VoIP vs. Landline Phone Service

At Kosciusko Connect, we’re proud to offer VoIP services to keep you connected. But if you’ve never used VoIP before, you may be wondering what it is and how it differs from a traditional landline phone. We hope this article answers your questions and helps you make an educated decision for your telephone needs!

Defining VoIP and POTS

VoIP stands for “voice over internet protocol” (or voice over IP). It’s a method that uses certain technologies to deliver communications over IP networks. In layman’s terms, VoIP allows you to send and receive phone calls via the internet.

Unlike traditional telephone systems (sometimes called Plain Old Telephone Systems, or POTS), VoIP doesn’t use twisted-pair copper wire to transmit signals. Instead, these phones are plugged directly into the ONT, allowing them to use the same fiber network that powers the rest of the internet-operated devices in your home. When you use VoIP, there’s no physical exchange of sound waves through wires as there would be when using POTS. However, dial tone is still used to communicate a line’s inability to connect.

In essence, VoIP is a phone line gone digital. Because it uses internet connectivity to operate, VoIP can offer innovative features that many customers make their daily communications more streamlined and productive.

Fantastic Features

VoIP gives customers unparalleled control over their operations. Some of the features you’ll get with VoIP can include:

• Automatic call forwarding. You don’t have to be at home to receive calls. VoIP can redirect calls to your Wi-Fi-enabled device, wherever you may be.
• Voicemail to email. Your VoIP system can create audio files out of the voicemails in your inbox and email them to you so you can access them on any device.
• Speed dial. You can pre-program speed dial for a more convenient connection to essential numbers.
• Anonymous call rejection and call block. With these features, you’ll have full control over who can reach your phone and who cannot.
• Do not disturb. You’ll be able to use do not disturb just like you do on your mobile phone so that you won’t receive calls when you don’t want to.
• Battery backup. If you experience a power outage in your home, our phone service’s backup battery power will allow you to make emergency phone calls. Make sure you’re prepared for emergencies with Kosciusko Connect’s battery backup for VoIP, at $5.95/month for an 8-hour initial standby battery or $8.95/month for a 24-hour initial standby battery.

To learn more about the features we provide at Kosciusko Connect, visit this page.

Why Choose VoIP

In addition to providing useful features, VoIP is incredibly fast, and you can place and receive phone calls without any additional hardware. But perhaps the biggest draw of VoIP is its low cost. Because all calls are directed via the web, VoIP is a much more affordable telephone solution than a traditional landline—especially when you compare the cost of the extra features.

To run VoIP, all you need is Kosciusko Connect’s ONT and a wireless telephone. However, if you’re more comfortable with a traditional landline connection, you don’t have to give up your desk phone just yet. It’s easy to use a regular telephone and still receive all the benefits of a VoIP system while maintaining the familiarity of a landline system.

While many VoIP users choose it for business purposes, it can just as easily be used for residential calls. It is a perfect solution for those who regularly travel, people who are often away from home, or those who simply prefer the simplicity of internet calling.

To learn more about our VoIP service—and the strong, reliable internet service that powers it—visit our webpage or contact us at 574-269-0327. We’re here to serve you!

Further Reading:

How Does Fiber Internet Work?

What is the Difference Between Wi-Fi and Internet?

Five Signs You Need Better Internet