ORCA can arrange phone lines on every UK telephone exchange
from Aberdeen to York. Some numbers are even available which
offer free call forwarding to all major countries
worldwide. This means you can manage phone calls,
voice messages, and faxes which you receive every day completely
free of charge even if you live permanently abroad.
Regardless of whether you have a connection to the UK or
just want to create a virtual presence there the great plus
with the numbers which offer free forwarding is that you can
give your UK friends, clients and colleagues' just ONE phone
number to reach you on. All your phone calls, voice messages,
and faxes are then routed through this number – at
standard UK rates (National or Local depending on number or
location) to your callers.
- You can stay in touch by receiving your phone calls on
any phone within the UK or in over 80 other countries totally
free of charge if you opt for a non geographic number.
- Use your UK Number as a business number - choose how and
when you want to be contactable
- Avoid the problem of changing office, home or mobile phone
number - your UK Number will never change, and will direct
calls to you, no matter where you are.
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How
does it work?
If you live in one of over 80 countries, including the United
States, Australia and most of Europe, you can use a UK Non
Geographic Number to receive phone calls, voice messages,
and faxes from your UK-based colleagues, clients and customers
- at no cost to you. Even if your country is not on our list
of the 80 locations to which we can route calls free we can
usually offer you a UK 07** pseudo mobile number because these
can be routes to around 50 more countries including Nigeria,
the Middle East, Oceania etc.
The top 24 locations where we route UK numbers to with free
forwarding are listed below.
Australia |
Liechtenstein |
Austria |
Luxembourg |
Belgium |
Monaco |
Canada |
Netherlands |
Denmark |
New Zealand |
France |
Norway |
Germany |
Portugal |
Gibraltar |
Puerto Rico |
Hong Kong |
Spain |
Ireland |
Sweden |
Italy |
Switzerland |
Japan |
USA |
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Using
a UK Number as your Virtual Office in the UK
- A UK Number is the perfect solution if you want to create
a 'Virtual Office' in the UK. It will offer the following
benefits:
- Provide a number that can be used by colleagues, suppliers,
clients, customers etc.
- Establish a foothold in the UK or EU market at minimal
cost.
- Avoid the expense of opening an office in the UK
- Eliminate the need to pay for call handling by a third
party call centre although this is an option if preferred.
- Having your own number also avoids the need to have to
rely on a third party to act as your representative.
- When
your UK contacts call your UK Number they speak directly
to you and will not even know you are not in the UK.
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Where
can I forward my calls?
You can forward your calls to almost any phone number in
the UK, including Northern Ireland, with the exception of
certain premium rate numbers. You can also forward your calls
to numbers in North America, Australia, Germany and over thirty
countries, including most of Europe.
Below is the main list of countries which we can forward your
calls from all of the numbers which we offer although we have
lots of options to route calls to around eighty countries in
total. The locations below can be used with every type of pseudo
mobile 07** numbers.
Australia |
Liechtenstein |
Austria |
Luxembourg |
Belgium |
Monaco |
Canada |
Netherlands |
Denmark |
New Zealand |
France |
Norway |
Germany |
Portugal |
Gibraltar |
Puerto Rico |
Hong Kong |
Spain |
Ireland |
Sweden |
Italy |
Switzerland |
Japan |
USA |
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What's
the catch?
There is no catch and no hidden charges.
You simply pay the small initial setup fee of $99 / GBP50
/ EUR70 and we arrange the number same day and that’s
it. Nothing more to pay ever! The only requirement is that
the line receive an occasional call to ensure the computer
system detects it is still in use; one short call a month
is sufficient.
How
can ORCA and its associates provide this service free
of charge?
Because the UK phone company who supply
the numbers receive a small percentage of the rate your caller
pays to contact you in the same way as BT, Telstra or AT&T
earn money from every call you receive on their network.
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If
someone is in the UK and calls my UK Number from a mobile
phone what is the cost?
The cost of calling a UK Number from a mobile
phone varies depending on the mobile operator and calling
plan. You can check by asking your phone company to inform
you of there charges for calling National Rate 0870 or 0871
numbers and local rate 0844/0845 numbers. On average most
mobile phone companies charge 10p per minute national rate,
as opposed to BT's 8p per minute although some charge just
5p to 0844/5 numbers. It all hinges on the calling plan the
caller is subscribing to. Regardless of the calling plan it
is always cheaper than calling an overseas number direct.
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How
much does it cost to call a UK Number from a country
other than the UK?
The international operator that delivers the
call to the UK sets the cost of calling a UK number from abroad.
Typically, each country charges a different rate. The costs,
therefore, vary with different operators. To determine the
exact charges the caller will need to contact the international
operator they use to call your number to determine the cost.
In most countries the cost is quite low, a UK national rate
number from the US costs 10c per minute and using most discount
phone companies in Europe charge around the same.
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Can
international roaming charges be avoided using UK (07XX)
Pseudo Mobile Numbers?
Yes, this is the biggest advantage because it is possible
to avoid international roaming charges completely by using
a UK 07XX Number. This can be achieved by forwarding your
calls to either a fixed line phone in the country where you
are based or to your foreign mobile.
Always remember that roaming charges will
be incurred in the normal way if a UK 07XX number is forwarded
to a mobile while that mobile is outside its own country. The
only exception to this is one of our mobile SIM cards which
allow free roaming in over 80 countries. If you don’t
have a SIM card with free roaming this means that if you live
for example in Switzerland and divert your UK 07 XX number
to your Swiss mobile it will cost you nothing to receive calls
but if you cross the border into Germany the Swiss phone is
then roaming and charges would arise. The key is to have either
a mobile card for every country where you spend a lot of time
or a SIM card with free roaming and route your UK 07XX number
to that; this way it is 100% free. Rerouting is very fast and
easy by calling an automated system and entering the details
on your touchtone phone.
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UK Numbers
- Hints and Tips
- Promote your UK number in advertising
by informing your UK based customers that they can call
0844 586 9316 this is our number routing to Zurich. If
you are outside the UK call +44 870 068 8817. Try either
number and you can see how well they work.
- If you are going to be unable to get
to a phone we can link a unified massaging system to all
UK Numbers which will forward your messages and faxes as
e-mail attachments.
- Why not put your UK Number in your e-mail
signatures so that your clients know how to reach you low
cost.
- Use of a UK Number provides extra anonymity
and privacy.
- If you opt for a UK fax line, you can
choose to receive faxes as either TIF or PDF files this
removes the need for a fax machine to receive faxes.
- Need to use a separate number for
an advertising campaign? Call us and we can setup
a UK Number – it’s
the perfect way to manage the telephone response
from your campaigns. We can even program the system
to display the number the caller rings so you
know why they are phoning and the number they dialled.
- Are any of your friends moving
abroad in the near future? Set up a UK number and
contact them without paying international rates.
- Are you a foreign-based company with
a target market in the UK? Use your UK Number as your UK
'Virtual Office'.
- Are you going abroad? You can divert
your UK Number to a landline or local mobile phone to avoid
roaming costs on your mobile
- Do you have an office or agent abroad?
Why not setup a UK Number and contact them anytime without
paying international rates.
- The system is very simple to use and
no charges or rental applies once the number is connected.
- We are so certain that a UK number
will provide huge benefits to you and your business
that we will let you try it out for free with unlimited
use for 2 weeks. If you decide to buy the number after
this time, the cost is a once only charge of £50
/ $99 / €70.
If you decide it is not for you we simply disconnect
it and you owe nothing.
- I have outlined a few of the advantages
below
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The
advantages of a UK number abroad:
- Small once only connection charge
of £50 / $99
/ €70
- No call charges, ever! All calls are totally free of
charge
- Both fax and Normal phone numbers are available same
day
- No more voice mail your clients benefit from live answering
- Ringing tone continues until you answer
- No limits on use
- No annual fees or further charges, ever!
- Every number has a standard UK +44 code
- Your clients do not pay international rates on calls
- Connection within 8 hours
Your clients will not know you do not have a UK base if you
combine a UK number with a UK mailing address.
ORCA offer a full Refund within two weeks if you
find the number fails to meet your expectations. So far
we have not received one refund request so I guess that
says it all!
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USA AND CANADA
In the USA and Canada our list of mailing addresses and
phone facilities is so vast that we can fulfil virtually
any requirement you may have. Just name a city or town and it is 90%
sure we can obtain a line for you or set up a mailbox. Phone
numbers with worldwide forwarding or voicemail is available
in almost every Canadian or American location almost without
exception and can usually be connected the same day, in some
smaller towns they will need 48 hours notice but it is very
unusual because we have a vast range of companies to deal
with from AT&T, Bell and Sprint to Verizon and over 20
others. The cost of a live US or Canadian number is normally
US$395 / £195 / €250 per annum combined with an
address you need to allow around $500/£250/€315
extra. Over 90% of North American mail drops lie in a price
range between $600 - $800 (€375 - €500 or £300
- £400) per annum. A few locations are dearer but this
mainly applies if they feel they command a higher price
based on their exclusivity, examples include Rodeo Drive
and Sunset Boulevard in Los Angles, Malibu and Carmel in
California, Pennsylvania Ave in Washington and the Empire
State Building in New York.
Telephone and fax facilities do not vary much in price, mainly
because the major telecom companies set the prices and there
is not much to choose between them. Our goal is to get you
the maximum number of inclusive minutes each month which reduces
the overall cost.
SPECIAL OFFER: In a few locations we get regular special
offers, one example is two US numbers - 1 voicemail and 1 fax number - for
only $199 or £100 or €125 per annum.
Click here to contact us for more information
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Uses of Offshore Mailing Addresses
The uses of an offshore address are endless; they can be
used for normal day-to-day business applications, or just
to convey the impression that you live miles from where you
actually do - ideal if you are in a messy relationship! In
addition to receiving and forwarding mail, many of the people
who run our mailing address services are happy for you to
send them your letters, they then stick on the local stamps
and mail them back to your own country further enhancing
the impression you actually live there.
IMPORTANT NOTE: If you
send a letter from Europe to North America or the other way
round for your mailing address staff to mail back, don't use
European A4 paper from the US to Europe or US Quarto paper
in the other direction. In America the A4 equivalent is a different
size entirely, the exact dimensions are 8.5 x 11 inches this
is a bit wider and shorter than European A4. Using A4 when
it purports to have been sent from the US is an immediate giveaway.
If you live in a country which uses A4 and need a ream of US
paper a paper specialist will cut it to size from a ream of
A3, if the paper is watermarked choose an international type
e.g. Zeta Matt Post. Finally, the envelopes, if you can't get
foreign envelopes let us know, we can arrange for some envelopes
to be sent from a suitable country. Most importantly, remember
that if you live in Europe but want to appear to be in America
the envelope doesn't have to be American it just need to be
plain but if you can get the real thing it’s always
better to do so. Some US embassies can recommend a supplier
for your American stationary needs. If you have any doubts
about what paper to use go to Paper
Sizes Worldwide it is an excellent reference source.
One option, which
is very popular with our clients is to ask their mailing address service
to send them some local picture postcards, they then write the card and
send it back to be re-mailed to wherever they want it to go. This works
well, avoids the problems of getting hold of the correctly sized paper
and it's simple and very convincing. A more recent twist is finding a suitable
picture on the Internet, this is ideal if you have told everyone you live
in the Caribbean and you happen to have a local e-mail address, such as yourname@caribbeanweb.net once
you find a picture you like, maybe a picture of a beach
bar, save it and e-mail it to someone saying you took it yesterday to show
them the local bar! This is quick and works really well. I actually came
up with this idea when I forgot to take a picture in St Vincent of Mayreau
Beach for a friend who had honeymooned there in 1994. By the time I realised
I was back in Sydney. All I can say is thank god for the internet!
I went to Google.com searched Mayreau Beach and at http://www.doyleguides.com/files/Mayreau.jpg I
found the perfect picture, All I hope is he is not reading this!
Other uses of foreign
addresses are to receive bank statements and financial correspondence,
register local driving licences and vehicles, deflect debt
collectors, confuse ex partners and to receive parcels or
correspondence which you wish to collect when you are actually
there in person. I always make a point of maintaining a mailbox
at each of the three main places where I spend substantial
time each year and for the small cost it saves a lot of hassle
because I don’t have to worry if mail arrives before
I get there or after I leave.
- In some locations, you have the choice of street address
or a PO Box number, both have advantages and disadvantages. A street address
generally looks more prestigious, it is also better for receiving letters
and parcels from courier firms because often DHL, FedEx or UPS won’t
deliver to a PO Box and in most countries the Post Office itself will not
accept private courier deliveries even if the company are prepared to deliver
the item.
- It is possible to phone up a maildrop and check whether
a particular letter has been received. Sometimes the owner of the address
service will agree to open letters and bank cheques for you although they
would normally charge for the service. We can suggest several ways to separate
important mail such as cheques and payments from other enquires or circulars.
The key is to have cheques or important financial items sent to a department
such as "Accounts" at
your mailing address or marked for the attention of a particular name
so you can determine what items are there without the maildrop owner needing
to open the envelopes.
- Mail forwarding addresses will forward mail to wherever you want it to go
and don't mind changes of forwarding address. In some countries, the Post Office
will not forward outside the local area.
The Post Office in most countries, including the UK and USA will give out the
address behind a PO Box on request. A good mailing address is always highly confidential
and will not reveal your details unless they are served with a court order. All
address services, which we recommend, are either screened or checked by ourselves
or have been specially recommended by clients who have used them in the past.
NOTE: Be wary of maildrops which solicit
clients with words like "make debts disappear or avoid your creditors" these
people attract all sorts of fraudsters, drifters and scum bags, obviously the
last thing you want is to be connected to an address that is known to be used
by dregs and lowlife.
- Many mailing address operators offer supplementary services, such as receiving
faxes, taking phone calls, accepting hand delivered items from clients, opening
parcels and advising regarding the contents etc. These extra services can potentially
save a lot of stress and grief.
- Snoopers and private investigators generally see mailing
addresses as a 'dead end'. In addition if the address is set up with
security in mind, the mail drop operator will not be able to assist even if
they wanted to.
- Mailing addresses can be used as a safe keeping point, some provide a lockable
box, and all you need to do is put a locked pouch in the box with instructions
on it not to forward - assuming you use their forwarding services. The box
or pouch is ideal for keeping letters, documents, computer discs, flash drives
or anything you want to keep private. The lockable box or pouch is also ideal
for friends, spouses and business colleagues to have access to items they might
need in a certain town, examples include house or car keys, contact details,
a bit of spending money etc.
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When A Normal Mailing Address Is Not Enough!
Now we come to an area that is rather specialised and will not be required
by most clients. Nevertheless it needs looking at because it is a course
to take if you are worried that a standard confidential mailing address service
may not be secure enough for your requirements. If you are in this position,
we can set up a high security structure that is totally impregnable.
In the 20 years we have arranged this type of facility it has been our experience
that when clients - not involved in serious crime - have requested a
maximum security structure, not a single one has ever been penetrated. In one
case a client who designed and marketed software came under a concerted attack
from a huge US based competitor that was about to launch a similar product.
The competitor had deep pockets and is a well-known household name but they
did not even come close to getting through the network of addresses. Whilst
the outcome was positive in the end the entire operation was very protracted
and stressful to everyone involved; it required the services of ex police officers,
financial experts and us to spin the US firm in circles until they are
forced to give up.
Please Note: We arrange facilities to assist your business or
deal with adverse situations in your private life. We do not set them up to facilitate
crimes such as fraud.
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Typical Scenarios
Standard Security
A typical scenario would be that you need an address to receive personal
or business mail. You have no serious financial or personal problems and are
not trying to avoid anyone in particular; the address is required simply for
secure day-to-day processing of correspondence. We have found that many clients
who are regularly away from their home or office need a place that will hold
letters and packets safely; as a result, they often tend to require this type
of facility. A standard service can also be helpful to businesses by providing
an address in a town where it is desirable to have a presence. The final group
of clients who use this type of arrangement live abroad and need an address
- often with local phone facilities - for business or personal reasons such
as registering a vehicle, dealing with the tax authorities or voter registration.
Prices from £150 - £350 / $300 - $700 / €190 - 450 per annum.
Click here to contact us for more information
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Enhanced Security
Some clients require enhanced levels of security. Let's assume you are involved
in a relationship, which needs to be handled discreetly, or maybe you need
to receive business correspondence at arms length due to problems with competitors
or litigation. Another possibility could be that you need to introduce 'an
apparent competitor' into the market in which your company already operates.
Numerous scenarios exist which often require enhanced security, other possibilities
are avoidance of the press, keeping and ex wife or husband at arms length or
possibly you need to receive accounts and bills in total confidence.
Prices from £295 - £550 / $600 - $1100 / €375 - €690
Click here to contact us for more information
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Maximum Security
Maximum security is only required when private investigators, press, competitors
or anyone else who seeks to cause you serious problems is actively harassing
you and is clearly very determined to find you. Often clients need Maximum
security facilities because they have received threats or are suffering serious
financial problems. Other clients have included people who work in sensitive
areas and require maximum confidentiality due to constant snooping from multinational
competitors, or who require high levels of personal security due to stalking
or harassment.
Another possibility is maybe you wish to operate in an area of business where
you are well known, but were it discovered you were active you would suffer
serious problems, or maybe you wish to litigate but not to risk your opponent
retaliating in the run up to a court hearing. The possibilities are endless
and only a few clients need such extreme protection and it is important to assess
your needs correctly. As a general rule an impenetrable mailing address structure
with multiple layered addresses is normally accompanied by secure email and
communications facilities.
Setting up a maximum-security mailing system costs from £450 to £800
/ $900 - $1600 / €575 - €999 depending on the complexity of the situation.
If you have specific requirements please get in touch. We will make every
effort to help you to protect your business or personal affairs by setting
up the appropriate level of security. In addition we can provide the services
of a very discreet private investigator to determine your current level of
exposure if required.
Click here to contact us for more information
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MAILDROP FAQ
How does Mail Forwarding work?
Your post is received by the Mail Forwarding Service or Mail Drop who then
forward it to you unopened in a plain unmarked envelope or in some cases you
can ask them to open the mail and scan or fax it to you. You can change the
address where you receive your mail as and when required. Always confirm a
change of address in writing and ask them to confirm the instruction back to
you.
What is the difference between standard mailing addresses and a high
security structure?
A standard mailing address arrangement consist of just one address, as
opposed to a high security mailing structure which is layered with several
different addresses. To show you how this works lets assume you have a Mail
Drop address in Oslo, Norway and that they forward the mail to another Mail
Drop in Rome, who in turn send it to a Mail Drop in London or New York where
you have a key to collect the post 24 hours a day. This creates a very high
degree of security because not only would they need to penetrate security of
all three Mail Drops - very unlikely because one of them is almost certain
to tip you off - but they would have to sit for days waiting for you to collect
the mail. To penetrate a secure structure takes such a degree of effort it
just doesn't happen and the above is just an example, it can be made even more
secure by asking the final maildrop to scan and fax the correspondence this
way they are not even forwarding anything and you never need to collect the
mail either.
Does a high security mail structure delay my mail?
Unfortunately mail moving through three countries will slow things down
but if you use DHL or another courier it will only be a matter of a few days.
Using the other option of having mail faxed or scanned also speeds things up.
Can we send letters to the address operator and have them mail them
out so they are franked in the correct area?
Yes! This is what is commonly referred to as Re-mailing. It's best that
you send them in envelopes in which they are to be mailed; some mail drops
can provide you with a stock of envelopes and stamps if necessary.
Do I need an e-mail address?
Being able to communicate by e-mail makes everything much more convenient
and reduces cost by avoiding phone calls and faxes, although it is not obligatory
it certainly saves a lot of hassle. If you don't already have an e-mail address
we recommend Hushmail or Cotse who
have both proven very good over the last 10 years.
How many names can I use at the mailing address?
Business - You can normally use one or two individual’s names in
addition to your company name for the business; additional names,
e.g. other directors, are usually charged at 20% to 40% surcharge depending
on the Mail Drop operator. If mail carries the persons name and the company
name, you can generally use as many as you wish.
Personal - For individuals two people with the same surname are usually
entitled to use the service at no additional charge. Additional names are generally
charged at 20% to 40% surcharge depending on the Mail Drop operator.
What are the terms and conditions?
Terms and conditions vary; usually box rentals are paid six monthly or
yearly in advance. When the rental is for one year, renewal is made by paying
following years rent. If you require a facility for less than year please let
us know, we recommend a minimum of six months to save continual issues with
payments.
Do I get a Credit or refund if I cancel after a few months?
Credit or refunds are not normally given for partial year rentals
How much notice would I get if the service ended due to unforeseen
circumstances?
Cancellation of the agreement should ideally be given by either party in
writing with at least 1 months notice. This ensures that the right action is
taken to deal with any residual mail. Most maildrops will return it gone away
or shred it if you prefer.
Are some countries better than others?
Yes, if you are interested in pornographic books or DVD’s the Dutch
and Swedes are pretty relaxed, for privacy Switzerland, Canada and Japan are
good. Keep in mind that every country has its weakness, try setting up a Mail
Drop in Berlin selling Nazi memorabilia and the authorities will be on you
like a pack of dogs. It is crucial to select the Mail Drop carefully
to maximise the benefits. For day-to-day business purposes selling
normal products and services the only important consideration is usually
the speed of local postal services in getting mail to where it's needed and
the ancillary support services that are available such as scanning, phone
facilities and remailing. Remember your mailing address always creates an
impression in the minds of your clients. For example if you had a website
selling Yachting or Jet Ski accessories and a mailing address at the Marina
in Puerto Banus near Marbella in Spain it would look much more impressive
to your clients than an address in Clacton-on-sea in the UK. The same would
apply if you were selling American cars from an address in Malibu, California
or Surf Boards from Bondi Beach in Australia, just add a couple of local
phone numbers and everything looks perfect. I am sure you get the general
picture but in the end it all comes down to appearance and that means the
right Mail Drop in the right location.
If you need help selecting the right location feel free to give us a call
Click here to contact us for more information
