What do phone numbers with alphabets mean?

For a very long time, phone numbers are often presented with the help of alphabets - most often found in the United States. The alphabets are to make the phone number memorable and easy to recall when required. 

For example, a small business, like a flower shop which has its phone number as 1-800-356-9377 it can be easily remembered as 1-800-FLOWERS. 

 

Let’s take the example of a small business like a flower shop. If the has its phone number as 1-800-356-9377, then with the use of alphabets it can be updated.

 

This is not exclusive to VoIP but remains universal across all phone numbers. However, it is more relevant for smartphones that show the dial pad with associated alphabets.

The alphabets in a phone number are to make it easy to remember when required. The alphabets in a phone number are to make it easy to remember when required.

Types of VoIP phone numbers

There are several types of VoIP phone numbers that your business can make use of. The four major types are outlined below:

Local phone numbers

Local phone numbers are phone numbers that can be bought in any country with their country code and local area codes. They give your business a local presence and make it easier for customers to reach you.

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International phone numbers

With VoIP, you can get international numbers in countries other than your business’ domicile of operations. They help create a global presence for your business even if you do not have physical offices in other countries.

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Toll-free numbers

These are phone numbers with prefixes such as 800, 855, 877, 888, etc. that customers can call without being charged for making the call. The business pays the call charges.

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Vanity phone numbers

Vanity numbers are local or toll-free phone numbers that give your business a powerful brand recall with personalized and brand-centric phone numbers. They use text strings along with number prefixes.

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Fixed and Non-fixed VoIP numbers, explained 

Fixed and non-fixed are two types of VoIP phone numbers. The only difference between the two is — location. A permanent location to which the VoIP phone number is attached or not determines whether it is a fixed or a non-fixed VoIP phone number. 

Fixed VoIP phone number

A fixed VoIP phone number is attached to a fixed location — like a physical address of an office, government institution, healthcare facility, educational institution, etc.

 

Despite being attached to a fixed location, a fixed VoIP phone number is still one that works with the help of the internet so does not need to be accessed from one physical location alone. The difference is that the physical address gives the VoIP phone number identity. Such an identity is difficult to be replicated by unauthorized personnel or even fraudsters. 

 

The physical location also ensures that the incoming calls or outgoing calls from the VoIP number are easier to track. This gives them the legitimacy that is necessary for businesses and federal agencies. 

 

 

Fixed VoIP phone number Fixed VoIP phone number

 

Non-fixed VoIP phone number

A non-fixed VoIP phone number is not attached to any specific location. However, it has all the traits of a VoIP phone number. It is non-fixed phone numbers that allow businesses to set up phone numbers for their offshore offices while they are working from another location. 

 

Non-fixed VoIP phone numbers are typically used by call centers for handling cold calling and customer support calls. It enables them to carry on operations at a global scale without requiring a local physical office. Furthermore, it also helps them create a local presence in other locations with local phone numbers that customers would be more inclined to call when they need assistance. 

 

Non-fixed VoIP phone number Non-fixed VoIP phone number

VoIP Technology

How does VoIP work?

VoIP works with the help of the internet. In a traditional phone device, physical cables and related hardware do the task of data transmission. In VoIP, this is done with the help of an internet connection. 

 

The use of the internet ensures that call quality is superior even for long-distance phone calls across continents or countries. Also, VoIP does not demand any specific internet bandwidth. Even mobile phones with LTE, 4G, 5G network capabilities can also transmit voice-over data networks. 

 

Packet switching is the underlying VoIP technology that helps exchange voice data over the internet. It is packet switching that converts voice data into tiny packets of digital signals. These packets are then dispatched over the internet to the intended destination with the help of IP addresses. Hence, the name Voice over Internet Protocol.

 

To ensure faster and high-quality transmission of voice data, the data packets are scrambled and distributed in a random manner that best matches the bandwidth of the internet connection. Once the data packets reach the destination IP, they are reassembled to their original form which the recipient can listen to as audio. 

 

This also ensures that no third party is able to intercept the packets in audio form. This was one of the downsides of analog phones where phone calls get overlapped resulting in cross-talk and network interference. 
 

Working of VOIP Working of VOIP

Do both the users — caller and recipient require VoIP connection? Not necessarily. You can call any landline, cell phone, or IP phone from a VoIP phone system even if the recipient does not have a VoIP connection. They can receive VoIP calls on landlines, deskphones, softphones, SIP phones, or even mobile devices just like any ordinary call. 

BENEFITS

Tangible benefits of having a VoIP phone number

There are certain tangible benefits that a VoIP number can bring to any business. Be it a startup that has just launched or a globe-spanning enterprise with offices in every continent, a VoIP phone number can serve them all equally well and in a better fashion than traditional phones.

Superior voice quality

VoIP uses “codecs” to convert audio data into digital signals. A codec is a device or computer program which encodes or decodes a digital data stream or signal. A stable internet connection combined with digital signals ensures that the voice quality is superior to traditional phone lines. Also, VoIP eliminates any disturbances or distortions that creep in due to the use of physical PBX boxes or cables. 

Maximum uptime

VoIP offers 99% uptime for business phone systems. There is hardly the chance of your phone network or individual phone systems losing connectivity. As long as you have a stable internet connection, a VoIP device, and a power connection, your VoIP phone system will continue to work. This was never the case with traditional phones which brought connectivity to a standstill when concealed cables ruptured or broke. With VoIP, your connectivity will remain intact even in the event of a natural calamity.

Local business presence

A VoIP phone number lets your business establish a local presence in any country or neighborhood even if you do not have a physical office there. This is because VoIP phone numbers connect based on IP addresses and not physical addresses. As a result, you will be easily reachable to local customers. Also, it enables your business to set up region-specific customer support numbers to deliver personalized customer service.

Heightened collaboration

A single VoIP phone number is all you need to set up a call center with multiple agents. VoIP offers shared lines features that allow making a single phone number available to be answered or used by multiple users or phone devices. In other words, your business can be represented with a single phone number whereas it can be attended to by multiple agents simultaneously.

Improved brand identity

VoIP offers the feature of vanity numbers. A vanity phone number is a local or toll-free number that a business can customize for its own purpose with a sequence of specific numbers or alphabets. For example as 1-800-Flowers, 313-DETROIT, 1-800-Taxicab, or 1-800-Battery. Vanity phone numbers are great for improving brand identity as they have a high recall value compared to generic phone numbers.

High mobility

In the past, phone connections and extensions were made possible with the help of PBX boxes and PSTN connections. They were extremely hardware-reliant, meaning even the simplest of tasks like adding or removing a new phone number or extensions demanded tedious maneuvers. VoIP does away with all that complications. Thanks to its zero telephony hardware working model, it offers high mobility. You can easily transport and carry your VoIP phone number anywhere and everywhere without any hassle. 

Device agnostic

A working internet connection, any device that can connect to the internet, and a VoIP phone number are the prerequisites for using a VoIP phone system. They do not require any specific devices or hardware. This puts businesses at a great advantage as they do not have to incur additional initial investment for setting up a virtual phone system powered by VoIP.

Advanced telephony

When compared to traditional phones, VoIP offers feature parity like caller ID, call forwarding, conference calls, etc. Furthermore, it also offers advanced telephony features like automatic call routing, voicemail, CRM, helpdesk or other third-party integrations, etc. This makes VoIP the ideal choice for modern enterprises that want to run their business phone operations completely on digital platforms. 

how to buy a VoIP number

How to buy a VoIP number

A VoIP phone number is procured from a VoIP phone service provider. Your existing telephone carrier may or may not be a VoIP service provider. You can get a generic phone number or a custom vanity phone number by signing for VoIP phone service. Be informed that VoIP phone number plans, pricing model, and validity could be different from the regular phone plans that you opt for. However, from a business perspective, VoIP phone numbers offer immense cost savings. 

What if you already have a business phone number that is provided by an external carrier? VoIP offers a mechanism through which you can port your existing phone number to VoIP. It is known as BYOC (Bring Your Own Carrier). With BYOC you can continue using the same number through the carrier while getting the benefits of VoIP. 

How to buy a VoIP phone number How to buy a VoIP phone number

BYOC is typically useful in the following situations:

  • Your VoIP provider does not operate in your region where the local carrier is operating
  • Your existing carrier is offering better call rates
  • There is an ongoing long-term contract with the carrier that cannot be discontinued
  • You want to continue using the same phone number while availing the benefits of VoIP

Freshcaller VoIP phone number

Introducing, Freshcaller

The one-stop destination for VoIP phone numbers from 90+ countries.

Freshcaller is a VoIP phone number provider that offers local, international, toll-free, and vanity phone numbers across 90+ countries. With Freshcaller, you can ensure that your global business is accessible on a local phone number even if you do not have physical offices in every global location.

 

If you already engaged with a network carrier, you can port the number to Freshcaller and enjoy all the benefits of cloud telephony without compromising on any of the call cost benefits of operational agility that Freshcaller provides. 

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Freshcaller - VoIP phone number provider in 90+ countries Freshcaller - VoIP phone number provider in 90+ countries

Why Freshcaller?

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Why Freshcaller?

Multi-level IVR or Phone Trees

Manage a multi-level interlinked IVR system.

multi level ivr or phone trees multi level ivr or phone trees
Smart Escalations

Create custom escalation rules for incoming calls.

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Call Barging

Barge into calls real-time.

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Frequently asked questions

Freshcaller: The preferred VoIP phone system

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