Residential VoIP: This Is the Only Guide You’ll Ever Need!

In case you haven’t heard, the future of home landlines is residential VoIP. Pronounced VoIP rather than V.o.I.P., this Voice Over Internet Protocol technology will replace all traditional copper-wire landlines by the end of 2025. And people in the UK are more than ready for this transition. They’re switching over before the deadline because it just makes sense!

Want to know more? Of course, you do! Continue reading and you’ll find everything you need to know about residential VoIP.

Cutting the cord

For the last century, landlines have used copper wires in what is known as the PSTN, or Public Switched Telephone Network. This Victorian technology has served the UK well, but as with all things, it’s now time for its retirement. The PSTN no longer suits our digital-age requirements, and although the copper wires aren’t being disconnected as such, by the end of 2025, you will no longer be able to use the phone socket in your wall to make and receive calls. If you’ve heard the term, the big switch-off, the PSTN switch-off is what it is referring to.

Digital Voice technology

If you’re not already using VoIP in your business, you may be wondering how home VoIP works. It might surprise you that you’ve probably been using it for a few years already. If you make calls via WhatsApp or wi-fi calling, then you have 100% experienced VoIP.

If you want to know the technical ins and outs, here they are. With your phone plugged into your router instead of your phone socket, your analogue voice signals are converted into digital data packets. These are then transmitted over the internet to the recipient. Because residential VoIP or home VoIP uses the internet your calls will be crystal clear. You will also find your connection far more reliable, compared to the the failing and unmaintainable copper wires.

Going beyond calling

Residential VoIP offers so much more than just making and receiving calls. For one, the cost compared to landlines is far less, meaning your monthly bills should shrink. Here is what else your home VoIP could potentially do.

• Give flexibility & mobility. You won’t need to wait in for any calls as VoIP phone services for your home are not limited to a physical location. With an app on your mobile, you can make & receive calls via your home number as long as you have an internet connection.
• Offer features & functionality. Residential VoIP has the ability to provide voicemail, caller ID, call forwarding, call waiting & group calling.
• Be eco-friendly. Home VoIP services use less energy & resources in comparison to traditional landlines.

Residential VoIP providers can also take this technology further. A great example of this is what our sister company Phonely have done. As well as providing a residential VoIP service, they have created a system that uniquely protects their customers from scams and fraudulent callers. This optional cover is called CallGuard and includes some of the following:

• Built-in anti-fraud introductions: To scare off criminals before they get through.
• Call Blocking: Enables you & Phonely to block globally known scam numbers.
• Call recording: Gives you peace of mind that should you need proof of a scam attempt, it’s there.
• Trusted person nomination: Allows for human backup & support, when needed.
• Keyword notifications & alerts: Keeps a trusted person informed, empowering them to take action against potential threats.
• Live call joining: Lets your trusted person join your live calls for support & reassurance.
• Offline Alerts: Notifies your trusted person, should your internet fail. This signals that you may need assistance & a well-being check.

The humble home phone has clearly moved on from being a simple communication device!

Finding the best UK residential VoIP providers

It’s important that you do a bit of research to find the right residential VoIP provider for you. It would be convenient to stay with your current provider, however, what they offer might not be suitable to your budget or your needs.

The amount of offers for home VoIP may seem overwhelming, but knowing what to look out for should narrow down your choices. Here are some things you should consider in the search for your perfect provider.

• Do they offer separate broadband & home VoIP deals? It’s usually cheaper to separate the two. Opting for bundles can work out more costly in the long run.
• Do they offer a service where you can keep your existing phone number? Or offer a new number if needed?
• Do they offer a suitable call plan such as unlimited calls?
• Do they offer features that you know you will use, such as voicemail & unlimited call blocking?
• Do they offer a contract that works with your budget & is a desirable length?
• Do they offer exceptional customer service & have a reputation for putting customer’s needs first?

If you’re a little curious as to how our sister stacks up with these, you can view their plans without obligation via the button below.

Making the switch is simple

No doubt, just thinking about switching to residential VoIP feels like a hassle! But honestly, the process is pretty painless. Obviously here at SwitchboardFREE we can’t speak for any other providers but we know wholeheartedly, that Phonely make switching super simple. And we know that for a fact because the SwitchboardFREE team taught the crew over at Phonely, everything there is to learn about VoIP and customer service!

All it takes is a few minutes to enter some of your details, and if you want to keep your existing number, the Phonely team will take care of that for you – without any disruption to your service.

Their website is full of simple-to-absorb information and includes informative blogs, how-to guides and answers to plenty of FAQs. And should you need further help, their friendly team are just a call or email away.

As experts in Residential VoIP with a passion for phone safety, if you or your loved ones would like to know more about how CallGuard works, just hit the button below.

Now having read our guide, you can see that it makes sense to switch to home VoIP sooner rather than later. Not only will you save money, but you’ll also be able to take advantage of some pretty nifty features!