Deciding between a fixed or non-fixed VoIP phone number to replace your landline or set up your business phone system may seem like a complicated decision. But it doesn’t have to be.
That’s why, in this blog post, we’re going to give a quick overview of the differences between fixed and non-fixed VoIP. By the end, you’ll know:
- The pros and cons of a fixed VoIP
- The pros and cons of a non-fixed VoIP
- Whether one is better than the other for your business
But before we get into those topics, let’s first make sure you understand what VoIP means.
What’s a VoIP Number?
A VoIP phone number is essentially a virtual number.
VoIP stands for voice-over-internet protocol. In contrast to traditional landline phones that rely on copper wires to connect your calls, VoIP technology converts your calls into digital signals and sends them over the internet.
If you’ve ever made a call over Skype, Whatsapp, Zoom, or Google Voice, then you’ve used VoIP technology. But what kind? There are two possibilities: fixed or non-fixed.
What’s a Fixed VoIP Phone Number?
A fixed VoIP number requires a physical address. So, although it’s an internet-based number and can be used to make calls on portable devices like a smartphone or tablet, it’s similar to a landline number.
This feature makes it preferable for local businesses and large corporations with a phone number that consumers already recognize and frequently contact.
The pros for fixed VoIP phone numbers include:
- Consistency: You can easily transfer your business’s landline number to a fixed VoIP number, maintaining consumer trust and awareness by having a local number.
- Security: Hackers and scammers can’t sign up for fixed VoIP numbers without a fixed physical location. As a result, consumers are less likely to treat fixed VoIP numbers like spam calls to ignore or block.
- Safety: With an attached physical address, a fixed-VoIP number is still traceable in the case of an emergency that involves calling 911.
On the other hand, the cons for fixed VoIP phone numbers are:
- Higher costs: Providers of fixed VoIP numbers typically require monthly subscriptions and calls, particularly international calls, will be more expensive
- Less flexibility: Multi-location companies may want to have a VoIP phone number that allows them to make calls in another city or country while still showing a local area code to consumers. Since a fixed VoIP number is attached to a physical location, this isn’t possible.
- Inconsistent customer support: For customers of some fixed VoIP providers, there are options to speak directly to technical support representatives. But for many others, your customer support options may be limited to things like live-chats, forums, articles, and FAQs.
What’s a Non-Fixed VoIP Phone Number?
As you can probably guess, a non-fixed VoIP is just the opposite. No physical address is required to get a non-fixed VoIP phone number. Sometimes, you don’t even need to pay for it.
So, if you guessed that Skype, Whatsapp, Zoom, and Google Voice give you a non-fixed VoIP phone number, you were right.
The pros for non-fixed VoIP phone numbers include:
- Easy to get: You can easily and quickly get a non-fixed VoIP number through free apps that anyone can download
- Flexibility: A non-fixed number can have the area code of any geographical location you like, meaning you can provide customers in distant locations with a local number to contact your business.
- Low costs: These services are usually free or charge low fees to make calls on an as-needed basis
On the other hand, the cons for non-fixed VoIP phone numbers include:
- Inconsistency: Although you can choose any number you’d like with non-fixed VoIP, customers of non-fixed VoIP services frequently complain of caller ID problems that can leave you frustrated and your customers confused.
- Security: Hackers and scammers can easily use non-fixed numbers, resulting in less trust among consumers when these numbers pop up on their caller ID.
- Less safe: In an incident where 911 emergency services need to trace your physical address, non-fixed VoIP numbers are of no help.
- Little customer support: Most non-fixed VoIP providers offer little to no customer support beyond forums, chatbots, and FAQs.
Which One Is Best for Businesses?
So, which one — fixed VoIP or non-fixed VoIP — is better for your business as you prepare to ditch your landline? As we’ve seen, there are pro’s and con’s to both.
But you should know those aren’t your only options. You can set up your business phone system or even keep your pre-existing business landline number using technology you and your team already know how to use well: a cell phone.
In fact, both of these services are exactly what we offer here at Community Phone. With our business phone system service, we set up your business phone system so that all you and your employees need to do is call out from your cell phones. With our landline transferring service, we help businesses and individuals keep their landline number while cutting the cord on their old provider and going mobile.
A Better Option
By not using a web-based interface, there is no learning curve with Community Phone. Your employees will be able to dial out from your business number on their phones from anywhere, just like they would place any call. Your customers won’t even know the difference.
With 100% US-Based customer support, Community Phone is also available to take your questions over phone, email, or live-chat.
Our phone plans are available at equal or lower prices than most VoIP providers and don’t require expensive internet connections (an unfortunate must-have for any VoIP technology to function well).
If you want to know more about our service, call our Business Division at (617)-466-6705, visit our business page, or fill out the form below.
