VoIP home phone service creates a fully functioning home phone system with advanced calling features at a lower price than a traditional home telephone system.
A VoIP telephone system also offers you more features than the traditional phone company. Here are some of the advantages of a VoIP home telephone.
Many VoIP services, such as Phone Power, offer a complimentary second line in your home phone system package.
With your VoIP home telephone service, you receive an adapter that will allow you to plug in two separate phones. This lets two users in the same home simultaneously use the telephone. The two lines are separated as extensions on one number or as two separate phone numbers.
The two-line home telephone service option is great for homes that want to call multiple people at once; the downside is that these are separate lines: you cannot pick up a handset on the second line and join the call on the first line. The only way to talk to one person on two different phones is to set up a 3-way call.
Fortunately, almost every VoIP provider offers 3-way calling, so you’re okay there.
Softphone as part of a VoIP home phone system
Some VoIP providers include an optional softphone as part of a home phone system.
A softphone is a software application that you can download to your computer; it allows you to make phone calls directly from your computer if you have speakers and a microphone.
A softphone is a great way to use your home phone system when you need to work on something but also need to talk to someone on the phone (it might be useful if you call customer service, for example).
VoIP home telephone system powers all your phones
A VoIP home phone system can be used with all the phones in your home. The best choice to create a telephone system in your home is a wireless phone system. With a wireless home phone system setup, your cordless phones all connect to one “base” phone. That base plugs connects you to the home phone line that the VoIP provider can offer you. Basically, your able to swap out VoIP for your home phone line.
If your home uses wired phones, you can use a phone jack that comes with multiple jacks or you can use wireless phone jacks to extend your VoIP home phone system to all your wired phones.
VoIP phones for your home phone system
VoIP home phones can be purchased separately and used with your home phone system. A VoIP phone allows you to forgo an analog telephone adapter and connect directly to your broadband Internet connection. VoIP phones also typically come with far more available features compared to the traditional analog phones you might use with your home phone system.
Learn more about home phone service and how VoIP calls work by browsing our articles on those subjects.
What exactly is a VoIP call? First of all, VoIP is the service provider that attaches to your phone to the internet through a modem. With VoIP calls, you can use the VoIP service from a modem and connect it to your phone, using your internet cable at the same time ...
Home phone service allows you to use a house phone to call from your home to other businesses or residences.
There are many options and many different types of home phone service providers:
a traditional phone company just for home phone service
your local cable company, which probably offers home phone service as an add-on to your current plan
a residential voip service provider for your phone at home
But which type of phone service for home is best for you? The providers listed below are VoIP home phone service providers - the cutting edge and cheapest communications services on the market. We’ll explain the differences between the different types of home phone services below the table.
Home phone service through a standard, old-fashioned phone company is the most expensive option for households today. However, this kind of home phone service is the most reliable.
If you don’t bundle your home phone service with cable and Internet, you miss out on some savings on home phone service. Also, with traditional home phone service, you do not get free long distance calling.
You don’t save any money with standard home phone service. Basic home phone service with AT&T costs $23 per month and you only get unlimited local calling, caller ID and call waiting. You have to upgrade your plans to get extra features. If you want long distance calling, you can get it $40 a month (total; it’s a $17 add-on).
Home phone does has a distinct advantage: traditional home phone is a hardwired line, so you won’t lose service, even in a power outage.
Home phone bundling
Many cable companies now offer home phone, TV and Internet service.
Bundling your home phone service with cable and Internet usually gets you a discount on all three services, helping you save some money. Continuing with the AT&T example, bundling the basic home phone service, “faster” Internet, and DirecTV Choice Xtra package, you save $60 on a set of services that would regularly cost $131.99.
The downside to home phone bundling is long distance and international calls are very expensive (just like with a traditional phone line). You are also limited to your local cable and phone service providers. This means that prices don’t change very often and you have fewer options if you receive unsatisfactory service.
Finally, bundled home phone services usually increase in cost after a certain introductory period. And you have to get all three services, even if you don’t have a computer or a television.
VoIP service provider
Internet-based home phone service is the best house phone option if you want to save money, get the most features, and use cutting-edge technology.
There are many Internet home phone providers out there, which gives you the flexibility to choose a plan and a company that suits your needs. Depending on what option you choose, you can have a month-to-month home phone plan, an annual flat rate plan, or a plan that includes international calling. There are also some usage-based residential plans, but flat rate plans are more common.
Home phone service through VoIP operates with your existing Internet connection. And because the entire VoIP service works through the Internet, most providers offer unlimited local and long distance calling right from your home phone (literally, they do not have to make any long distance calls).
VoIP service providers can save you up to 80% off a standard home phone line; for example, VoIP provider ViaTalk offers rates starting at $16.95 a month for nationwide calling and 60 free minutes for international calling. After that, international calling rates are heavily discounted: to most countries, the per minute rate is often less than a nickel.
The downside to using VoIP for home phone service, of course, is that you do need a steady and reliable Internet connection. If your Internet connection dies for any reason, so does your home phone - unless you’re with one of the many providers (such as Phone Power) that forwards your calls to a predetermined number in the event of an outage.
Comparing Different Types of Home Phone Service
Traditional Phone Service (AT&T)
Home Phone Service Bundling (plus cable, Internet)
VoIP Phone Service (ViaTalk)
Reliability
Excellent
Excellent
Usually excellent; depends on your Internet connection
