Gab Board Politics Comedy Stop Health Issues
ADVERTISEMENT




Serving Over 20,000 US Medical Transcriptionists

basic PC/phone line

Posted By: txcatgirl on 2007-12-13
In Reply to: My aunt has extremely low rate for land, no frills but - Ticked with internet service

Windstream (Houston area) charges about $16 a month for just a basic, no-frills line.  That's why I hoped to hear if anyone else had any luck with MagicJack.  I got one, but something just isn't working right.  May be an OE (operator error), tho!


Complete Discussion Below: marks the location of current message within thread

The messages you are viewing are archived/old.
To view latest messages and participate in discussions, select the boards given in left menu


Other related messages found in our database

A basic recommendation for a basic expander use plan SM
If you use your Expander mainly to store text for specific doctors and their specific reports you will 1) Find it extremely difficult and expensive to change jobs (critically so, to the point of eventually feeling you can't or even leaving the field when your employer lets you go) and 2) as someone said, find yourself spending a whole lot of time editing your expansions to the current report.

I strongly recommend instead contacting Linda for her system, then day by day developing your expander vocabulary of INDIVIDUAL words and phrases, untied to any specific report. I can take my abbreviation for "denies any fevers, chills, or sweats" (dyfcos) to any of dozens of companies and use it for dictations of thousands of doctors. No having to change it, because I also have one for "denies fever, chills, or sweats," one for "denies having fevers, chills, or sweats," and so on and so on. As Linda says, with a system the individual abbreviations don't have to be memorized. As you can see, these terms are merely the first letters of the words in the phrase(with Y standing in for "any" instead of A because that's my abbreviation for the word "any" itself).

BTW, regarding that last, editing gets very fast when all you have to type to drop in the word "the" here and there as you cruise through is a T, "his" a G, a "that" a V, et cetera. No special reason for those letters for those words, I was just looking for a one-letter abbreviation I could cut them down to to speed up.

Hope this makes sense. Linda will understand what I mean about the extreme importance of developing an independent dictionary of expansions that will work with any dictator.
C-phone and phone line
I have cable for my Internet so I have my C-phone on my regular home phone line and forward my home phone number to my cell phone.
Phone line
With the only company I worked for to dial in, I paid for the phone line.  They even requested that we have two phone lines, so that they could call us, if needed, while we were working.  This was not a requirement, however.  I had a second line put in anyway, so that I could get personal calls while I was working.  I was an employee at the time.  They did, however, provide an 800 number so that it was not long distance.  When they stopped doing that I moved my office to my mom's, where it was not long distance, but I paid for the line here.  I considered it a trade off to not have to drive the 35 miles one-way to work in-house.  I did have full benefits with that company.  I am an IC with the company I am with now, and I pay for the phone line and the DSL.  I provide the computer, and the company provides the software, and I have no benefits.  If your employees continue to have the same benefits that they had inhouse, they probably would not mind paying for the phone line, but I am sure they would appreciate it, if you can afford to take care of that.   
Phone line help, please if possible

I hope I don't confuse anybody but here goes.


Back in 1988, I had 4 phone lines installed in my home. 1 is personal, 1 for my dial up modem (also personal), a business line, and an 800 number which the phone company tied to another personal phone number-I'll call this number 123-4567. (This was the only way the phone company could do it at the time).


 As it stands now, I get a bill for the 800 service through Sprint, an 800 bill through MCI for the calls I recieve, and a bill through MCI Small Business for the office phone and 123-4567. I also get a bill from Verizon for the 123-4567 number (I think that's the one) that is a minimum $5 charge a month. I'm really getting triple billed for 1 line.


As of Jan., I want to disconnect my 800 number, my office phone line, and my modem line, but leave the 123-4567 line for my doc. MCI told me I can't disconnect my office line without disconnecting the 123-4567 number.  


Am I supposed to wipe the slate clean and go without any phone service then get new service with somebody? It's been so long since I had to deal with something like this and I'm so confused.


Can anbody make any sense out of this? TIA.


Is it your phone line?
Sounds like a problem with your phone line. What type of long distance are you using?
Look up your C-phone on line....
nm
DSL does work through the phone line
I have mine through SBC. They sent filters to put on each phone line. Does not interfere with phone usage.

Since the modem is plugged into an electrical outlet as well, you will lose your connectivity if the electricity goes out.

You seem overly worried about no electricity. lol ???
Dont need phone line?
I have DSL but I have to be plugged into the phone line.  Do you mean you can have DSL through the phone company but just use it for internet and not a phone line?  Sorry if I sound stupid but my area just got DSL.  Im in a rural area and we were still using dial up until a few months ago.  My company, however, does pay for the internet connection $30.00/month.
and not the phone line to your house
We had a war with Earthlink over this. It was their responsibility to contact Bell South about the problem, but they said it was our responsibility (we have a DSL line). We finally dropped them and went right to Bell South. Everything was fine for a while and then the problems returned. The service tech played a hunch and checked the underground wiring in a hub(some green box about a block away) and that was problem. He took care of the wiring and the problem has never returned.
Do you have a phone line connected? sm
When I first got DSL, I couldn't fax, either. I discovered that I needed to have an adapter that plugs the phone line to the computer. It's a little box that has two jacks and the DSL line is connected to it and then you run a separate line from it to your computer and then you can use the fax utility. I will see if I can find what that adapter is called as I forget right at the moment!
Is C-phone for land-line only?

Won't pretend I understand VOIP but I know its available with my broadband.


VOIP as second phone line

Is it possible to use VOIP as an extra phone line instead of investing in a second land phone line?  I'm going to be working at my mom's a couple days a week.  She has one phone line and DSL.  At my house I only have dial-up. I have an account that requires two phone lines with no DSL, one for dictaphone, one for Meditech.  I really hate to ask her to pay for another land phone line and was wondering if I could use VOIP.  Thanks for any input.   


what would the second phone line be for? (Sorry, my message got cut off before)...

2nd phone line question

Unnamed national MT co told me when hired that I would be reimbursed for a 2nd line and that the line could be a cell phone. 


 I am hooked up to internet with Comcast (42.95).  I are being asked in an e-mail if I had a 2nd phone line - Yes or No answer only - and I am unsure what to type. 


When I did have 2nd phone line when hired, it was incapable of being used on my account (tooo slowwwwww) so I had it disconnected and got a cell phone. 


Thanks!


 


How to re-record off phone line?
Does anyone know how to re-record transcription off a phone line?  TIA
Dedicated phone line is what I was afraid of...
I just spoke with Time Warner and they do not allow you to have two separate phone numbers.  Right now all the phone jacks in my house are wired through TW, so I can't even go through Fair Point for one dedicated phone line.  Has anybody else had this problem and what have you done?  Any ideas other than give up on this job because I don't really want to do that as everything with this company "fits" and the account would be perfect for me.
Lanier & digital phone line
Does anyone use a Lanier with a digital phone line (not VOIP)? Anything else required to make this work?

thx.
WAV files are better. No dialing in. No tying up your phone line.
Sound quality is good.
for those running on cable with no regular phone line,
do you still unplug everything and quit working in a thunderstorm with lightening.  It's the middle of March, and we're having one heck of a storm here in western NY.  I'm thinking of braving this one and keeping working.  What would you do?
Internet service without land-line phone

I recently looked into this subject myself.  If you have Verizon available in your area, you can purchase a plan at about $55.00 per month with a two-year contract.  You will receive a card that you can insert into your laptop, which will provide you with unlimited Internet access at the speed of DSL.  As far as I know, there are no other cell service providers that have come up with this type of card yet, but I'm sure it's bound to happen in the future.  Another option is to purchase a satellite telephone and phone cards as you go along, but the cards are really outrageous in price.  One last thing that I would suggest is that you phone cell providers in your area to see if they have any technical gadgets you could attach to the cell phone for Internet access.  Many of the satellite phone companies have separate packages you can buy, which can be attached to laptops or PDAs.  I also have a TracPhone, so I know it does not come with hardware that will do the trick.


 


Good luck to you in setting everything up.  With the way that technology is moving, I'm sure there must be a way to accomplish what you want. 


Wireless router with your home phone line?
Is it possible to use a wireless router and your home dial up phone line so that you can be mobile around your house with a laptop? 
Thanks

If you have a cell phone, why not use that for your LD calls and CX the LD on the land line?
.
so, you have dial up for internet? plugged into your phone line.
and your foot pedal has a phone line plug too? Thats odd, cuz normally it would be a USB plug. but yes, you can by an outlet to install, i had to do the same thing a long time ago on a different computer. it was called something like an eathernet adapter....you should be able to take the foot pedal to radio shack adn they will give you exactly what you need.
Digital phone line with Lanier voicewriter
Now I am getting digital phone through my cable company with the addition of a data line which is suppose to give me unlimited access for dial up so I am hoping that will work. Does anyone else use a Lanier with Time Warner Cable digital phone and if so any problems?
The Transnet pedal I have has a phone line connection on the end, sm

which plugs into a Dictaphone adapter which plugs into a USB port on my computer.  To my knowledge, it cannot be used for anything else, but I could be wrong.


Good luck!



Love wav files. No extra phone line needed,
no LD charges, and love being able to sit on my porch on a nice day and work. 
I need a ground line if cable goes out so does your phone and if you contact MCI they will give you
with long distance costing 07. cents a minute if you have to. Just use your long distance after 9 pm using ur cell which is free and on weekends. This MCI plan is 26. & taxes about 28. a month. This way MCI gives u the ability to call long distance during the week if you absolutely have to but for .07 cents a minute. Better to have a phone than no phone. Just a thought!
Sound is usually good. Separate line is better if you don't want to tie up your main phone all
s
I've been screwed over by the big phone companies too, but once you switch to a business line,
a lot more options are opened up to you. Talk America has an unlimited long distance business line for $49.95. I've been with them for over a year now. I also tried calling cards, which are an even bigger rip off.
I would check into a business line. My phone company offers one for around 55 dollars, with truly U
I am going to remove the LD from my home phone, and use the business line for all calls, then I will only have to pay about 35 above what I'm paying now. Not ideal, but the best deal I could find.
I could switch to DSL but the phone company charges 50 extra a month for being on line for more than
So either way I will have to pay more.  I guess no one else here is affected or concerned by this but the article said that other companies would follow suit if Time Warner has success.  The article said it would affect the teleworkers who are on line for long periods, not the people who just use cable for reading their email.  
The phone line has to support DSL signals. Most rural lines don't due to distance from central of
x
I have a two way adapter that is plugged into the phone line. One goes from the adapter into the
router provided by the DSL company and the other goes from the adapter directly into the phone that I have connected.  The phone needs to be connected so I can re-record (which still works for me thankfully).  I was wondering if I unplug the phone line and plug that into the back of my computer if that would work but then I would have to have work call before faxing and change the hookup after which would be a royal pain.  If you can give me another way to hook this up it would make my life so much easier.  Thanks. 
Basic 4

Can anyone tell me what Basic 4 MTs is?


THanks


basic 4
Where I have worked, op reports have always been a part of the basic 4...DS/OPS/H&P/CONS. Letters were just a part of the overall package. ER was in a class all its own and not considered as difficult at the basic 4 (on par with clinic work).
I know it's very basic, but have you...
tried Yahoo Geocities? I have an 'information only' site I made myself, and I think it's about $10 per month.
The basic 4s are so much different
than your clinic work. When starting in MTing I thought it would be a breeze. It took me a full year to get up to the expected number of lines per day. The lines they are asking for in order for you to go home, in fact, is probably less than most require in this field. I always transcribed over 2000 lines per day and now with voice recognition and straight it is over 3000. That is the world of transcription. I think their count is lenient myself. Transcription work is not easy as you are learning.
What is the basic
equipment and software that one should have before working as an IC? I currently work full time (supposedly) for a hospital and would like to supplement my income but am afraid of not having the right equipment to start. Also, can anyone suggest a good company? Thanks!!!
Basic 4
The 'Basic 4' work 'types' we speak of are: History and Physical Examinations, Consultations, Operative Reports (including Procedure Notes) and Discharge Summaries (including Psychiatric reports).
Basic 4
What is meant by Basic 4 - NM
Basic four?
Well, imagine the dive my confience took as a new MT looking for work, when I started hearing the term "basic four" and had no clue what that meant. *sigh*

Enlighten me, please?
The basic 4s were around in the 70s
Heard it then, has nothing to do with the MTSOs because I never knew of companies existing before the early 2000s as I was only working inhouse at hospitals. If a person does not know what they are, then how do you suppose a person might be able to do, just wing it? This is a newbie asking the question, not a dumb question but just one that maybe she should know because if not, might hinder her in the ability to do a job.
C-phone used to call in to dictating systems to receive work. A special phone. nm
nm
A gross line is anything on a line is a line. A line set at 65 characters means it sm
has 1-inch margins on each side. The maximum number of characters on that line would be 65 and that includes spaces. If there is 1 character on that line it is a line.

A standard 65-character line usually consists of 65 characters with spaces unless, of course, the employer does not pay for spaces and then it would be 65-characters without spaces.
I had a lot of trouble with static in my C-phone. I replaced the phone cord and that made a big

difference.  Also, have you tried a different headset?  Also someone told me one time that there is a microphone under your volume control on the right corner of the C-phone.  It's a tiny hole.  If you break off a Q-tip and stick that into the hole that will squelch a lot of background noise and that worked as well.  As far as getting your C-phone service, I heard that Dictaphone is "sunsetting" C-phones at the end of this year.  Meaning, they aren't going to service them anymore as they are considered an obsolete technology.  So, I would contact Dictaphone and see what your options are.


I know very little about Lanier equipment.  I've not used it as extensively as Dictaphone.  Is there a local appliance repair place in your area?  You might ask one of those places to take a look at your equipment and see what they think.  Kinda scary, cause they could do more harm than good, but maybe worth a shot.


Not much help, I know.  But I thought I would share what tiny bit of obscure knowledge I do have. 


Basic 4 question

I am a bit confused... I thought that the basic 4 included (Op, DS, H&P, and ER) But I've read that it entails (Op, DS, H&P and Consults). Is this correct?  If so, how do  I go about finding ER work as an IC?  Thanks!


I used to make .10 cpl but have been bumped down to 9 cpl and with new platform just implemented, I have totalled it to be a 40% reduction in pay.  I'm  bummed...


Any advice?  


Basic equipment

I know I am of the "old school" but I think that you do need to have some basic equipment on hand when you are advertising to do transcription.  You don't have to have everything but a basic microcassette is not that much money.  Any account that I have gotten -- though it was years ago -- asked me what equipment I had and if I did not have what they needed --they searched elsewhere.  That is why I invested in my transcribers starting with the micro, then standard and then mini.  All accounts had me start within a week of talking with them.   Last year when I was thinking of expanding and had a couple of inquiries when they found out that I was not immediately set up to do digital -- though I told them I would buy the equipment and get set up -- did not hear back from them.  So I think you need the basics so that you are ready to go when they ask.  Since she has been working for a national already, she has her foot pedal and can do digital, just get a transcriber for the tapes --most of the smaller offices still go with the tapes.  But again, I am of the old school and have not looked for new clients for a while.  But I sure would not advertise or attempt to get accounts without the equipment and being ready to go at a minute's notice since they might use me for overflow and I could get my foot in the door.  A client does not like to hear,  I will be set up in a week for you or ten days.   Though they can say it, when they want your service and you are solicting for the business you had better be ready to do it.  Just me.


 


I would just keep it basic, without details. - sm
When I left my ex-employer, I had all kinds of grievances. But the bottom line is, they already knew each and every one of them, because I had already told management about them (in addition to the other MTs telling them the same things!) As an inhouse job, they also dud exit interviews. I skipped that, too. If there was something they didn't know about why I or anyone else that worked there was leaving, they could just figure it out for themselves.
Basic 4 report
Where could I see an example of a basic 4 report?  I've only typed SOAP notes.
While ER isn't one of the basic 4, I'd gladly
take ER reports any day over acute care. They're very repetitive & good lines.
I've changed them between an old phone and new phone, but the same company, i.e. Nextel.
x