By: Kurtis | Last updated June 24, 2020 
Voice over the internet protocol (VoIP) has come a long way since it was first developed, in the 2000s. VoIP was made possible thanks to the invention of the audio transceiver, back in 1989. The man who made that possible was Alon Cohen, an Israeli entrepreneur.
VoIP is basically a communication technology that allows you to make/take calls using the internet instead of the PSTN (public switched telephone network).
How does VoIP work?
VoIP works by converting the analog signal into a digital one, so that you can transmit packets of data via the internet. Those packets can be voice calls, text, images, video.
Types of VoIP phones
Desk phones, wireless phones and softphones are the main types of VoIP phones available today. While the first two are still in demand, softphones have managed to become the most popular ones. Softphones rely on software that is installed on your computer/mobile device and in order to make calls using them, you have to sign up for a VoIP service.
A lot of the apps we are using nowadays use VoIP, even though you might not be aware of it. For instance, Whatsapp, Skype, Viber and others.
Phone.com – is it a good VoIP service?
Phone.com describes itself as a virtual phone system for business. It is mostly suited for the business and residential market and it is a service offered by a reputable company that has an A+ rating from the Better Business Bureau.
What are the available plans for Phone.com?
There are three plans offered by Phone.com: Base, Plus and Pro. In addition to those, there are also a lot of available addons you can purchase for each plan.
Base: starts at $12.99/month and includes 300 monthly minutes, unlimited user extensions, 1 local or toll-free number and 5,000 SMS messages.
Plus: starts from $19.99/month and includes 500 minutes, 2 local/toll-free numbers, 10,000 SMS messages, automated voicemail to text, Premium Hold Music.
Pro: starts at $39.99/month and includes 1,000 monthly minutes, 3 local/toll-free numbers, 20,000 SMS messages, 300 call recording minutes, HD video conferencing and more.
Available addons with Phone.com
Phone numbers - $5/month
Call recording - $5/month for 300 minutes of recording
IP phone leasing - $5/month
Voicemail transcription - $1.50 per extension or human transcription at $.25 per message
Premium hold music - $1/month
Included features
Phone.com allows up to 300 participants for every extension.
There are over 40 standard features included and some premium ones as well.
Here are some of the most important standard features: caller ID, call blocking, call notification, call forwarding, call transfer, call waiting, click to call, custom local number or toll free numbers, address book, number porting, fax from phone, voicemail to email, text messaging, user extensions and more.
Among the premium features you can find video conferencing, CRM integration, call recording, global numbers, live receptionist, caller analytics and more.
Mobile app
Phone.com also has a mobile app that is compatible with iOS and Android devices. You can simply download the app and turn your smartphone into a Phone.com extension. You can enjoy SMS, FAX, call conferencing and other useful features.
