Telephone Options: Cell Phones, VoIP, And Standard Phone Lines

Telephone Options: Cell Phones, VoIP, And Standard Phone Lines

by Gabriel Adams

Ah, the almighty telephone--if only Alexander Graham Bell were here to see what has become of his wonderful invention! If it wasn't amazing enough to be able to communicate by phone in the first place, now we're doing so wirelessly from practically everywhere.
Take a quick moment and realize how cool that is! It's actually really amazing when you think about it! A decade or two ago, no one would have believed that every man, woman and child would have their own portable phone, but now they do!

But it doesn't end there; now cell phones are taking over to the point where many people are canceling their standard phone service! And others, yet, are turning to their internet connections for phone service as an alternative!

Just like every technology that is on the fast rise and changing so quickly, the era of modern telephone tech is starting to confuse the masses. Let's demystify your options quickly.

We'll look at each type of phone you can have, which ones are good, and which to ditch!

Standard Phone Lines

Standard phone lines used to be the only kind you could have. Another term used to describe a standard phone line is "a land line."

Standard Phone Advantages:

* Call Quality is Most Consistent Compared to other Phone Line Types * Easiest To Use to Make Basic Calls * No Complications or Added Features to Get in the Way * Free Nationwide Long Distance is Often Offered * Works during Power Outages * No Need To Recharge Phone Batteries, if Cord Phone is used * Harder to Lose Than Cell Phones * Always Works Indoors * Has Been Around Longest Thus Most Developed Technology * Easy to Find Service and Phones Anywhere * Useful in Home-Based Emergencies (less worries about dead batteries) * Fewer Dropped Calls than Cell Phones and VoIP * Better Customer Service than Cell Phone Providers

Standard Phone Disadvantages:

* Can't Use Outside Home (except perhaps in yard) * No Extra Features Like Text Messaging, Internet Access, Games, etc. * Can Be an Extra Unneeded Cost When Also Using Cell Phone * More Likely To Receive Telemarketing Calls in the Middle of Dinner * Do Not Usually Have Built-In Address Book * Not Generally Blu-Tooth Compatible

Cell Phones

Cell phones are quickly becoming as popular, if not more, than standard phone lines. Many people have struggled with whether they should still keep a standard phone line or not if they have a cell. There are valid arguments for and against this mindset. To decide, have a look at the advantages and disadvantages of cell phones.

Advantages of Cell Phones:

* Portable, Work Almost Anywhere * Have Extra Features like Text Messaging, Internet Access, Games, etc. * Have Built-In Address Book Standard * Blu-tooth Compatible Standard * Helpful in Emergencies outside the Home * Keep in Touch with People When Not Home * Better Call Quality than VoIP * Have Been Around Longer than VoIP

Disadvantages of Cell Phones:

* Don't Always Work Indoors * Quality Not Consistent * Dropped Calls * More likely to be Lost or Stolen * Fraudulent Charges on Bill More Likely * Lower Quality Customer Service than Land Lines * Have Not Been Around as Long as Land Lines = Less Developed Technology

VoIP Phone Lines

VoIP (voice over internet protocol) are internet-based phone lines. They are the newest, weakest and least popular technology in the current telephone industry. The future is bright, however, especially as internet speeds and reliability increase, and the advent of "internet everywhere" draws near.

Advantages of VoIP Phone Lines

* Often Less Expensive than other Phone Lines * Free International Communication is offered * Useable anywhere there is Internet Access * Work Better At Home than Some Cell Phones

Disadvantages of VoIP:

* Lower Call Quality Reported * Dropped Calls Most Common Among All Telephone Types * You Must Share Your Internet Bandwidth with the Phone * New and Under-developed technology (Arguably in a Beta Stage)

It is recommended not to use VoIP as an alternative to any other type of phone at this time. VoIP is probably "the future," as mentioned previously, but is not ready to be your primary phone line just yet. International callers and certain business people will find them useful, but they are not recommended for the masses as of now.

You should not consider getting phone service through your cable or internet service provider as an alternative to cell phones or land lines. VoIP, as a supplemental phone line is fine, however.