Best Home Office IP Phone
With smartphones and voice apps dominating the communication market, it is understandable that IP phones take a backseat. To give it its full name, Voice over Internet Protocol or VoIP is a communication technology for making phone calls over the internet. These come in a wide variety, and the one you choose will depend on your needs.
But why even bother to get an IP phone? Many businesses still use analog phones, AKA landlines, and traditional PSTN and ISDN networks. Additionally, the average cost for a regular landline is about $50 a month, and you can only do domestic and local calls at best. If you make international calls, expect to pay a minimum of $0.05 a minute, depending on the country.
On the other hand, an IP line costs about $20 per month, and you can make international calls for as little as $0.02 a minute.
Using an IP phone is more cost-effective if you make many calls, especially if they are in different area codes – perfect for a home-business application.
The Best Home Office IP Phones
If you are in the market for an IP phone, you want to find out which will give you the most bang for your buck. You will find at least one that will satisfy all your requirements as to features and price. Below are our top picks for home office IP phones.
Polycom VVX 601
The Polycom VVX 601 IP phone is perhaps one of the best IP phones around. It’s a good-looking desktop unit and speakerphone with a gesture-based, multitouch-capable capacitive 4.3-inch touchscreen and 16-line keys
The Polycom VVX 601 IP phone is perhaps one of the best IP phones around. It’s a good-looking desktop unit and speakerphone with a gesture-based, multitouch-capable capacitive 4.3-inch touchscreen and 16-line keys (you can register up to 16 local lines). It has HD voice-quality capability, a Gigabit Ethernet bridge, and Bluetooth support. It also has dual USB ports, an RJ-9 port, and local 3-way audio conferencing.
The desktop device picks up the voice on the other end without any trouble and matches multi-call environments at high volumes, making it ideal for call center setups. However, what makes it stand out is the precise and ergonomic design that makes it easy to use and understand as a home office IP phone.
The Polycom VVX 601 IP phone is flexible with good volume going in and out, video, and a touchscreen. However, the price might make you hesitate unless you routinely place a lot of calls. It retails for $260 on Amazon for new, $150 for a used unit.
Cisco 7841
The Cisco 7841 is functional but does not have all the bells and whistles of its more expensive counterparts. However, you probably won’t need most of the extra features if all you need is an IP phone for a moderate number of calls.
If you are on a budget and only need up to four lines, you might want to check out the Cisco 7841. It’s dependable and durable, with physical buttons that light up to indicate that a call is waiting. This device works on hosted and on-premises systems, so you have a choice. The Cisco 7841 comes with a grayscale display, programmable feature keys, and a wideband speakerphone for hands-free operation.
The Cisco 7841 is functional but does not have all the bells and whistles of its more expensive counterparts. However, you probably won’t need most of the extra features if all you need is an IP phone for a moderate number of calls. The Cisco 7841 is available as a renewed unit on Amazon for $70.
Yealink SIP-T58A
If you want an IP phone with a bigger touchscreen, check out the Yealink SIP-T58A. It is a smart media phone with a 7-inch adjustable capacitive touchscreen.
If you want an IP phone with a bigger touchscreen, check out the Yealink SIP-T58A. It is a smart media phone with a 7-inch adjustable capacitive touchscreen. It also has eight feature keys, integrated Wi-Fi (a plus), Bluetooth, a built-in recorder, a calendar, and a web browser.
Because it is based on the Android 5.1.1 OS, it has an open Software Development Kit (SDK), meaning the SIP-T58A also supports third-party business applications. You can turn it into a video phone if you need video conferencing capabilities by getting the external 2MP HD camera.
Other features include noise-proof technology, DoorPhone features, USB port, and can handle up to 16 VoIP accounts using DECT technology. With 5-party audio conferencing and hearing aid compatibility, you have a winner.
The price might give you pause as the Yealink SIP-T58A retails at $340.00 on Amazon. However, if you want or need all these features and the huge touchscreen, it might be worth it to you.
Yealink W60P
The Yealink W60P is a premium cordless IP phone, which is excellent if you have a habit of walking around while making deals or negotiating with a supplier.
The Yealink W60P is a premium cordless IP phone, which is excellent if you have a habit of walking around while making deals or negotiating with a supplier. You don’t have to worry about tangling up the wires or having to sit in one place. However, battery issues can be a problem, especially if you forget to charge the handset.
The Yealink W60P battery holds a full charge for up to 30 hours of talk time and 400 hours on standby, so maybe that will help. In a pinch, you can charge it on the charging base station for 10 minutes, and it will let you talk for two hours. By the way, one base station connects to up to 8 handsets, each one able to handle two calls simultaneously, so that’s one way to extend your calling capacity without getting whole sets.
Under ideal conditions, the handsets have an indoor range of 164 feet and an outdoor range of 985 feet. Each handset has a 2.4-inch display, and all the standard IP phone features included six function keys, six shortcut keys, call forwarding, voicemail, redial, and speed dial.
The Yealink W60P is not heavy on extra features, but it is a reliable device for voice calls. It retails for $170 on Amazon, which includes one base station and one DECT IP phone. An expansion handset costs $99.
Cisco 8845
The Cisco 8845 uses encryption for both video and voice communications so that you can be sure of confidentiality. The user interface is also intuitive, and the handpiece is ergonomic, so it is easy to use and fumble-free.
Many people have become familiar with video conferencing since the lockdowns started in mid-2020. The pandemic did a number on many companies, but it certainly didn’t hurt the bottom line of Zoom. However, if you prefer a more secure way to hold video conference calls and still have regular voice calls, Cisco 8845 IP phone might just be the option for you.
This IP phone has a 5-inch widescreen color display that supports 720p HD video and a wideband speakerphone for hands-free use. More importantly, the Cisco 8845 uses encryption for both video and voice communications so that you can be sure of confidentiality. The user interface is also intuitive, and the handpiece is ergonomic, so it is easy to use and fumble-free.
The Cisco 8845 has Bluetooth support and Ethernet so that you can switch between wireless and wired. It has programmable line and fixed function keys for frequently used features such as hold and transfer. The set comes with a headset and mute key for those private moments.
The Cisco 8845 IP phone retails for $399.99 on Amazon, not including the power supply, and $469.59 for the complete set.
Gigaset C530IP
This is a reliable device designed solely for HD voice calls and not much else. It does keep you connected on Facebook, which can be useful if you have an FB business page (you should) and can handle up to six SIP accounts.
If you need an IP phone for a business all by yourself and on a budget, you want something that can do the job – send and receive voice calls – without having features you will probably never need. The German-made Gigaset C530IP is just the right pick for you.
This is a reliable device designed solely for HD voice calls and not much else. It does keep you connected on Facebook, which can be useful if you have an FB business page (you should) and can handle up to six SIP accounts.
The C530IP is also wireless, and a fully-charged battery can give you up to14 hours of talk time and 320 hours on standby, so there’s a bonus for you. You might have to squint to see the display, though, as it is only 1.8 inches.
The Gigaset C530IP retails for $99.99 on Amazon for one handset. You can get an extra handset for $59.99, but you probably won’t need it if you are a one-person operation.
Grandstream GXP2170
Add Bluetooth capability, USB ports, and an RJ-9 port, and you have a reconfigurable handset that will allow you to speed-dial up to 48 different numbers. This comes in handy when you regularly make calls to a long list of contracts and in a high-volume call environment.
If you want customizability in your IP phone, consider the Grandstream GXP2170. It has 48 customizable speed-dial keys and another 160 keys if you get the optional module. It also supports up to six SIP accounts and five-way conferencing.
Add Bluetooth capability, USB ports, and an RJ-9 port, and you have a reconfigurable handset that will allow you to speed-dial up to 48 different numbers. This comes in handy when you regularly make calls to a long list of contracts and in a high-volume call environment.
The GXP2170 comes with 12 line keys, a 4.3-inch LCD with 480×272 resolution, and a wall-mountable base stand. Other features include Google Voice support, internet radio reception, and streaming for weather, currency, and stock updates on the screen.
If you’re worried about unauthorized access, the GXP2170 comes with administrator and user-level passwords. It also uses 256-bit AES encryption. Overall, it is a good option for busy executives.
The Grandstream GXP2170 retails at $110 on Amazon. Add the expansion module for $85.
After Thoughts
It might seem strange to think about IP phones when video conferencing apps are readily available online. However, an IP phone can connect to other IP phones and landlines more affordably and reliably than through web and phone apps, and you can make simultaneous calls.
IP phones are just more convenient when you make frequent and regular voice calls from your home office, and these are the best ones that will fit most needs.
