Free VoIP: Does It Exist and Is It Good for Business?
Choosing between downloadable VoIP software and paid services
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Is there really a free VoIP service?
Yes! There are free VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) services out there. These are usually consumer-level apps you can download from the Apple App Store or Google Play. You might even be using them to chat with your friends and family.
People typically use these messaging apps to make video and voice calls and send instant messages to anyone from anywhere in the world without paying anything.
The main draw is probably the easy setup. All you need to do is download the app, install it on your device, and create an account—and you’re good to go! They really are great for personal use. But if you want to use them for business, they might not be the best option.
Heard of VoIP softphones?
This term is less commonly used, but the apps mentioned above are examples of VoIP softphones, which are basically programs that let you make calls over the internet. They essentially turn your computers into “real phones” you can use for calls from PC to phone, from phone to PC, and between VoIP-enabled devices.
Most of these softphones have mobile app versions, so you can use your mobile devices as VoIP phones.
The main limitations of consumer-level free VoIP
One of the major selling points of Voice over IP is the fact that it won’t rack up your phone bill—especially because there are VoIP apps that can be downloaded for free. But of course, with anything that’s free, there can be some drawbacks:
1.
Free VoIP apps only work when everyone on the call is using it.
Let’s say you have a Skype account and want to use it to call
someone. To make voice or video calling possible, the other person needs
to have a Skype account too.
This also means you won’t be able to
call phone numbers directly. Sure, apps like Skype and Viber allow you
to do this—but you’d need to buy credits to make it happen.
2.
They’re completely dependent on a strong internet connection.
All VoIP services need a strong internet connection to work properly.
With paid VoIP services, even though you’re paying for them, your VoIP
provider will conduct a broadband connection test and a speed test to
make sure your system can handle internet calls. If you need your calls
to be reliable, this is probably the better way to go.
3.
There’s no direct way to make calls to and from landline phones.
You won’t be able to call from a landline phone to the app, and of
course, vice versa. Some apps can assign a temporary number from
different countries, but you’d have to pay extra.
4.
Don’t expect a VoIP E-911 feature.
Free VoIP doesn't support emergency calls since it isn't associated with
a physical location (you can make emergency calls using your existing
phone number on a traditional telephone network because it's associated
with an address). To make it easier for responders to locate callers in
cases of emergencies, federal law now requires business VoIP providers
to register their customers’ addresses.
Since consumer-level free VoIP like Whatsapp and Facebook Messenger can’t accommodate phone calls from landline systems and other VoIP apps, they can’t completely replace your home phones. For that, you might want to look into residential VoIP services, which offer general landline functions without the high price.
Are there free VoIP services for business?
Enterprise VoIP services usually come with a subscription cost, which depends on the plan you choose. As to what these plans include, you get what you pay for.
Believe it or not, there are companies that
offer free versions of their VoIP service—the only thing is something
that’s free typically isn’t good enough for the average business.
In fact, free business VoIP packages are usually meant to be trial runs for really small businesses, which means they cater to a very limited number of users. For example, here are a few scenarios where free business VoIP solutions might be missing communication and collaboration features:
Communication
- The platform for VoIP calling is free, and you can also receive inbound calls for free, but you still get charged per minute for outbound calls (not good for a sales call center or any company or department that makes a lot of outbound phone calls). You’re probably better off investing in a robust call center software program.
- Calling and sending text messages may be free, but limited to a certain number and to businesses in the United States. In many cases, SMS isn’t supported at all, so if you’re the type of business that sends appointment reminder texts to your clients, you’ll need to look at other options.
- You may be able to get a free phone number. But since they generally recycle numbers, there’s a chance you’ll receive calls intended for someone else.
- Free versions don’t support emergency services. That means it's impossible for your employees to call 911 in case an accident happens.
- Yes, it’s possible to find a free service with comprehensive unified communications (a phone system that unifies multiple communication channels like voice, email, and video conferencing). But in cases like this, you’ll typically get little to no customer support when things go wrong. With paid services, whether you’re on a monthly or annual plan, you can always call your provider for help or get access to resources if you encounter problems with your phone line or hosted PBX phone system.
- If the provider is using SIP trunking (aka using an IP-enabled private branch exchange to create virtual phone lines within an organization), then they don’t support SMS—and you won’t be able to send texts. SIP to SIP calls are free, but you can’t dial direct phone numbers.
Collaboration
- You might get collaboration features like high-definition video conferencing, but with a cap on the usable bandwidth. Bandwidth affects connectivity, sound, and image quality, so you can expect choppy calls, which no one likes.
- Free services usually don’t offer integrations with important business apps like Salesforce and Zendesk.
- You’ll probably find a free service with built-in customer relationship management (CRM) software, but you can almost bet it’ll lack some functionality. Limited storage, for example, is something you’d expect in this case. This could be a problem as you grow your customer base.
The above scenarios are just a few examples of things to look out for
when searching for free business VoIP plans. But if you feel that a
free package is enough to meet your needs for now (and won’t hinder
growth), then go for it.
If you do think you’ll need a fully
business-capable internet phone solution, on the other hand, or if you
know that your business will need to add or remove users, open new
locations, and get more customers, then a paid service would make more
sense.
Look into a free trial or two and try out some VoIP software.
Want to switch to VoIP? Take a look at free trials
If you want to get a feel for a service before deciding to sign up,
then free trials are the way to go. Trial packages usually come with
most of the important features and support associated with an actual
paid subscription, so you can have the full experience for a limited
time.
Look at a few different providers and compare them to see which one best addresses your needs.
In fact, why not start by taking RingCentral for a test drive?
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The search for the world’s easiest meetings platform is over.
Michael Moxley
Vice President
Our opportunities for connection have increased 5x, and in a mere 14 months we’ve achieved ROI of 35% cost savings with RingCentral.
Randy Boyd
Infrastructure Architect
Since we replaced the landline phones across our locations with RingCentral, we’re already seeing a cost saving of 20%.
Bron McCall
CTO
RingCentral has dramatically improved our efficiency and customer service. We’ve added 10% to our bottom line, easily, and reduced employee stress levels!
Ed Sieber
Owner and President
Important details and disclaimers
*Free trial is only available to new subscribers. Trial is limited to a maximum of five users and two desktop phones. Trial subscriptions include 50 minutes of domestic calls per user. Any free trial hardware must be returned within 21 days of trial cancellation in order to avoid hardware charges.
Acceptable Use policies apply on all plans
Phone rental available only with multi-year contract.
Professional implementations for two users and above.
Other taxes and fees such as the Federal Universal Service Recovery Fee, E911 Service Fee, Compliance and Administrative Cost Recovery Fee, 911 Fee, and State and Local Taxes, may apply. See Taxes & Fees for more information.
Additional toll-free minutes billed at 3.9¢/min.
International calls will be charged at the current rates published in our international rates table. Calls to international toll-free numbers will be charged per minute, based on the country’s rate.
Mobile User extensions should not be used for making and receiving phone calls. While adding a Mobile User extension is free, if a Mobile User extension is used to make or receive phone calls in a given month, you will be charged that month for that Mobile User extension at the same rate per month as you are charged for Digital Lines.
Unlimited phone calls and unlimited Business SMS is limited to US and CA markets only.
**Retention period applies.
Get Connected Promotion:
20% Office + Phone Rental discount for SMB’s
*Void where prohibited. The Offer is valid between March 1, 2021 and August 31, 2021. To qualify for SMB Get Connected promotional offer (“Offer”) you must: purchase a two-year RingCentral Office plan of any tier; (2) between two and three hundred ninety-nine digital lines; (3) be located in the US and Canada only ; and (4) be 18 years of age or older; when purchasing the RingCentral Office plan (the “Qualifying Conditions”). The Offer includes: (1) a 20% discount off the standard list price of qualifying any RingCentral Office plans for remainder of two-year plan; and (2) the option of phone rentals “Qualifying Phone Models” (defined below) for a 40% off the standard list prices offered by RingCentral. Qualifying Phone Models are limited to the following: Poly 150 or 250 or Yealink T42S orT48S, subject to availability and RingCentral’s sole discretion. Promotional price discount applies to base monthly rate only and excludes fees, taxes, additional or premium services and other charges. These terms are subject to change at any time without prior notice. You agree that the final discount Offer price is determined by RingCentral’s sole discretion, in compliance with these terms and any applicable laws. RingCentral reserves right to terminate this offer at any time. RingCentral Terms of Service apply. Early termination or other changes to the customer’s RingCentral Office plan, may be subject to additional fees, subject to the Qualifying Conditions.