VoIP Versus Landline: A Detailed Comparison

In spite of their long-term presence and comfortable familiarity, traditional landline telephone networks are on the brink of being phased out, mostly due to the tremendous growth of the VoIP industry. It is no surprise that telephone networks have undergone rapid and significant changes in the past few decades. 

Technology has outperformed our expectations in every area, from analog phone systems to digital systems to circuit switching to packet switching systems and everything in between.

In this guide, you will gain an understanding of the fundamental distinctions between VoIP and traditional landline lines for companies.  We will also cover the prices associated with each, and give you points to help you decide which one is the best fit for your needs. Continue reading to learn more about why we choose VoIP over landline phones, as well as the fundamental distinctions between the two.

Is VoIP the same as landlines?

What Is VoIP?

VoIP is a kind of telephony that communicates via the use of an internet connection rather than a traditional landline phone connection. A landline sends soundwaves through fiber optic cables or copper wire using coded pulses of electricity; VoIP transmits calls over the same lines that provide an internet connection. 

The sound waves are transformed into digital data, which is subsequently sent to the receiver by the transmitter. 

In addition to selling your firm the hardware necessary to host the online system locally, VoIP companies also provide the option of selling your organization an IP-PBX. A third option is for the provider to put all of their infrastructure in the cloud.

In all cases VoIP eliminates a company’s dependency on physical telephone lines, making it simple and inexpensive to increase the number of phones to accommodate a rising workforce.

What Is A Landline? 

An Internet connection is made possible by landline telephone service, which is sometimes referred to as a fixed line, hard-line, or wireline. Landline telephone service enables individuals to communicate across great distances and connect to the Internet. 

It is a fixed-line telephone system that is generally used in households, small businesses, and local offices to communicate. A landline phone must be linked to a telephone line to function. 

Telephone conversations are sent through radio waves and metal or optical fiber cables, rather than the air. A landline phone service is distinguished from a mobile phone service because it is connected to a telecommunications network through a physical line. 

When using a landline telephone, the caller’s speech is converted into electrical impulses, which may then be sent to other places. Each telephone is recognized by its exchange number, which in turn specifies the direction the signal will travel when it leaves the phone system. At the receiver’s end, the electrical impulses are converted back to audible tones.

Further reading: How To Set Up A Customer Service Process Flow That Delights Your Ideal Customers 

Is VoIP better than a landline?

Should you choose a traditional landline phone system or a voice-over-internet-protocol (VoIP) service? 

Because VoIP provides more extensive call management tools than traditional landlines, the VoIP versus landline argument seems to have a clear victor. 

Nonetheless, there are certain situations in which a corporate landline may be preferred.

Legacy phone systems are preferable for businesses with on-site staff that is situated in a rural location with slower internet connections or frequent power outages.

When it comes to engaging with workers and customers, VoIP is the better option for firms with mobile teams that want enhanced functionality.

VoIP technology enables businesses to make and receive calls by using the Internet.  This mode of connection removes the need for extra gear.  Workers don’t need a computer, laptop, or mobile phone to make use of their business phone system.

Why should you choose a VoIP phone system over a traditional phone system?

One of the most significant advantages of VoIP is that it is less expensive. Because VoIP phone systems utilize the internet rather than copper wires and telephone lines, the cost is lower and requires fewer tools to operate. 

It is not necessary to purchase a new system or extra hardware components for VoIP phone systems because existing systems are utilized. One of the most significant advantages of VoIP over the traditional telephone is that you just pay for the number of users you have each month. 

And whether you are the owner of a major commercial organization, a small business, or operate from home, clear and consistent communication is essential. A single missed or lost call might be the difference between sealing a transaction and having prospective and existing consumers go elsewhere for their next purchase.

As a result of the requirement for dependable communication, organizations of all sizes and across all sectors are turning to VoIP, a communication method that is recognized for its dependability, flexibility, scalability, and productivity.

Read up on the parts of call flow here!

What are the benefits of VoIP phone systems?

As the world continues to digitize, VoIP technologies are becoming ever more popular among the overall public. They provide important advantages such as cheaper prices, higher dependability, and improved sound quality. 

However, VoIP systems are not suitable for everyone, particularly for people who have inconsistent internet connections or for enterprises that demand a large number of telephone services.

1. Lower Costs

The key advantage and attraction of using a VoIP system is the cheap cost. Rather than being paid for call minutes or additional phone service, you will only be billed for internet access since the calls are made over the internet. 

With traditional phone systems, a system with several lines might be prohibitively costly, and extra features like call transferring and queuing can add to the overall cost of ownership. Because international calls using a VoIP app are sometimes free, VoIP is a cost-effective choice for long-distance communication.

2. Connection Anywhere

When compared to conventional phone lines, VoIP systems have far more capability. The corporate world moves at breakneck speed, and many professionals must be accessible at all times and from any location. 

VoIP phone systems make this possible by routing phone calls to your VoIP-enabled phone on a predetermined schedule. Since the system uses the internet to make and receive phone calls, communication is feasible from any place where you have an internet connection.

3. Sound Quality

The sound quality of VoIP is often better than that of analog phone lines.  However, the quality is dependent on your internet connection. A sluggish connection might have a detrimental impact on the quality of your conversation; a robust connection will often result in clear, consistent sound quality throughout your call.

4. Enhanced Functionalities

VoIP systems, as opposed to traditional landlines, tend to provide more functionality by enabling customers to conduct video conversations and send multimedia messages. Add-on services like voicemail, call analytics, anonymous call rejection, and voicemail-to-text transcription are often included with telephone systems.

5. Technology

Modern communication is carried out through digital lines, and VoIP digitizes voice conversations. As a result, it is compatible with the most recent technology. 

VoIP may be used with the most up-to-date headsets, cellphones, computer accessories, and other devices. 

6. Reliability

VoIP’s digital nature ensures that it is a very dependable mode of communication as long as you have a robust internet connection. Information exchanges using the Internet Protocol (IP) are routed over some of the most dependable infrastructure available in the world. When this infrastructure is used to enable voice calls, it increases the overall dependability of the process.

Learn more about how VoLTE works here!

What are the disadvantages of VoIP phones?

Emergency Calls

One of the biggest disadvantages of VoIP systems is that they are not guaranteed to handle emergency call services, such as dialing 911 in an emergency. This is primarily due to the flexibility of VoIP.  Each call from a conventional landline may be traced back to a certain geographic location.  VoIP (as well as mobile phones) can be used anywhere without being attached to a specific physical location.

As a result, VoIP service providers must have Enhanced 911 functionality activated. Customers who use E911 may provide a physical address that will appear when they call 911 from their phones. 

VoIP and the public telephone system are direct rivals, so VoIP providers must collaborate with the traditional phone companies that control access to the public telephone system, as well as with 911 operators, to maintain their competitive advantage.

This can be a difficult task because VoIP and the public telephone system are in direct competition. To determine if a VoIP provider automatically provides 911 service, whether it must be engaged, or whether it is not supported at all, the best method is to contact the provider and inquire.

Internet Dependence 

Because VoIP systems are completely reliant on the internet, the second main disadvantage is that you must have a strong and dependable internet connection to have an excellent sound quality and prevent lost conversations.

Security

The amount of security provided by the internet connection determines the level of security provided by the line. As a result, VoIP connections are more vulnerable to remote hacking than landlines, especially if the network security is not configured to be as robust as it should be.

Problems with the Software

The quality and dependability of communications may be degraded if an unstable operating system or VoIP is employed to host calls.

Low-Bandwidth Connections

Businesses without a high-speed connection, as well as those in more rural places, may be unable to provide high-quality VoIP service due to a lack of adequate connection speed.

See the reasons why call flow is important here.

Can a landline call a VoIP phone?

VoIP numbers are similar in appearance and behavior to normal telephone numbers. The majority of the time, all you have to do is call the number from a landline device or even a mobile phone, just as you would with a conventional phone number.

Something to bear in mind while using VoIP numbers is that concerns such as country codes and area codes are not very important. VoIP numbers may be allocated to anybody, anywhere, regardless of where they are physically located at the time of assignment. It is common for businesses to have many phone numbers in different locations so that consumers may call them without paying long-distance expenses.

It is simple to call over the internet when making a VoIP call.  It is also possible to call over the internet when making a VoIP call on a landline. 

To make an international call on a landline while using a VoIP phone you only need an adapter that connects to either your phone wall socket or your router.

Check out how to connect the phone to ethernet here!

Can I use a regular phone for VoIP?

VoIP allows you to route and transfer calls to and from any device.  You can make and answer calls from any device, even traditional landline phones, using VoIP.

When making a phone call, you must typically have a physical connection between your computer and your landline phone. This is because your phone makes use of the telephone connection to connect you to your intended location. 

However, VoIP eliminates this problem by altering all of the probabilities of restrictions. With VoIP technology, you can effortlessly make and receive calls on your landline phone without having to worry about being restricted to a certain place. 

There is no need to go through the trouble of using your traditional phone.  No charges are associated with the call, as is the case with most traditional phone lines. Simply follow the instructions that have been laid out for you.

Discover the Automated Answering Services: How Do They Work?

Why You Might Want Landlines

Landline phones are the most appropriate choice for small businesses that do not intend to grow their staff base. A static staff count eliminates the need for the high expense of new physical lines to be installed in the future. 

Landlines are also a good match for an area with no dependable internet connectivity, a possible drawback when converting to a VoIP system dependent on that connection.

Why You Might Want VoIP

VoIP phones are suitable for a larger variety of businesses.  The cheap upfront costs and great flexibility of cloud-based VoIP make this form ideal for small and medium-sized organizations.  Large enterprises may opt for an on-site VoIP system installation. 

Expanding companies will benefit from a VoIP arrangement, provided that they also have a reliable internet connection. In the vast majority of circumstances, VoIP should be given preference over traditional landlines

Find out more about Automatic Call Distribution (ACD): What is it? How Does it Work?

Summary

VoIP is a very flexible alternative to traditional telephony that is also extremely user-friendly. It is simple to adopt because consumers can make a seamless transition from more traditional communications with which they are already familiar to the digitally linked world of VoIP.

VoIP and landlines are capable of meeting your company’s phone call requirements, whether for customer sales or client support. They do, however, each have their own set of benefits and detractions. In comparison to landlines, VoIP is less costly and provides a greater variety of capabilities; landlines are easier to maintain than VoIP systems.

It is a contrast between new technology and old technology when it comes to VoIP versus landline phones. Telephone service is rapidly becoming entirely digital.  The move is akin to the way the majority of us have transitioned from typewriters in favor of computers.

Small businesses that choose to take advantage of the numerous advantages that VoIP offers over traditional landline phone service will find themselves saving money, providing better communication options to customers and employees, and positioning themselves to take advantage of new digital VoIP products and services as the technology matures and improves over time.