VoIP vs Landline: What’s the Difference?

VoIP vs Landline: What’s the Difference? - Comwave
Calender Icon Feb 15 2022

Is the telephone the best way to reach you? Despite the growth of mobile and the internet, sometimes, there’s nothing like talking on the phone and hearing someone’s voice. But over the years, more and more Canadians are foregoing home phones in favour of smartphones as landlines become a legacy tech.

However you feel about the classic landline telephone, there’s no denying the added security it provides: no matter when or where you’re calling from, there will always be that one reliable phone number for reaching the entire family. And with new technology like VoIP home phones, you can make calls with an all-new landline replacement: wireless calls over the internet, with the latest calling features, at a much lower cost than landlines.

Ditching the home phone? Think again. Find out about VoIP vs. landline for home phones, and see how VoIP keeps you talking on the phone reliably, and for less.

The Basics: VoIP vs. Landline for Homes

What are landlines?

Do you remember what a landline is? While most millennials (and their parents and grandparents) have used one, it’s become quite a relic for lots of Gen Z’s who grew up on mobile.

Simply, landlines are wired phones. These use twisted copper wires and plug into a two- or four-pin wall jack. From there, the phone sends signals through a series of exchanges to connect to another phone, allowing you to talk to someone “on the other end of the line”.

Because landlines are wired analog connections, there are only so many features that can be added to the classic telephone. The most modern landline home phones can get is with the addition of caller ID, call waiting, voicemail, and call blocking.

What is VoIP?

Voice Over Internet Protocol, or VoIP, is the newest calling technology that replaces traditional landlines. In a nutshell, VoIP phones make and receive calls over the internet, rather than through wired connections.

The biggest advantage of VoIP phones is their digital connectivity. They use the same internet connection that already powers your home to convert calls into digital signals. This means, with high-speed internet at home, you can count on VoIP phones to always ring and make crystal-clear calls. Plus, VoIP phones come with advanced call management features like call recording and call flipping, so you never miss a call.

VoIP vs. Landline: Which is the better home phone?

Now that we’ve covered the basics of VoIP and landline, it’s time to find out which makes a better home phone. Check out this point-by-point comparison of the calling features you count on, and see how each one stacks up for talking on the phone and staying connected 24/7, crystal-clear:

Cost and Value for Money

Off the bat, VoIP phone service costs anywhere from 40% to 80% less than traditional landline service. Meanwhile, VoIP phone plans start at just $9.95 a month, with unlimited local calling. Now, you can get reliable phone service at home for under $10, making it easier and more affordable than ever to talk on the phone and stay connected.

Advanced Call Management Features

VoIP is definitely the clear winner when comparing VoIP vs. landline home phone features. While some landline services have evolved to offer basic call features like caller ID, call waiting, and voicemail using answering machines, they’re still no match for what VoIP phones can do.

With a VoIP phone service, you can do more than just make and receive calls: you can control how you’re making calls, answering the phone, and even recording important information from each call. VoIP phones come with advanced features like call forwarding, call recording, and call flipping (transferring an ongoing call to your smartphone or desktop, and vice-versa). These features make VoIP home phones incredibly efficient, and the choice of businesses, too.

Call Quality and Reliability

One of the biggest reasons why landlines are still around is because they’ve been extremely reliable through the decades. Their wired connection means they’ll always run as long as phone lines do, even when there’s no power. This also makes landline calls incredibly clear—no sounding “choppy” or other distortions.

But this doesn’t mean VoIP phones can’t compete. While slow internet speeds and poor connection can impact VoIP calls, having unlimited high-speed internet from a reliable provider means you’ll never miss a call, and that each call will sound crystal-clear. All you need is a reliable internet service provider that offers both the fastest internet speeds and a VoIP home phone service, so you’re always reachable.

Emergency Services: Calling 911 with VoIP Home Phones

It’s a common misconception that you can’t call 911 and reach emergency services on a VoIP phone—and it’s one of the reasons why people still debate VoIP vs. landline for their homes. So, let’s set the record straight: you absolutely can call 911 on your VoIP home phone. It’s only slightly different in how dispatch is handled.

Before, older VoIP phones didn’t support emergency calls because these numbers aren’t tied to a specific location. This made it difficult for 911 dispatchers to send emergency responders to the right location. But today, VoIP phones do come with E911 calling.

With E911—or Enhanced 911 Service—the key thing to remember is, it still works the same, and emergency responders will be at your home. The difference is, your call gets routed to a national emergency call centre. Then, the operator will confirm your location to transfer your call to the nearest emergency response centre to your home.

You may need to confirm your address and provide a callback number to ensure that emergency response is coordinated. So while it’s true that calling 911 is more straightforward on a landline, you still get the same results with a VoIP phone, plus all the call features you count on.

Get Your VoIP Home Phone from Comwave

Need a home phone you can trust? Skip the traditional landline, and do more with every call. With Comwave’s VoIP home phone service, you get unlimited calls—that’s hours of talking on the phone and staying connected with everyone you love. Never miss a call, thanks to advanced call management features, and hear everything with excellent sound quality, 24/7.

Find your perfect VoIP home phone with Comwave internet today. Discover the ultimate power of unlimited high-speed internet from Comwave, now powering crystal-clear call quality 24/7.

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