What is a VoIP Phone Number?

VoIP stands for voice over Internet protocol. They are real phone numbers that are operating via an internet connection.

One of the best parts about having a VoIP phone number is that it does not limit you to a particular desk where you can take calls. Instead, you can take and make calls from anywhere, anytime, using your VoIP number.

It allows you to call from anywhere using the app, whether you have a computer, mobile, laptop, or desk phone, and using the same number. The importance of VoIP is notable in modern-day business.

It allows you to make calls and messages and have conference calls conveniently and quickly. Let’s look at the in-depth details of what a VoIP phone number is, how it works, what its types are, and other relevant information so you can take the most benefit out of the technology.

What Is A VoIP Phone Number?

When it comes to business phone numbers, VoIP is something that is skyrocketing nowadays. It is an acronym that you must have heard and seen everywhere around in running businesses. Let’s start with what actually is a VoIP phone number and then look at the other relevant details about the term.

What Is It?

Voice Over Internet Protocol number is basically a virtual phone number that you can use like a regular phone to make conference calls and send SMS messages. You can make VoIP calls with any of the devices you have, but the only requirement that you must have to fulfill before making the VoIP calls is that you have an internet connection with you.

It can work on cell phones, softphones, computers, desk phones, and even laptops. Basically, it is a modern-day technology, and that is something essential and important for the modern business world. It makes making calls a go-to option, which ultimately makes it the favorite smart technology for many companies.

How Does VoIP Work?

VoIP (Voice Over Internet Protocol number) works by making calls over the internet, unlike the general phone service. In general phone service, we make calls via telephone companies, and when it comes to VoIP, we make calls using a broadband connection. This is as simple as that!

It helps you make calls, attend them, send messages, and have conference calls easily and effortlessly. This is one of the latest methods in which the connection is routed along the most perfect, flawless, and efficient path. Well, not only this, VoIP also helps in ensuring you can communicate via other forms of communication like text messages, chat, and conference calls.

Moreover, it is also possible for the business owner to get the VoIP phone number for the staff, making it effortless for those who work remotely. Let’s look at the details of the types of VoIP phone numbers and their relevant details regarding VoIP phone numbers.

Types Of VoIP Phone Numbers

The reason why VoIP phone numbers are famous and popular is because of their convenient usage and efficient performance. They only need a few minutes to set up and make it possible for people to make a call from anywhere at any time to anyone.

VoIP phone numbers offer you numerous choices from which you can select the type of number that can give you maximum ease and convenience while working. No doubt, with so many options, you get the choice of choosing the most compatible number, according to your need and business demand. There are basically three types of VoIP numbers:

1. Local Phone Number
2. Toll-Free Number
3. Vanity Phone Number

Local Phone Number

Local phone numbers, as the name suggests, are the numbers that initiate with area codes based on the location they are in. It can be a specific city, region, or state. These local VoIP phone numbers are the numbers that are best suitable for regional-based businesses or businesses in which the target audience is the local people.

One thing that you must have to keep in mind is that local VoIP phone numbers are highly important for those who want to make their presence dominant in a certain territory or some specific geographical region. This is also applicable even if the base location of the business or company is somewhere else.

Toll-Free Phone Number

Toll-free VoIP numbers are the numbers that you can go with if your target audience or customers are reluctant to pay charges when it comes to calling or contacting the customer service of your business. Keeping the needs of the audience and the satisfaction of customers in mind, it’s better to go with a toll-free phone number.

It basically boosts the confidence of customers to reach the customer service department of the company or business they want to contact without any hesitation or boundaries of spending money. Basically, when the customer contacts via a toll-free VoIP phone number, the business or the company covers the call cost.

Vanity Phone Number

Vanity phone numbers help you brand your business via phone numbers. These are basically the customized font numbers that can make your business look unique and different from others. Vanity phone numbers basically spell out acronyms, names, or words with the use of letters that are present on the keypad of the telephone, making it effortless, easy, and convenient for the customers to remember the number and dial.

VoIP Phones Vs. Landlines

Route

VoIP phone numbers and regular landline phone numbers are different from each other. One of the noticeable differences between both of these is the route they send calls through.

Landline or regular phones use traditional phone line setups to send calls from one spot to another. Alternatively, VoIP phone numbers go with the internet to connect calls and make and receive them.

Mobility

And then the major difference between both of these is that your regular landline phone number can work only with your mobile or landline. Alternatively, VoIP phone numbers can work on all the devices. They are mobile and are compatible to use with multiple internet-enabled devices, including mobile, smartphone, computer, and laptop.

Setup Time And Cost

Furthermore, VoIP numbers are comparatively effortless to set up. They are efficient and cost-effective as compared to general phone numbers that are difficult to set up and are quite expensive.

VoIP numbers are hosted externally. That means that you need minimum equipment and accessories to set up and maintain the whole system as compared to regular landline phone numbers, which depend upon the entire setup of wires and connections to work.

Locality

Landline and local telephones are often linked to fixed locations; they are tied to physical addresses, and you’re bound to use them in a particular area. Alternatively, when it comes to VoIP numbers, you can use them on variable devices easily and conveniently.

Features

Similarly, VoIP phone numbers provide you with rich features and make sure you can use several rich options, including call forwarding, call waiting, call recording, and voice mail to email options. Alternatively, local landline numbers only offer basic features and specifications that are also not really customizable.

Accessibility

Moreover, when it comes to accessibility, VoIP numbers can be accessed from anywhere at any time. Still, the only necessity is that the device you are using for the setup should be internet-enabled. Alternatively, the landline or general phone numbers are restricted to the geographical location; they are bound to certain physical areas and cannot be used beyond that.

Expansion Set-up

Furthermore, if you want to add more lines and connections, VoIP is easily scalable. With VoIP, you can easily add more lines without much complications. Alternatively, for expansion in general landline phone numbers, you have to make significant infrastructure changes and amendments.

Reliability

When we talk about reliability, VoIP is comparatively less reliable because it is susceptible to internet outages. There are more chances of problems in connections in VoIP as compared to landline or regular phone numbers, which are generally more reliable when it comes to connections.

How Do I Get a VoIP Number? Choose Your Personalized VoIP Number

No doubt, getting a VoIP number is an easy and quick process. The following information tells you about the step-by-step process to get a VoIP number for business.

Make sure to understand the procedure so you can get your number easily without any complications. The steps include:

1. Selecting the VoIP provider
2. Pick your VoIP number/port your existing number
3. Register the business details
4. Download the app
5. Configuration settings

Selecting The VoIP Provider

The first basic step of getting a VoIP number is to select the right VoIP provider. Whenever you buy something new, of course, you first look for the provider options you have.

Make sure to focus on these VoIP providers and make a list of them. Explore the choices you have and then finalize the one that you think will suit you the best according to your needs.

Moreover, every VoIP provider offers different features with different plans. You have to make sure that the one you have selected is the one that is perfect according to your requirements.

Pick Your VoIP Number/Port Your Existing Number

Now is the time to select the number. You will have several options to choose from. You can opt for a local number or a toll-free number to make sure that you can reach your customers nationwide.

Furthermore, if you want to put an existing number that you already have, make sure to inform the service provider about this. The providers have different installation procedures, but they can make your previous number your new VoIP number and can port the existing number into the VoIP number.

Register The Business Details

The next step is to register the information related to your business. You have to provide the provider with your company name, address details, contact information, and other relevant information.

Share your business information and make sure to provide the right information to avoid any mistakes. This information will help the VoIP providers to set up the service and to ensure that everything works efficiently and smoothly.

Download The App

The next step is to download the app. Sign up and then download the app on the device.

The device could either be your smartphone or computer or whatever you prefer. Simply download the app from the App Store and understand the app details that are provided to you by your VoIP provider.

Configuration Settings

Configuration settings are basically the customization settings. You can make settings in your VoIP setup by simply setting up the ringtone, voicemail, call forwarding, and other relevant features for your VoIP number. This customization basically makes the VoIP setup unique and helps you make your VoIP number only yours.

Why Should I Get A VoIP Number? Importance Of Virtual Phone Numbers

VoIP phone numbers are basically a powerful tool that can boost the popularity of your business and can be a great game changer for it. The VoIP numbers are not just numbers; they are the boosters of your business. Following are some of the major reasons and advantages that will encourage you to get a VoIP number.

1. Cost-effective solution for business
2. Amazing call quality
3. Synchronized communication with various devices

Cost-Effective Solution For Businesses

Basically, the VoIP numbers are dependent upon the internet connections and signals. They come with monthly service plans that ultimately make them affordable and budget-friendly. Moreover, since the setup is easy and does not involve the hustles of wires, cable connections, and other expensive hardware, it ultimately makes the VoIP setup effortless, inexpensive, and cost-effective.

Furthermore, you can also say that VoIP numbers are similar to the building blocks. For example, if you have an online store and you started your online store with a single VoIP number, but with time, your business has gained popularity and captured the attention of more customers, you will definitely need additional VoIP lines.

Right? 

For this, if you have VoIP numbers, unlike landline phone numbers, you can simply expand the setup to make it compatible with your communication needs. The whole structure will not cost you any major expense.

Amazing Call Quality

Using a VoIP number is advantageous not only when it comes to finance but also when it comes to delivering amazing call quality. VoIP numbers offer high voice quality when compared with landline telephone services. The VoIP setup uses codecs like G.711, G.722, and Opus to compress the voice data in order to make it ideal for transmission.

These codec ensures the transfer of the data and compresses it in high audio quality, ensuring it has low latency or simply no latency rate. Alternatively, when it comes to landline phone services, they usually get interruptions in their signals that ultimately affect the quality of the call.

Synchronized Communication With Various Devices

No doubt, one of the major advantages of having a VoIP phone number is that it can synchronize your communication across various diseases. It helps you communicate freely with the use of multiple internet-enabled devices.

You can use your VoIP phone number in laptop smartphones, computer systems, and other electronic devices that have internet connections. This makes it ideal for remote businesses.

Features You Can Get With VoIP Phone Number

Here is the detail about certain VoIP features that you will get with your VoIP numbers. Some of the most common features that are given to the users of VoIP service include;

1. Call forwarding
2. Voicemail to email
3. Auto attendant
4. Call recording
5. Number portability
6. Local and international numbers
7. Call analytics
8. Conference calling

Call Forwarding

Call forwarding is one of the basic features that you will get with your VoIP number. It can help you redirect the numbers of our devices, making it easier for you to attend the calls when you are not near to the basic setup.

Call forwarding is one of the beneficial features that also helps ensure that your call never gets missed, no matter what the situation is or whether you are available or not. You can redirect your calls and attend them at the spot where you are available.

Voicemail To Email

Moreover, you can also get the voicemail to email feature with a VoIP number. The feature transforms the voicemail messages into the emails so you can easily access them. These email attachments make it easier for the user to access the voicemail messages that you have received on your VoIP number.

Auto Attendant

In order to guide callers and help them, you can also create automated menus in these VoIP numbers. The automated responses to your callers help them in having a better experience with your business or your company.

Call Recording

This is another useful feature that you will get with a VoIP number. Call recording helps you in recording the important conversations that you don’t want to miss.

You can not only record the calls and important messages but also store them in the device as a file or for later usage. This will help you in future reference, compliance, and training.

Number Portability

The possibility of using the already existing phone number and switching it to VoIP is another beneficial feature that can help you in your business. This number portability feature saves you from the irrelevant or unnecessary fatigue of updating the contacts.

Local And International Numbers

With VoIP numbers, you can establish your business credibility on the basis of target location. You can target any site, whether national or international.

Call Analytics

If you get your VoIP number, you also get access to call analytics. They help you in making the right decisions on the basis of the data in the details of your call. Call analytics gives you valuable insights into your call patterns so you can make the right decisions.

Conference Calling

VoIP numbers also assist when you make and attend conference calls. You can create virtual discussions with multiple participants on calls that ultimately will help you in making the right decisions.

How To Protect Yourself From VoIP Fraud Attacks?

Following are some of the details and tips that can help you in protecting yourself from VoIP fraud attacks. These attacks are real and make it quite complicated and challenging to recognize the true callers and differentiate between the true and fake callers. Follow the tips mentioned below so you can minimize the identity theft crisis.

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• Always make sure that you are up to date when it comes to scams. Make sure to pay attention to every call without assuming that every call comes with good intentions.
• The next important thing that you have to keep in mind is to never give your confidential and private information on the phone unless and until you initiate your call. 
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• For example, if someone has called you, try your best not to give your personal information to them on call as long as you are the one who has called them.
• It would be better for you to change your login details once every month for all the devices you have. This is the suggestion from cyber security experts that will help you in keeping yourself protected from VoIP fraud attacks.
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• If you ever doubt who is calling you when your phone is ringing, leave the call and let the caller leave a voicemail message. This can minimize the chances of fraud attacks on VoIP.
• Keep an eye on your call logs, add details on a daily basis, make sure to check the call analytics, and regularly review them so that you can have an idea if something is bad going around you.

FAQs

Can I keep my existing phone number when switching to a VoIP number?

Yes, you can definitely keep your existing phone number, but you have to make sure that the VoIP number provider supports porting in order to use your current phone number and switch it to your VoIP number. Keep in mind the process sometimes takes a few days to complete and also charges you some extra money.

What is a virtual phone number & how does it work?

Virtual number is basically the VoIP number that stands for Voiceover Internet Protocol. It is a virtual number and is used to make and receive calls and messages and have conference calls with the use of the internet. They are not tied to physical limitations; instead, they work by transmitting audio data between two devices using internet infrastructure.

Can I use a VoIP number to make international calls?

Yes, you can use the VoIP numbers to make international calls. Well, the international calls that are made via VoIP numbers are comparatively much more affordable and cost-effective than the international calls that are made via additional phone lines.

Is it possible to trace the owner of a VoIP number?

Yes, tracing the owner of a VoIP number is possible. In order to trace the owner of a VoIP number, what you have to do is to provide the caller ID and the call time to the service provider of your VoIP number. They will trace the owner and will let you know about the information of the caller only if it is a fixed VoIP number.

How much does it cost to have a VoIP number?

The average cost of having a VoIP number is somewhere between $100 to $500. Make sure that this is the cost of one extension and varies according to the plan you select and the provider you choose to get the VoIP number from.

What are the benefits of having a VoIP number?

In the presence of VoIP numbers, you can enjoy amazing call quality and have cost-effective solutions for your business promotions and deals. You can also enjoy synchronized communication with various devices, making it easier for you to access your phone call data, receive call messages, and have conference calls from any of the internet-enabled devices.