Compare Top Rated Residential VoIP Phone Providers of 2021

There is no doubt that VoIP is the new hot commodity in the market and everyone wants it. This revolutionary technology not only has marked its place in the business world but it has also caught the attention of residential users. When looking for the right VoIP service provider for your home and business phones, you might find that while the technology is the same the experience is different. Most importantly the prices of residential VoIP services are quite easily understandable. However, VoIP businesses have a lot of categories and different pricing plans. This is because the residential phone systems are straightforward, whilst the needs of every business are different. 

FIND OUT HOW MUCH YOU CAN SAVE TODAY ON RESIDENTIAL VOIP Phone

Compare top Residential VoIP providers in the table below

PROVIDERSPLAN FEATURESRATE/MINTRIAL PERIODSETUP FEESMONTHLY FEESDETAILS
HOME PHONE SERVICE
  • checkmarkUnlimited USA and Canada calling
  • checkmarkFree hardware and activation
  • checkmarkMoney back guarantee, 30+ features
$6.25/mo. 1-year prepay equals $75.00/year
$0.0015 daysFree$ 6.25 /mo. *
MODERN LANDLINE SERVICE
  • checkmark100% USA-based customer support
  • checkmarkWorks during power outages & without internet
  • checkmarkUnlimited local and long distance
$0.0030 days$99.00$ 15.00 /mo. *
MODERN LANDLINE SERVICE
  • checkmark100% USA-based customer support
  • checkmarkWorks during power outages & without internet
  • checkmarkUnlimited local and long distance
$0.0030 daysFree$ 8.33 /mo. *

What is Residential VoIP?

Residential VoIP is an Internet-based voice service for your home.

Residential Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) is a telephone service that utilizes your home internet connection to route calls. Instead of using the traditional copper wires associated with a Plain Old Telephone System (POTS), VoIP converts your voice into data packets, sends them over the Internet, and reassembles them into high-quality audio on the other end.

With residential VoIP, you can even use your existing telephone to make and receive calls. Ask if your residential provider offers a Bring Your Own Device (BYOD). Then, all you need is an Analog Telephone Adapter (ATA) to connect your phone to the router, Ethernet hub, or switch to start making low-cost calls. Select providers will offer included equipment free of charge or allow you to rent it for a nominal fee.

What-is-Residential-VoIP

A big advantage to choosing a residential VoIP system is its ease of use. Most residential providers offer plug-and-play systems that can be setup within minutes. Additionally, these residential service providers offer support in the form of phone, chat, and online knowledgebases so that you have access to all information and multiple troubleshooting options.

Prices and features

Run a speed test to see if your broadband connection is qualified for a residential VoIP service.

Usually, a VoIP residential VoIP phone service has the same forty class five soft switch features. VoIP Residential service providers commonly have one or two telephone lines, one or two voice mailboxes, no extensions, one telephone number, one virtual extension or forwarding number and have unmetered or cheap minutes per month. Since the playing field is so level, every provider pretty much has a straightforward listing including low prices, features, and any other exclusive features if they have any.

Home-and-office-VoIP-overlap

Residential and Office VoIP Overlap

Residential VoIP phone needs an existing Internet connection and a VoIP-capable phone to properly function.

Small businesses usually overlap both VoIP categories. Several businesses simply want cheap minutes, while there are businesses that want a virtual PBX (Private Branch Exchange). For the former, VoIP service providers just allow businesses to employ the same plan as residential. However, the main difference in those cases is the ‘reasonable use policy’. Since businesses generally use more minutes than home users, so as long as the small businesses don’t operate call centres or use auto-diallers and strictly comply with the rules then they qualify as a small business. They get the same service and the price as a residential user. For the latter, providers like VoIP business offer a virtual PBX that heavily relies on virtual extensions and gives businesses VoIP phone services.

More solutions with business VoIP

The number of long distance calls you make will determine the type of residential VoIP calling plan you choose.

In addition to phones and minutes, business VoIP service providers offer a host of hardware and software solutions that are more advanced than what any residence would need. Other than automatic attendant VoIP business providers also offer SIP (Session Initiation Protocol) trunking, conference bridges, telepresence and much more. A lot of VoIP service providers offer a desktop app that integrates with other programs. Some providers also have call centre specific software which analyses call queues and help managers and supervisors to help their employees in delivering better customer experience.

More-solutions-with-business-VoIP

Business VoIP pricing

Most VoIP providers include unlimited long distance or charge low per-minute long distance rates.

Various business VoIP service providers have tiers of pricing which is similar to phone and PBX systems they want to replace. However, the technical functionalities of the service are not always the same as legacy phone systems. Traditionally, it used to be that one phone number and one phone line were the same. But a VoIP phone line can manage several calls simultaneously, which are called ‘channels’. The amount of phone calls that one telephone number can take is largely limited by the available bandwidth. This way any large business can make more than a a hundred calls at the same time easily. In comparison, residential VoIP services have a maximum of three VoIP channels. Two concurrent calls, plus one inbound or on-hold call waiting. In business VoIP, all the inbound phone calls are routed as extensions of the main phone number, unless the business buys additional direct phone numbers. Another great feature of business VoIP is that all outbound calls or calls made with mobile apps have the identical caller ID as the main business number.

Like VoIP channels capacity, human capacity is not as simple as just adding more bandwidth. Hence, business VoIP providers offer features like call groups, call queue and automatic call back (ACB), at a premium. Of course, all such features wouldn’t be suitable for a home setting.

How Does Residential VoIP Route Long Distance Calls?

Save on residential long distance and international calling by routing your calls via your internet connection. VoIP uses the Internet to route your calls instead of using a traditional phone network.

The PSTN uses long distance carriers that charge you an exorbitant amount per call for placing long distance and international calls. But with VoIP, your calls are much cheaper because your VoIP provider uses your existing Internet connection to make and receive calls.

The major reason that residential long distance is cheaper with a VoIP provider is because the VoIP network aims to make calls as local as possible, and therefore, cheaper for you. To put it simply, your VoIP provider sends the call (converted it into data packets) over the Internet to the closest geographic network near the intended destination. So, every long distance call you make with VoIP is technically a local call. That’s why most VoIP providers include long distance calls with their service for no extra charge.

In addition, most VoIP service providers also provide very cheap international calls. This is because VoIP providers treat international calls the same as residential long distance: by routing the calls to a local network over the Internet. Each provider offers different per-minute rates for calls, and these differ depending on the country. Check with providers for their individual rates.