Many small business owners start out using a personal cell phone or a traditional landline to talk to customers. It works at first. But as call and text volume grows, it gets harder to keep conversations organized, respond quickly, and keep work from spilling into your personal life.
Non-fixed VoIP numbers give you an easier way to manage business calls and texts as things get busier. It works on the devices you already use without having to add any new hardware.
Below, we’ll walk you through how non-fixed VoIP phone numbers work and the benefits they offer growing teams. Plus, we’ll help you choose the right non-fixed VoIP provider.
What is non-fixed VoIP?
A non-fixed VoIP phone number is a virtual number that’s assigned to a specific user. It’s usually based on their email address instead of being tied to a physical phone line. This means you can access your phone wherever you can log into your account. As long as you have an internet connection and a device that’s compatible with your VoIP service provider, you can make calls from your phone number.
Your business doesn’t need a physical address to access non-fixed VoIP numbers. These virtual phone numbers are cloud-based rather than location-based. That means your team can claim and use numbers with pretty much any area code — from almost anywhere around the world.
How does non-fixed VoIP work?
Non-fixed VoIP exclusively uses the internet to connect you to phone calls.
When you make a non-fixed VoIP call, your phone service converts your audio into data packets. These travel over the internet to your call recipient before they’re translated back into audio.
Callers won’t be able to tell whether they’re calling a non-fixed or a fixed VoIP line, or even a landline. Since the flow of data happens in real time, the calling experience is the same for your clients.
Your non-fixed VoIP number can also use CNAM, short for Company ID Name. This lets callers automatically see your business name when you call.
With a business phone system like Quo, formerly OpenPhone, you can set up and manage CNAM in-app. Before you do, you’ll need to complete A2P 10DLC registration, since your CNAM name must match the company name you submit during setup. Quo walks you through the process step by step with our US carrier registration guide.
How does non-fixed VoIP compare to fixed VoIP?
Like a traditional landline phone, your VoIP phone number is assigned to a physical location using a fixed VoIP service. They often use the public switched telephone network, or PSTN. This means your business needs a physical location to have a fixed VoIP number. Plus, you’ll only be able to use the local area codes of cities where you have a physical presence, just like with old-school landlines.
The perk of having a physical address is that you can use your number to call emergency services. However, for everyday business usage, fixed VoIP can be an expensive hassle. For instance, if you’re a solopreneur in the US but want a Canadian phone number, you’ll have to invest in an office up in the Great White North. If you can’t, you’ll need to opt for a non-fixed VoIP phone.
Unlike a traditional landline phone, non-fixed VoIP numbers use the internet to connect you to phone calls. That said, depending on the provider, non-fixed VoIP numbers can also connect to the PSTN through a SIP trunk. SIP, or Session Initiation Protocol, acts as a bridge between making calls over the internet and traditional phone lines.
Who uses non-fixed VoIP phones?
Non-fixed VoIP numbers are a good fit for teams that need flexibility in how and where they handle calls. You’ll often see them used by:
- Inbound sales and support teams: Handling a high volume of inbound and outbound calls makes it easy for calls to be misdirected or go unanswered. When this happens, customers get frustrated, and sales or support opportunities slip through the cracks. Non-fixed VoIP phone numbers help solve this issue by letting you set up advanced call routing, including assigning multiple reps to the same number. These features ensure calls reach the right person or place faster — even when your team is busy.
- Staffing and recruiting firms: Recruiters spend most of their day communicating with candidates and clients to fill job positions. With non-fixed VoIP numbers, they can make and take calls from their device anywhere, as long as they have an internet connection.
- Small teams scaling up: Most businesses start small and hire as they grow. Non-fixed VoIP numbers make it easy to add people and provision new numbers without a lot of extra overhead. They can also give you access to AI voice agents, helping your team handle more calls without needing to hire more reps.
What are the pros and cons of fixed VoIP solutions?
There can be advantages to using a fixed VoIP system if you’re building a business with one regional office. But it’s not a great option if you have offices in multiple locations, remote teams, or a need for private communication.
If you’re deciding between non-fixed VoIP vs fixed VoIP solutions, here’s a closer look at the benefits and disadvantages of fixed VoIP options.
Pros of fixed VoIP solutions
Here are a few advantages of using a fixed VoIP solution.
1. Advanced calling and routing features
Fixed VoIP systems have advanced calling and routing capabilities like:
- hunt groups
- multi-digit extensions
- call forwarding
These features can optimize call flow and increase efficiency. They work best for businesses with one physical location, such as a local real estate agent’s office.
Keep in mind that these features often come with additional costs. What’s more, many non-fixed VoIP platforms offer the same solutions at a lower price.
2. Identifiable on caller ID
With a fixed VoIP system, your business number is tied to a specific location, which means it’ll have a caller ID. Having your number show up on caller ID can boost your credibility with clients.
Your customers may not have your number saved in their contacts. When clients can easily identify you, they’ll answer instead of mistaking your call for spam and letting it go to voicemail.
3. Emergency services
With a fixed VoIP solution, you can make emergency calls since the number is tied to a physical location.
Cons of fixed VoIP solutions
While fixed VoIP solutions have some benefits and may be a great fit for local and small businesses, the cons may outweigh the pros. Here are a couple of downsides to fixed VoIP apps.
1. Not scalable
Fixed VoIP numbers are more challenging to scale than non-fixed ones because the numbers are tied to a single location. With a fixed VoIP system, all numbers will be tied to your headquarters. You’ll need another physical address if you wish to establish a presence outside your city or country. This can be time-consuming and expensive to set up.
2. Requires hardware
Most fixed VoIP solutions require SIP trunks and other physical hardware. These make them more expensive to set up than non-fixed VoIP solutions.
Plus, international calls are expensive when they come from a local number. You’ll pay for international calls by the minute, which adds up over time. Additionally, international calling rates can change without warning.
What are the pros and cons of non-fixed VoIP solutions?
Non-fixed VoIP numbers = virtual phone numbers. You get it. So, what’s the big deal? Going fully digital may seem unnecessary — especially if you already use a fixed VoIP service or work from a company office. But it can offer enormous benefits to any business, even if your team isn’t remote.
Here are four perks of getting a non-fixed VoIP phone number, along with some potential drawbacks to consider.
Pros of non-fixed VoIP solutions
Here are some of the benefits of using a non-fixed VoIP solution.
1. Communicate remotely
Modern businesses are increasingly moving away from traditional office environments. Remote work is becoming the norm. Even companies with offices often use a hybrid model, have employees who travel for work, or serve customers beyond their local area. A fixed phone system is far too limiting for remote teams with clients around the world.
A non-fixed VoIP system gives you the flexibility to make calls anywhere you or your clients are from the devices you already use. This includes your laptop, desktop, smartphone, or tablet — typically with far lower rates for international calls to reach folks outside the US or Canada.
2. Build a local presence in multiple cities
When you’re not tied to a physical location, you can choose local numbers from practically any city. If you have customers in New York, you can call locals with a familiar 212 area code instead of a distant Miami area code like 786.
As you expand your business, you can easily sign up for more phone numbers with different area codes.
3. Keep your personal number private
When you use your personal phone number for business, it can appear in public records and online business listings. Your phone may endlessly ring due to scam calls, robocalls, and clients with “urgent” matters. And if you don’t want to mute calls from your loved ones, you won’t be able to stop those calls from coming in.
A non-fixed VoIP number allows you to have separate phone numbers for personal and business use on the same phone. This ensures you can keep your personal number private and prevents you from accidentally taking a work call late in the evening.
Best of all, you can tell when incoming calls are work-related and still answer them from your smartphone as a second phone number.
4. Easy to set up
Non-fixed VoIP phone numbers are the simplest type of number to set up. Without the need to deal with on-premises hardware or traditional phone lines, you can complete setting up a VoIP phone system in minutes.
5. Easy to provision additional phone numbers
Non-fixed VoIP phone numbers are easier to provision than traditional phone lines. You can add new numbers without installing hardware or waiting through a long setup process. For example, with Quo, you can provision phone numbers in just a few clicks.
6. Simple to reassign
With a non-fixed VoIP number, you don’t lose the number if someone on your team moves to another company. When someone changes roles or leaves the team, you can reassign the number to another rep.
When you reassign a number in Quo, our system keeps all of its call history, messages, and voicemails in the same place. This lets the next team member step in and continue ongoing conversations without missing context.
In many cases, you won’t need to reassign numbers at all. With shared numbers, multiple reps can use the same phone number, making handoffs easy as your team changes.
Cons of non-fixed VoIP solutions
While most businesses benefit from choosing a non-fixed VoIP solution, there are a few drawbacks.
1. Requires a strong internet connection
With non-fixed VoIP systems, call quality depends on your internet connection and power source. If you live in an area prone to power outages or have slow internet, you could experience issues like lag, jitter, or dropped calls.
To avoid these types of VoIP problems, look for a provider with a good uptime record. You should also invest in a strong internet connection.
2. Credibility concerns
Since virtual numbers aren’t tied to a physical address, caller ID can’t identify them. In some cases, customers might mistake your number for a spammer’s.
Don’t worry, though. Quo users can set up their own outgoing caller ID, eliminating this concern.
3. Limited use for account verification
Some companies don’t let you use non-fixed VoIP numbers for two-factor authentication. For example, platforms like Facebook, Uber, and Google often block these numbers for security reasons.
Fixed vs non-fixed VoIP for business: How to choose
Still on the fence about whether to use fixed or non-fixed VoIP solutions?
The questions below walk you through how to decide which setup makes the most sense for your team.
Do you operate from one physical location?
If your business is tied to a single address, fixed VoIP phone numbers can be a good option. This is often the case for local brick-and-mortar stores or offices where everyone works on-site, and calls are handled from one place.
Do you plan to scale or support remote work?
If your team is remote, hybrid, or spread across multiple locations, non-fixed VoIP numbers are usually the better fit. They make VoIP implementation easy and help keep VoIP costs down, since you won’t need any additional hardware, like desk phones and wiring.
Where are your customers located?
Think about who you talk to most often. If your customers live in different places, non-fixed VoIP numbers give you more flexibility as you scale. For example, you can buy phone numbers with different area codes to appear local to customers.
Why Quo is the best non-fixed VoIP provider
Choosing the right non-fixed VoIP solution can require plenty of research and comparison. We’re biased, but we like to think Quo makes it easy for clients to choose our service.
Many non-fixed VoIP software options offer the benefits we listed above. But Quo offers additional perks that few others provide.
1. Easily add teammates and new numbers as you scale
When your business grows, you’ll inevitably need to hire — and often, that means you need to purchase more phone numbers, too. Quo makes the process simple. You can invite new members via email and simultaneously assign them to new or existing telephone numbers.
If you ever need more numbers than you have users, you can quickly add a business line for $5 per number per month.
2. Effectively collaborate on communications remotely
Working together is as important for a remote team as it is for a traditional one. Quo is built to support collaboration, so you won’t miss yelling to coworkers over a cubicle.
Our non-fixed VoIP system allows unlimited team members to share phone numbers. Plus, you’ll be able to see when coworkers are already typing or on a call. Teams can also assign a ring order to handle calls more effectively.
Need to make group calls? Also known as three-way calling, Quo lets you add up to 10 people to the same call.
You can also share contacts and add custom properties with additional context for each relationship. This helps ensure your clients have a positive, consistent experience whenever a member of your team helps them.
3. Access US, Canadian, and toll-free numbers
With Quo, you can have different types of numbers to help you scale your business. This includes Canadian and US phone numbers — and you can make unlimited free calls and texts to either country. You can also get toll-free numbers, which allow clients throughout North America to call you for free.
4. Save time communicating with your business contacts
If you want to boost your company’s efficiency, you need a business phone service that helps your team work smarter, not harder. Quo helps you save time through automation by allowing you to set auto-replies for missed calls, voicemails, or texts. You’ll also be able to create text message templates called snippets. Plus, you can use Quo’s scheduled texts to stay TCPA compliant by only sending messages during your client’s business hours.
Quo offers integrations with popular business apps like HubSpot, Slack, Zapier, and email. This way, you don’t have to constantly hop between apps to benefit from them.
Improve your business communication with Quo
Opting for non-fixed VoIP phone numbers lets you expand your business globally. Plus, it’s simpler to set up and a great way to keep your business calls separate from your personal ones. With Quo specifically, you can streamline your business processes and make your team’s collaborative efforts smoother than ever — even if your whole team is remote. Start your free seven-day trial of Quo.
FAQs
Yes. Clients can call your non-fixed VoIP number just like they would a traditional phone number.
Yes. As long as your non-fixed VoIP service supports text messages, your clients can text your number. Keep in mind that Quo supports both SMS and MMS texting.
You can trace a non-fixed VoIP number, but not always back to the correct caller, which is why they’re sometimes used for fraudulent activity.
Non-fixed numbers aren’t linked to a geographic location, which allows their use on different devices or reassignment to new VoIP users. This means call tracing can be difficult and imperfect, even if you use a VoIP phone number lookup tool like Twilio Lookup.
A non-fixed VoIP phone is not a cell phone, but you can use it on your cell phone. Non-fixed VoIP phones are fully virtual phones that you can access through apps on any compatible device. Quo offers desktop, web, and mobile phone apps.
A non-fixed VoIP number lets you initiate and receive calls from different devices with an internet connection. These devices include your laptop, computer, smartphone, and tablet.
Are you living overseas for a few months? With a non-fixed VoIP number, you won’t miss out on any important work calls.
There isn’t a simple way to tell just by looking at a phone number. Non-fixed VoIP numbers look like standard local or toll-free numbers and appear the same when you make or receive calls.
– Set up a professional voicemail greeting. Record a short greeting that clearly says your business name and when the caller can expect a callback. This reassures callers that they reached a real business and didn’t dial the wrong number.
– Choose a reliable provider. Look for a robust softphone that covers the essentials, like unlimited domestic calls. You should also be able to integrate with the tools you already use, access AI voice agents, and more. Plus, your provider should make it easy to port your phone number to its platform.
– Avoid spam-like calling behavior. Stick to reasonable call volumes, avoid repeated unanswered calls, and follow up thoughtfully. Consistent, respectful outreach helps keep your number from being flagged or ignored.
A non-VoIP number is a traditional phone number provided by a mobile carrier or landline service. It’s typically tied to a physical SIM card or address. Plus, it doesn’t rely on internet-based calling. Non-VoIP phone numbers are also often needed for things like two-factor authentication and account verification.
