VoIP phone service for home: a cheaper home phone

Updated 11 October 2026 · Advinne editorial team · 4 min read

A VoIP home phone gives you a regular home number and phone, but your calls travel over your broadband instead of a copper line. For most households it costs less and does more. Here is how it works and how to choose.

How home VoIP works

Home VoIP replaces the old copper phone line with your internet connection. You plug an analog telephone adapter (ATA), or a home phone base station supplied by the provider, into your router. Then you plug your existing cordless or corded phone into that box. Your phone rings, sounds and dials exactly as before.

Some providers sell a base station that you buy once. Others supply the adapter as part of a monthly plan. Either way, your calls now travel as data over your broadband.

Why households switch to VoIP

• Lower monthly bills. Many home VoIP plans cost far less than a traditional landline, especially once taxes and extras are added to the landline bill.
• Free features. Caller ID, call waiting, voicemail and call forwarding are usually included.
• Spam and robocall blocking. Many services screen or block known nuisance callers.
• Cheap international calls. Home VoIP plans often include low per-minute rates or add-on bundles for calls abroad.
• Keep your number. You can usually port your existing home number.

Home phone service for seniors

A home phone remains important for many older adults. A VoIP home phone keeps the familiar handset and number while adding helpful features:

• Big-button phones work with VoIP adapters, so seniors can keep the phone they know.
• Call blocking cuts scam and robocalls, which often target older people.
• Simultaneous ring can send calls to a family member's mobile as well.
• Voicemail to email lets a carer check messages remotely.

If a medical alert device or home alarm uses the phone line, ask the alarm company whether it supports VoIP or needs a cellular unit before you switch.

What you need

1. Broadband internet with steady latency. Most cable, fibre and DSL connections work well.
2. A VoIP home phone provider. Popular home options include Ooma (with its Telo base station), Vonage home phone and magicJack. Compare current plans and check current pricing on each site.
3. A phone. Your existing cordless or corded phone usually works.
4. A battery backup (optional but wise). A small UPS keeps your router and adapter running during short power cuts.

How to set up a VoIP home phone

1. Run our VoIP speed test from a device near your router.
2. Choose a provider and plan.
3. Request a number port if you want to keep your current number.
4. Plug the adapter or base station into your router with the supplied cable.
5. Plug your home phone into the adapter.
6. Register your emergency address in your account.
7. Make a test call, then cancel your old landline only after your number has moved.

Home VoIP vs landline vs mobile only

Read the full comparison in VoIP vs landline.

Tips for the best call quality

• Plug the adapter into the router with a cable rather than relying on Wi-Fi extenders.
• Turn on QoS (quality of service) in your router if it offers voice priority.
• Restart the router and adapter if calls suddenly sound choppy.
• Avoid huge downloads during important calls on slower connections.

Frequently asked questions

Keep reading

How we write: we explain the technology in plain English and compare providers on published features. We do not invent prices; plans change often, so check current pricing with each provider. Some links may earn us a commission at no cost to you (see our affiliate disclosure).