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How do you use GrandCentral?

I recently got into the GrandCentral (GC) beta as a means to consolidate phone numbers and use the convenience features. As I was updating my contact info in Mac's Address Book and on Plaxo I realized that I had trouble "letting go" of posting my other phone numbers.

One reason is people's understanding and their judgment of you and your phone number. If new (or existing) people with whom I maintain professional and personal relationships see I have one phone number, will they assume I work out of my basement or that I'm too cheap to buy a business line? Neither which is true.

I'd like my personal contacts to have my mobile number but at the same time, it's pointless if my GC number reaches me on the mobile. However, since my GC is also connected to my Truphone (VOIP on Nokia Symbian phones) and my SkypeIn it's a better way to reach me than giving out every phone number I have.

But suppose I decide that GC is not for me or they want to charge a fee that's more than I can pay. Do I send out a new alert to my contacts and revert to my "new" old numbers?

And there's the phone number I'm calling from. Although my GC is a single number it stands to reason I might call someone from SkypeOut, my mobile, or my Truphone number (all different area codes and not blocked) and if they're accustomed to looking at their Caller ID they might not realize it's me and send the call to voice mail, delaying (potentially) important communication. GC allows me to calling from my Inbox, using my GC number, but this may not always be available or feasible.

For business contacts I'm giving them my GC and toll-free phone number. For personal contacts I'm giving them my GC and mobile number; should I go with just my GC number or leave that fallback?

What would you do if your situation is similar to mine?

ebrodeur's picture

House phone replacement

@jbohlinger,

Good idea regarding a house phone replacement. That's one of my wife's gripes when I decided not to renew a land line when we moved.

 
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