A business softphone turns your computer or mobile into your phone extension, so you can work from anywhere. It is the foundation of remote work and distributed teams in Costa Rica.
What is a softphone
It is an app that replaces the physical phone: it makes and receives calls with your extension from the phone system, plus presence, chat and video. For the detail, read what is a softphone.
Work from anywhere
With a softphone, your team answers with the company number from the office, home or on the go. They do not need a desk phone or to be on the local network; internet and the app are enough.
What the TelHarbor app includes
- Calls: your business extension on desktop and mobile.
- Presence and chat: see who is available and chat with your team.
- Video: meetings and video calls.
- Security: VPN connection and protected communications.
Who it is for
For remote teams, call centers, sales and support, and any company that wants mobility without losing control. It integrates with your IP telephony and phone system.
How to start
The softphone is included in the TelHarbor IP-PBX system. Learn about the service in business softphone, see the plans or request a quote.
Getting the home setup right
A softphone behaves the same at home as in the office; what changes is the network. A short checklist solves 90 % of cases:
- A headset with a microphone. Non-negotiable. Laptop speakers and built-in mics create echo and background noise.
- 5 GHz Wi-Fi or a cable. The 2.4 GHz band is congested in any neighbourhood.
- Close to the router. Two walls in between explain more audio dropouts than any setting.
- No large downloads in parallel, or better, voice prioritisation on the router.
It is worth running a five-minute test call with each person before putting them in front of customers. Cheaper than discovering it on the first real call.
Supervising a team you cannot see
Every manager opening up remote work has the same honest worry: how do I know what is happening. With a communications platform you know better than you did in the office:
- Live presence: who is available, on a call, paused or offline.
- Queue status: how many calls are waiting and for how long.
- Per-agent reports: calls handled, talk time, pauses and occupancy.
- Recordings for quality review.
The practical advice: use that data to fix processes, not to police people. A dashboard used to scold stops reflecting reality very quickly, because people learn to game the number.
What to put in writing
- Hours and breaks: when they log in, when they mark a pause and for how long.
- What to do if home internet fails: who they tell and where their calls divert meanwhile.
- Equipment use and what happens when someone leaves: the device is revoked from the portal, not chased down.
- Confidentiality: customer calls are taken where third parties cannot overhear.
Hybrid: the same extension in both places
Most companies today are neither fully on-site nor fully remote, but both. That needs no tricks: the extension belongs to the person and registers at the same time on the office computer, the home one and the mobile. It rings on all of them, or in whatever order you define, and the caller never learns where the person is.
See the business softphone and the full platform in UCaaS.
Frequently asked questions
Can I use my extension from home?
Yes. The softphone works from the computer or mobile with internet, using your same business extension.
Does it include chat and video?
Yes. The TelHarbor app includes presence, chat and video, in addition to calls.
Is it secure?
Yes. The connection is protected by VPN and communications are encrypted.
Do I need a physical phone?
No. The softphone replaces the desk phone; you can use a headset on your computer or the mobile.
How much home internet does an agent need?
Very little: around 100 kbps each way. What matters is stability, not speed; a steady 5 Mbps link works better than a 100 Mbps one that drops.
How do I know the agent is working?
Live presence, queue status and per-agent reports. Use them to improve processes rather than to watch the person.
What if an agent loses internet?
Their extension shows as offline and the queue automatically stops sending them calls. You can also define a divert to their mobile.
Can they use a personal mobile?
Yes, with the app; calls go out with the company number, not theirs. And access is revoked from the portal whenever needed.