There are many means of communication out there, email, text messaging, messengers, video calling or conferencing, etc. These make all kinds of communication much easier, no matter if it’s personal or business.

In the fast-paced environment of today, messages need to be conveyed quickly and easily. The regular phone call is unbeatable in this situation because sometimes a good old-fashioned phone call is enough.

The need for making phone calls easy and affordable has brought us VoIP (voice over internet protocol) phones. These are not only more convenient, but they offer a better phone call quality than landlines.

The main advantage of VoIP phones is that they can be used both by businesses and by individuals. There are a lot of them on the market, which can make the decision-making process last quite a long time.

This is why we decided to make it easier for you and help you understand:

Phone Options for Small Businesses and Home

There are numerous phone options both for small businesses and for homes on the market. Let’s start with the most basic difference between phone options. If you want to skip ahead and avoid overthinking which option you should use, give Ringblaze a try.

The most important difference is the one regarding the costs. Landlines are more expensive than most VoIP phones. VoIP providers offer much more affordable rates than most landline providers.

If you opt for any VoIP provider over a landline service, you will certainly reduce your monthly costs. When you’re running a small business, and you’re offering customer service through a call center, VoIP is the right way to go.

Some offer unlimited minutes which is a great solution for any busy call center. Plus, international call pricing is reduced as well. When using a landline the minutes you spend are charged to your business’s bank account as you spend them.

Another huge advantage of VoIP phones is that there are no additional costs regarding hardware. Most VoIP providers are cloud-based and operate through software. 

There’s no need to buy any additional components because the hardware is hosted offsite. This means that the VoIP provider has all the necessary parts. Landlines need to go through additional hardware.

This brings us to geographical boundaries. Landlines are largely restricted to local areas or countries. VoIP phones don’t have such restrictions as they work through the internet, and they can work worldwide.

Finally, VoIP can be used across multiple devices, including mobile phones.

VoIP System Types

In general, VoIP systems convert your voice into data packets and transmit it over internet protocols. They all work the same way, you can place a call over your laptop, mobile phone, or other devices using VoIP.

There are three different types of VoIP systems, and all of them have their advantages and disadvantages.

These three categories are:

  • On-premise VoIP systems — a VoIP system that is hosted by the business itself. Hardware is maintained on the premises, software is regularly updated and upgraded to fulfill the needs of the business. The whole system is fully controlled by one company.
  • Hosted VoIP systems — can be a good solution for small businesses. This way your business can connect to the cloud, and you can have a call center at a low cost. You can connect multiple devices and make a network that provides a great customer experience.
  • Software VoIP systems — recommended for small-scale businesses at the beginning. However, if set up the right way, these can simulate call centers at much more affordable rates.

Now that you know the types of VoIP systems, it’s only suitable to speak about some famous VoIP providers. We’re going to compare BasicTalk vs Vonage.

Although people are working from home now, VoIP for home and VoIP for business are quite different. VoIP for home is designed for single use, not to support call centers. However, we decided to compare two great solutions and add a little about a VoIP business solution as well.

BasicTalk vs Vonage Comparison Table

If you’re in a hurry, take a look at the comparison table of Vonage vs BasicTalk for residential use.

BasicTalk vs Vonage comparison chart
BasicTalk vs Vonage comparison table 

BasicTalk review

BasicTalk phones are a great solution for homeowners, and they are just what their name implies. If you opt for BasicTalk, you can expect BasicTalk phone services. 

The BasicTalk phones come with an adapter (BasicTalk box) that connects your home phone to the internet. With the box, you can place unlimited calls to numbers across the U.S., Canada, and Puerto Rico.

International calls are not allowed, but you can receive calls from anywhere in the world. This is one of the downsides of BasicTalk, as it doesn’t have any other plans that include international calling.

An advantage is that it’s fairly easy to set up, and the website contains a tech support section with troubleshooting and installation tutorials, including how to set up BasicTalk voicemail.

Customer support is available from 9:00 am to 9:00 pm EST during the workweek. Emailing them is another option that works.

BasicTalk offers a refund if you’re not happy after 7 days of using their phone. If you activate your account through the website, you get the hardware for free, and you can connect your dial-pad phone to the box immediately. There are no hidden expenses.

Vonage review

Vonage offers a home phone service similar to that of BasicTalk. By subscribing to one of their services you’ll receive a Vonage box, a similar adapter to the BasicTalk box.

It’s also easy to set up. It gets connected to the internet through the adapter, and you are all set to make calls. Vonage has its Vonage Home Extensions app that lets you carry the same phone number anywhere with you.

You can download the app for Android or iOS on your phone, register the number, and there you have it. People make calls to your residential phone and you receive them on your mobile phone.

Unlimited calls nationwide in the U.S. including Canada and Puerto Rico. International calling is allowed, but it depends on the plan you choose. If you’re wondering how much does Vonage cost, it starts from 14.99$ a month.

BasicTalk vs Vonage: Vonage pricing chart
Vonage residential pricing plans

Unlike some more basic VoIP phone services, Vonage VoIP phones include:

  • 3-way calling — you can add a third person to a conversation.
  • Call hunting — up to five lines can ring in sequence until you answer the call.
  • Ring lists — you can direct your calls to the lines you choose.
  • Network availability numbers — if there’s a power outage, your calls get forwarded to a number that you pick.

As for the customer support part of Vonage residential, they have a ‘click-to-chat’ button on their website. This is great because they can answer your inquiry anytime over the internet.

If you prefer email, their service is available 24/7, and they answer within 24 hours. If you’re in a hurry, you can always call their customer support throughout the week, at any time. Saturdays, they work from 9:00 am to 8:30 pm, and they are closed Sundays.

See also: Vonage alternatives and Vonage vs Broadvoice

BasicTalk vs Vonage: Overview

When it comes to residential use Vonage has more features available than BasicTalk, but it is more expensive because of that.

The key difference is that there’s no BasicTalk app, but there is a Vonage app that you can install on your mobile phone.

Both of the providers use regular dialpad phones, and you have to buy the adapter to connect to the internet, but it is a worthwhile investment. They are both cheaper than regular landlines.

Vonage allows international calling per the choice of plan, whereas BasicTalk has only one plan that doesn’t.

Vonage offers customer support more or less 24/7 while BasicTalk only offers it within a 9:00 am — 9:00 pm EST frame.

The most important difference between these two VoIP providers is that Vonage also offers a non-residential VoIP phone service that can be used by small businesses.

See also how BasicTalk compares to magicJack.

Vonage VoIP phones for business

Unlike BasicTalk which is a great solution for residential use, Vonage offers multiple services for small businesses as well.

Vonage’s cloud contact center software includes numerous features:

  • Performance management — gamification that rewards employees for their performance. Conversation analysis that prevents future issues. Customized dashboards, wallboards, and reports. CRM data storage including KPIs, recordings, and transcripts.
  • Digital channels — chatbots, webchat, email, etc. A combination of all possible platforms for achieving excellent customer experiences.
  • Voice — automatic call distribution with dynamic call routing. Automated dialing, global plans, voice quality assurance, and more.
  • Workforce optimization — coaching, screen recording, call recording, quality management, etc.

Because of these features, the pricing for Vonage’s business solutions is a little costly. The most basic plan starts at 19.99$ per line per month, and it includes unlimited calls, text, the app center, and team messaging.

The premium plan is 29.99$ per line per month and it contains all the features of the previous one plus unlimited video, CRM integration, IP desk phone capability, etc. The advanced plan is 39.99$ and contains all premium features plus other advantages.

Vonage pricing chart

On Vonage’s website, you could get a quote on the cost of your small business cloud call center. You could also get in touch with one of the representatives to get a cost estimate.

Summary

BasicTalk only offers basictalk phone services. It’s a great replacement for a landline, it’s cheaper than a landline, and you have all the features of a landline integrated into it.

Vonage provides VoIP phones for residential use, and services to businesses as well. It can be a great solution for a business striving to achieve great customer experiences. It contains multiple features that aim to improve agent competencies and make their jobs easier.

The only downside of Vonage’s services is that they are quite costly. However, both of these services work well for the intended users.

If you’re looking for a business phone solution that suits the needs of both small and large businesses, Ringblaze might just be the one for you!

Ringblaze desktop and mobile app
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Ringblaze has only one pricing plan that includes a shared dashboard to help track progress of your customer’s experiences and increase collaboration among your team. It’s easy to set up and it works with numbers across the globe. Your customers will be able to reach you instantly from anywhere in the world.

Sign up today or request a demo with me!

BasicTalk vs Vonage: FAQs

Is BasicTalk part of Vonage?

In a way, yes. Vonage is the parent company of BasicTalk. 

What is the alternative to BasicTalk?

The main alternative to BasicTalk is Vonage. There are also other competitors worth considering, such as Ringblaze, which offers affordable pricing, international numbers and businesses of all sizes.

How much does BasicTalk cost?

BasicTalk costs $9.99. However, it doesn’t take any new clients at the moment. The low price is only available for existing customers.

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