Phones

What Is a VoIP Caller?

Want to see the impact of Podium on your business? Start a free 14-day trial today.

Try Podium for Free

Start your 14-day free trial with Podium today. No credit card required.

Ready to grow?

Grow your business with Podium

<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Part of running a small business is being able to accept phone calls from customers, as well as making phone calls to customers, suppliers, and others. When talking about making calls, you may hear the term “VoIP caller”  but wonder what it is. Learn more about VoIP callers and get a refresher on VoIP in general, including the benefits of using it for your small business.</span></p>
<h2>What Is VoIP? (Voice over Internet Protocol)</h2>
<p>A Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) is a phone system that uses the Internet to make and receive calls instead of traditional landlines. For most people and businesses, VoIP offers an alternative to having a landline with your local telephone company. VoIP numbers don’t typically require complicated installation and tend to be more versatile, letting you answer them on the go with the right system.</p>
<h2><span style="font-weight: 400;">What Is a VoIP Caller?</span></h2>
<p>A <a href="https://www.forbes.com/advisor/business/what-is-a-voip-caller/">VoIP caller</a> is simply someone calling you from a VoIP system. So, they aren’t using a traditional phone carrier such as AT&amp;T or Verizon.</p>
<p><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone wp-image-25179 size-large" src="https://cms.podium.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/picking-up-a-phone-1024x555.png" alt="" width="640" height="347" srcset="https://cms.podium.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/picking-up-a-phone-1024x555.png 1024w, https://cms.podium.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/picking-up-a-phone-300x163.png 300w, https://cms.podium.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/picking-up-a-phone-768x416.png 768w, https://cms.podium.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/picking-up-a-phone-600x325.png 600w, https://cms.podium.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/picking-up-a-phone-360x195.png 360w, https://cms.podium.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/picking-up-a-phone-160x87.png 160w, https://cms.podium.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/picking-up-a-phone-350x190.png 350w, https://cms.podium.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/picking-up-a-phone-100x54.png 100w, https://cms.podium.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/picking-up-a-phone-633x343.png 633w, https://cms.podium.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/picking-up-a-phone.png 1200w" sizes="(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px" /></p>
<h2><span style="font-weight: 400;">How to Identify a VoIP Caller</span></h2>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Let&#8217;s go over a few methods that will enable you to identify a VoIP caller.</span></p>
<h3><span style="font-weight: 400;">Use Caller ID</span></h3>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">One of the simplest methods to identify a VoIP caller is to use caller ID.</span></p>
<h3><span style="font-weight: 400;">CNAM Lookup</span></h3>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">CNAM stands for caller ID name. This is the name connected to the caller ID. If it shows up, just search for it to determine where it comes from.</span></p>
<h3><span style="font-weight: 400;">Use a Reverse Phone Lookup Service</span></h3>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">You can also use one of the many services that give you the name of a caller when you enter a phone number.</span></p>
<h3><span style="font-weight: 400;">Check the Domain</span></h3>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Depending on the VoIP system, the call may show a domain linked to it, as you would get with an email address. You can look this up.</span></p>
<h3><span style="font-weight: 400;">Use a Packet Analyzer</span></h3>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">If you have a hardphone or softphone, you can use a packet analyzer to log traffic. It will include the IP details of VoIP calls.</span></p>
<h2><span style="font-weight: 400;">Benefits of Using VoIP for Your Business</span></h2>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">VoIP is the right choice for most small businesses due to its long list of <a href="https://www.podium.com/article/voip-retail/">benefits</a>.</span></p>
<h3><span style="font-weight: 400;">Nationwide Long-distance Included</span></h3>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Even with a local customer base, you may still occasionally need to make long-distance calls. This is especially true for small businesses with online stores and those who work with suppliers on the other side of the country. If you need to make a long-distance call outside of the U.S., the price will also be much cheaper than with a landline.</span></p>
<h3><span style="font-weight: 400;">Incredibly Easy to Set Up</span></h3>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Compared to landlines, VoIP phones are incredibly easy to set up. You can typically do so without installing too much additional hardware, if any at all. In many cases, you can even set the system up yourself, without needing to pay for expensive installation.</span></p>
<h3><span style="font-weight: 400;">More Affordable</span></h3>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">While prices for VoIP can vary greatly, it is almost always more affordable than an equivalent landline. The monthly costs are usually lower, and the installation cost is either lower or non-existent. You will also typically get additional features for free that would cost you more with a landline. These features can include an auto attendant, phone extensions, conference calling, call routing, and more. It’s worth noting that you may have to pay extra for some of those features with your VoIP, but if you do, you would still spend less than you would with a landline.</span></p>


Become a Local

<h3></h3>
<h3><span style="font-weight: 400;">Additional Features</span></h3>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">As mentioned, the additional features you may want for your phone system tend to be more affordable (or included) with VoIP. You can also frequently get access to more features than are even offered by landlines. Overall, some stand-out features of VoIP systems include:</span></p>
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Call recording</span></li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Call transcription</span></li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Call queues</span></li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Auto attendants</span></li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Call analytics</span></li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Advanced call management</span></li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Conference bridge</span></li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Instant messaging</span></li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Number porting</span></li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Mobile apps</span></li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Desktop apps</span></li>
</ul>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">These features from a VoIP service provider are especially helpful for small businesses. That is because small business phone systems don&#8217;t traditionally include many of the features. With a landline, most of those features are only available to larger companies and come with a premium. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Getting these features with your VoIP phone number, therefore, gives you access to VoIP technology you wouldn&#8217;t otherwise have access to. It can also make your business seem more professional because of client-facing features like the auto attendant. </span></p>
<h3><span style="font-weight: 400;">Portability Via Mobile Apps and Mobile Forwarding</span></h3>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Thanks to the mobile apps that are part of the best VoIP phone systems, you can easily make and receive calls on the go. Instead of mobile apps, your VoIP system may let you set up call forwarding to a mobile phone, which will essentially do the same thing.</span></p>
<h3><span style="font-weight: 400;">Better Sound Quality</span></h3>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Assuming you have a good internet connection, the sound quality for VoIP calls tends to be much better than landlines. This helps your team gather accurate information from callers and improves the customer experience.</span></p>
<h3><span style="font-weight: 400;">Easy to Scale</span></h3>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Because no or minimal physical installation is needed, it is incredibly easy to scale up your phone solution if you have a VoIP system.</span></p>
<p><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone wp-image-25180 size-large" src="https://cms.podium.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/woman-on-the-phone-w-a-business-1024x555.png" alt="" width="640" height="347" srcset="https://cms.podium.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/woman-on-the-phone-w-a-business-1024x555.png 1024w, https://cms.podium.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/woman-on-the-phone-w-a-business-300x163.png 300w, https://cms.podium.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/woman-on-the-phone-w-a-business-768x416.png 768w, https://cms.podium.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/woman-on-the-phone-w-a-business-600x325.png 600w, https://cms.podium.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/woman-on-the-phone-w-a-business-360x195.png 360w, https://cms.podium.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/woman-on-the-phone-w-a-business-160x87.png 160w, https://cms.podium.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/woman-on-the-phone-w-a-business-350x190.png 350w, https://cms.podium.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/woman-on-the-phone-w-a-business-100x54.png 100w, https://cms.podium.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/woman-on-the-phone-w-a-business-633x343.png 633w, https://cms.podium.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/woman-on-the-phone-w-a-business.png 1200w" sizes="(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px" /></p>
<h2><span style="font-weight: 400;">Cons of Using VoIP for Your Business</span></h2>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">While VoIP phones are a smart choice for most businesses, you should be aware of a few caveats.</span></p>
<h3><span style="font-weight: 400;">You Need Internet</span></h3>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The most important consideration is that you need to have a strong internet connection. In general, you will need about 100 Kbps per line. A higher internet speed can improve call quality, so this is not an area with much wiggle room.</span></p>
<h3><span style="font-weight: 400;">The Line Is Susceptible to Power Failures</span></h3>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Because VoIP systems require the internet, if the power goes out, so does your phone. By contrast, traditional landlines can continue to work during power failures. However, that will only be the case depending on the physical phone you use.</span></p>
<h3><span style="font-weight: 400;">Some People Block VoIP Calls</span></h3>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">VoIP technology is growing, but some people are still hesitant about accepting calls from a VoIP phone number. They are concerned about the risk of number spoofing or other scams from VoIP callers. As such, some people use systems that will block any VoIP call. This can prevent your outgoing calls from reaching your customers. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">That said, this risk is decreasing as VoIP calls become more popular. </span></p>
<h3><span style="font-weight: 400;">Potential Security Risks</span></h3>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">If your VoIP system isn’t secure, there is the risk of hackers listening in on calls or stealing information. However, you can prevent this by choosing a reliable system.</span></p>
<h3><span style="font-weight: 400;">Tips for Improving VoIP Call Quality</span></h3>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">As mentioned, VoIP calls tend to be of much higher quality than those made over traditional landlines. But you can still do some things to improve the call quality when using a VoIP system.</span></p>
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Get a better headset</span></li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Get a router optimized for VoIP</span></li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Get a Digital Enhanced Cordless Telecommunication (DECT) phone</span></li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Get a jitter buffer</span></li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Protect the VoIP traffic stream, so part of the bandwidth is dedicated to the VoIP</span></li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Turn off Bluetooth devices that may be interfering</span></li>
</ul>
<h2><span style="font-weight: 400;">Get Started with Podium</span></h2>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">If you want to be able to make VoIP calls and are looking to modernize your phone strategy, consider getting phone services from Podium. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Stop missing leads. Start growing your business. Get started with <a href="https://www.podium.com/phones/">Podium Phones</a> today. </span></p>


What Is a VoIP Caller?

Want more resources like this?

Sign up for The Local Digest

Get started now