I test out RingCentral's new DigitalLine VoIP service

I've been using DigitalLine, a new VoIP service that integrated business telephony communications solutions provider RingCentral is introducing today.

My conversation yesterday with RingCentral CEO Vlad Shmunis clarified their position as differentiated from other services that route all your calls on all your numbers to one number. GrandCentral does this well, but is focused on the consumer segment. RingCentral provides a more SMB-related offering- with VoIP now integrated with landline and mobile in what essentially is a hosted PBX solution.

Aimed at SMBs with between 1 and 10 users, DigitalLine is also an alternative to lower-end Asterisk based solutions. RingCentral's view of Asterisk seems to parallel what I have been hearing lately- that even the most guided-steps, user-friendly flavors of Asterisk are not as plug-and-play as the vendors like to say they are.

I've been using RingCentral both as a Web-based and softphone interface. You say the Web-based UI at the top of this post. Here's the softphone:

Once installed, the functionality is highly intuitive. My only quibbles are related to set-up. There should be more of a steps-type installation protocol that addresses how to deploy various features. Want the softphone? Why not ask this question to new RingCentral users during the process in which they are configuring their account?

Also, on the Web-based interface, I find the term "RingOut" kind of a forced way to promote the "Ring" part of the RingCentral brand name. That terminology places more of a priority on cutesy branding association than a specific declaration of what clicking that icon will enable you to do.

How about a more plainly stated task instruction, such as "Make A Call?"

But as I say, those are just quibbles. Once you take RingCentral and its new DigitalLine feature out for a spin, you'll be impressed about how easy they are to run.

RingCentral is offering DigitalLine through three promotional plans. Here's their pricing: Basic - 4.99 per month—This plan uses customers' existing RingCentral plan minutes for inbound and outbound calling anywhere in the U.S. and Canada. Additional minutes are added at the set plan rate.

Standard - 9.99 per month—500 minutes of outbound local and long distance calling anywhere in the U.S. and Canada, additional minutes at 3.9¢ per minute.

Unlimited - 24.99 per month—This plan provides unlimited outbound local and long distance calling anywhere in the U.S. and Canada.

Now for the fine print: these introductory prices represent a 50 percent discount for the first six months of service.