Non-fixed VoIP: The essential guide

Wondering what is a non-fixed VoIP phone number?

A non-fixed VoIP phone number is a virtual number that’s assigned to a specific user, usually based on their email address, instead of 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‘s app, you can make calls from your phone number.

Your business doesn’t need a physical address to access non-fixed VoIP numbers. Since these virtual phone numbers are cloud-based, rather than location-based, your team can claim and use numbers with pretty much any area code — no matter their location around the world.  🌎

Read on to learn more about how non-fixed VoIP phone numbers work, their key benefits, and the top non-fixed VoIP provider.

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, which travel over the internet to your call recipient before they’re translated back into audio.

Callers won’t be able to tell if they’re calling non-fixed, fixed VoIP lines, or even a landline. Since the flow of data happens in real time, the calling experience is exactly the same for your clients.

How does non-fixed VoIP compare to fixed VoIP?

Unlike non-fixed VoIP systems, fixed VoIP phone systems rely on the public switched telephone network (PSTN), which means they’re not entirely run on the internet. Rather, 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 you have a physical presence in, as is the case with old-school landlines. ☎️

The perk of getting tied to a physical address is 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 — or, you can simply opt for a non-fixed VoIP phone.

Check out our full guide to non-fixed VoIP vs fixed VoIP to learn more about how these two systems compare. 

What are the benefits of non-fixed VoIP phone numbers?

Non-fixed VoIP numbers = virtual phone numbers. You get it. So what’s the big deal? While going fully digital may seem unnecessary — especially if you’re already using a fixed VoIP service or working from a company office — 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.

1. Communicate remotely

Modern businesses are increasingly moving away from traditional office environments. Remote work is becoming a norm — and even companies with offices commonly use a hybrid model, have employees that travel for work, or serve customers well 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 — 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.

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 on your 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 use and business use on the same phone, so you can keep your personal number private and stop your ringtone from driving you insane.

Best of all, you can always tell when incoming calls are work-related and still be able to take those calls from your existing smartphone as a second phone number.

4. Simplify setup

Non-fixed VoIP phone numbers are the simplest type of number to obtain. Signing up for an account and accessing your first number is a lot like signing up for any other business app. Without the need to deal with on-premise hardware or traditional phone lines, you can complete the signup process within minutes without paying for professional help.

Why OpenPhone is the best non-fixed VoIP provider

Choosing the right non-fixed VoIP solution can require plenty of research and comparison, but we like to think OpenPhone makes it easy for clients to choose our service. While all non-fixed VoIP providers can offer the benefits we listed above, OpenPhone offers a large amount of additional perks that few other business phone systems 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. OpenPhone makes the process simple. With a few taps and a small increase to your monthly payment, 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 month.

2. Effectively collaborate on communications remotely

Working together is as important for a remote team as it is for a traditional one. OpenPhone 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 and visually see when coworkers are already typing or on a call. You can also share contacts and add custom properties with additional context for each relationship, so your clients get a positive, consistent experience anytime someone on your team helps them out. 🙌

3. Access US, Canadian, and toll-free numbers

Most popular non-fixed VoIP providers offer local US numbers, but growing an international presence may prove more difficult. With OpenPhone, you have far more options that can lend a hand in your expansion. You can access Canadian and US phone numbers — and 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 business phone functionality that helps your team work smarter, not harder. OpenPhone helps you save time through automation by allowing you to set auto-replies for missed calls, voicemails, or texts, and create text message templates called snippets.

OpenPhone also 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 OpenPhone

Opting for non-fixed VoIP phone numbers for your business allows you to easily expand your team globally and reach an international clientele. Plus, it’s simpler to set up and a great way to keep your business calls separate from your personal ones. With OpenPhone 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 trial of OpenPhone.

Non-fixed VoIP FAQ

Emily Liu

Emily is a freelance business and marketing writer based in the desert, though her writing is anything but dry. Her passion is writing compelling, human-friendly content that helps growing businesses perform better.