VoIP phones provide countless benefits over landlines, including advanced call management features, HD voice quality, and cost savings. VoIP phones are portable, scalable, helpful for remote teams, and easy to set up for companies of any size.
This article will outline VoIP phones, discussing how they work, benefits, features, and the best VoIP phones currently on the market.
- What is a VoIP Phone?
- How Does a it Work?
- VoIP Phone Features
- Benefits of a VoIP Phone
- Best VoIP Phones
- FAQs
What is a VoIP Phone?
A VoIP phone is a type of telephone that uses Voice over IP (VoIP) technology to make and receive calls over an internet connection.
VoIP phones can be hardware or software-based, offering users a range of features such as inbound and outbound calling, SMS texting, call controls, routing capabilities, and other advanced digital functions.
The following devices can act as a VoIP phone:
- Mobile devices
- Computers
- Tablets
- VoIP hardware–headsets and desk phones
How Does a VoIP Phone Work?
VoIP phones transmit voice data via the Internet, instead of the public switched telephone network (PSTN). VoIP technology converts analog audio sounds into digital data packets, which travel via broadband Internet from your local WiFi network to your VoIP phone service provider. Your VoIP service provider then uses an IP PBX (private branch exchange) system to transmit the digital data over the internet directly to another VoIP provider, who routes it to the recipient.
VoIP Phone Features
VoIP phone typically include a range of features such as a display screen, voicemail, call logs, a contact list, and phone line extensions.
Here's a quick rundown of features to look for in a VoIP phone:
- Display screen: Nearly all VoIP phones feature a build-in color display, either on the phone or docking station. The screen lets you navigate to voicemail, call logs, contact lists, and extensions
- Extension visibility: Users can view various extensions or other staff, along with their availability, for easy call transferring
- Phone lines: Some VoIP phones support multiple phone lines, so users can view and manage callers on hold, even while on an active call
- Call controls: Look for built-in buttons for call handling, such as call transfer, hold, call parking, and other routing options
- Voicemail: Most VoIP phones let you record a voicemail greeting, with a limit for the number of recorded voicemail minutes you can store
- Customizable HD voice: VoIP supports high-definition audio quality, and VoIP phones include acoustic audio features that accentuate it. You can customize more specific audio functions within the phone's settings.
- Built-in phonebook: Use your VoIP phone to store hundreds of company contacts for easy access
- Caller ID: The display screen identifies inbound callers by phone number or name
Benefits of Using a VoIP Phone
VoIP phones make it easier for agents to handle and transfer calls, with the HD call quality and scalability of a VoIP phone system.
Here are some of the main ways that a VoIP phone benefits users:
- Call quality: VoIP phone call quality is much better than traditional phone system call quality
- Scalability and a remote workforce: VoIP phone systems are a breeze to scale, compared to traditional legacy PBX systems
- Portability: Virtually every VoIP provider supports telephone via both desktop and mobile apps. This means employees can accomplish more while on the go.
- Security: VoIP technology comes with cutting-edge security protocols that ensure no one can eavesdrop on sensitive calls
- User-friendliness: VoIP phones provide a range of features like voicemail and contact lists, on a color display that users can easily manage
- Easy call routing: VoIP phones facilitate call controls like transfers, holds, parking, and other routing features
Best VoIP Phones on the Market
Below, we’ve listed our picks for the best VoIP desk phones and conference phones currently on the market.
- Siemens Gigaset SL450A
- Siemens Gigaset C570HX
- Polycom VVX 601
- Cisco 7841
- Ooma DP1-T
- Yealink SIP-T58A
- Siemens Gigaset DX800A
- Cisco 8845
Siemens Gigaset SL450A
The Siemens Gigaset SL450A is a handheld VoIP phone that can connect to your desktop, headset, or work on its own. It has an extremely sturdy aluminum frame, with a large color display on the phone itself. The cordless design means you can leave your desk with it. Create up to three answering machines, with 55 total minutes of record time. The phone has excellent acoustics and HD, which you can customize with preferences like bass and treble.
Features:
- Large 2.4" color display
- Cordless
- 500-contact phonebook
- Three voicemails with 55 minutes of recording time
- Customizable HD audio
- Aluminum frame
Number of lines: 1
Price: $250
Best for: Portable use within the office
Siemens Gigaset C570HX
The Siemens Gigaset C570x is a sleek and tall handheld VoIP phone with a color display built into the phone itself, rather than the base station. The cordless phone offers easy access to features like voicemail, call logs, the contact list, and calendar. The calendar lets you input and set appointments with contacts. Unlike many other VoIP phones, this model also supports SMS texting.
Features:
- Long, sleek design
- 2.2" color display
- Built-in calendar function
- Voicemail
- Call logs
- Phonebook that holds up to 200 contacts
- SMS texting
Number of lines: 1
Price: $180
Best for: Optimal audio clarity
Polycom VVX 601
The Polycom VVX is an office phone with a large 4.3" display screen built into the base station. The screen displays up to 12 phone lines, enabling front desk users and executives to hold virtually as many calls as needed. The phone integrates with Bluetooth for headphone connectivity and integrates easily with UCaaS software and VoIP phone systems. Display the screen on your desktop, for mouse and keyboard navigation.
Features:
- 4.3" touchscreen high-res color display
- Integrated bluetooth
- HD voice quality
- PC connectivity
- Video conferencing capabilities
- Microsoft Exchange calendar integration
Number of lines: 12
Price: $150-$200
Best for: Executives, managers, and receptionists
Cisco 7841
The Cisco 7841 is a simple VoIP desk phone with a grayscale display built into the docking station. It's a simple phone design, with pop-out fixed keys that resemble office phones most users will be familiar with. The phone handles the basic features like speakerphone, wideband HD audio, and call controls. Make conference calls, handle multiple calls with 4 active lines, park calls for teammates, and more.
Features:
- Supports all VoIP codecs
- 3.5" greyscale display
- Conference calling
- Voicemail
- Call monitoring and whisper coaching
- Call recording
- Auto-answer
Number of lines: 4
Price: $100-$120
Best for: User-friendly call controls
Ooma DP1-T
The Ooma DP1-T is a wireless desk phone with a small greyscale display built into the docking station. Like the Cisco 7841, this phone's fixed keys give it a familiar feel for users accustomed to traditional phone systems. It includes basic features like speakerphone, Do Not Disturb mode, redial, voicemail, and call logs you can access through the screen. This phone supports conference calls and holds up to 32 speed dials. It's a cost-effective and simple option fo basic call controls.
Features:
- Small greyscale screen
- 32 speed dials
- Speakerphone
- Conference calling
- Wireless connectivity up to 150 feet from station
- Call controls like transfer, hold, parking
- Build-in directory and call logs
Number of lines: 2
Price: $70-$90
Best for: User-friendly call controls
Yealink SIP-T58A
The corded Yealink T58A features a massive 7-inch color touchscreen, which uses an Android smartphone display for inbound calls, video meetings, and other applications. It displays HD video and connects with small cameras to record the active user in HD. Yealink's proprietary acoustic shield technology blocks out background noise for distraction-free clarity, even in loud environments. Use Bluetooth or WiFi for wireless connectivity. This is the most feature-rich and advanced phone on our list, a good fit for those who want tablet functionality from your phone.
Features:
- 7" color touchscreen display
- Support for HD camera
- Embedded Android smartphone
- Acoustic shield technology for outside audio blocking
- Built-in Bluetooth and WiFi
- Connects with a wide variety of codecs and phone systems
Number of lines: 1
Price: $250-$300
Best for: Smartphone functionality and video conferencing
Siemens Gigaset DX800A
The Siemens Gigaset DX800 all-in-one phone holds up to four calls at once, with a color screen to manager transfers, voicemail, and calls waiting. The screen hosts a built-in calendar, which you can populate with upcoming meetings and birthdays, and it automatically reminds you of special events. The phone has WiFi connectivity and pulls information from the internet in real time. With 1000 supported contacts, it has the largest phonebook of any VoIP phone on our list. It makes a great option for those seeking a versatile phone for calling or SMS texting.
Features:
- 3.5" touchscreen color display
- Directory for up to 1000 contacts
- Calendar for appointments and birthdays, with reminders
- Proprietary Gigaset HDSP sound quality
- SMS texting
- Three voicemails with 55 minutes of recording time
- 3-way conference calls
- Call recording
Number of lines: 4
Price: $150-$200
Best for: SMS texting and built-in calendar
Cisco 8845
The Cisco 8845 strikes a balance between everything you might want in a VoIP phone: fixed keys for easy use, a familiar design that doesn't feel overwhelming, and a screen that integrates with your mobile devices. Use the 5-inch screen for video conferencing in 720p HD, while the built-in video camera captures the user in high-quality video too. With single sign-on capabilities, this phone works well for in-person and hybrid companies that share phones between multiple users.
Features:
- 5" color widescreen
- Built-in video camera
- Compatible with most VoIP phone systems
- Single sign-on capabilities
- Cisco EnergyWise for efficient electricity usage
- Smartphone connectivity for shared ringing and calls
- Wideband audio clarity
Number of lines: 5
Price: $120-$150
Best for: In-person and hybrid teams
FAQs
A VoIP phone not only saves business costs compared with a landline phone setup, but also adds a ton of other benefits and features. Remote teams, small businesses, and enterprise companies can benefit from the routing features, analytics, and mobility of VoIP.
Agents can use a computer, mobile, or one of the hardware devices listed above as a VoIP phone.
In case you have more questions about VoIP phones, check out the FAQs below.
