Can I cut my cords for VoIP?

iiNet broadband hardware

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In unstable economic times, practically everyone is keen to trim costs wherever possible, and one service that frequently pops up for evaluation is phone service. Reliable and extremely inexpensive, VoIP, or Internet phone service, has had a similar effect on cell phone usage as cell phone usage had on landlines at the very beginning of the revolution. As a result, more consumers than ever are wondering if paying for other types of voice service still makes sense.

Landline

Landlines are the easiest devices to replace with a VoIP service, as they allow you to use the same handsets and even the same phone number in many cases. VoIP works best over high speed Internet connections, and broadband providers even offer their own VoIP services to help their customers take advantage of this new utility. For best results you’ll need a dedicated router, and you can find VoIP modem routers at iiNet to help you get the most from adding VoIP to your communication options.

Of course, the drawback to replacing a landline with a VoIP setup is that VoIP relies on the Internet as well as the electricity that powers devices connected to it, and so VoIP is highly susceptible to a power outage. Another potential issue is emergency calls, as calls to emergency services using landlines are tracked to share your location to the response center. Calls with VoIP do not automatically provide emergency services with your location, although you can enroll in Voluntary Emergency Services through your VoIP provider to share your home address with emergency dispatch when a call is made.

Mobile Phones

Making the switch to VoIP from a mobile device is more complicated, but still feasible as VoIP apps are commonly available in the app markets of the most popular operating systems such as Android and iOS. You will need a reliable high speed data connection to use VoIP with a mobile device, and while you may only require a minimal voice plan or may be able to skip one entirely to save on expensive bundling plans, your connection is still entirely dependent on your mobile network.

VoIP offers more than adequate call quality at an unbeatable value, making it an excellent choice to limit a voice budget. Although completely replacing all your phones with a VoIP plan isn’t a perfect solution yet, and it may be advisable to keep an inexpensive prepaid phone for emergencies, it’s very easy to lower your dependence on landlines and cell phone service providers with the right service.