The Best Business VoIP Services for 2026

John Brandon, Ben Moore — Mon, 13 Apr 2026 17:32:10 +0000

Every company, no matter the size, needs a robust communications platform. The top voice over IP (VoIP) services we've tested deliver enterprise-grade phone system features for a small-business-friendly price.

What Is a VoIP Phone System?

Traditional landline phones are a form of analog telephony. VoIP, on the other hand, brings voice calling to the digital age. VoIP systems convert voice calls into network packets and transmit them over the internet or other IP-based networks. Most also include a bridge to …

FCC Threatens to Blacklist VoIP Provider for Hosting PS5 Robocall Scam

Michael Kan — Tue, 02 Dec 2025 18:21:08 +0000

The FCC alleges that SK Teleco is the 'primary source' for a robocall campaign that impersonates Walmart and uses bogus PS5 orders to scam people out of personal information.

The Federal Communications Commission is blaming a little-known VoIP provider for staging a robocall scam that uses PlayStation 5 orders as bait to trick consumers into responding.

On Tuesday, the FCC threatened to blacklist Montana-based VoIP provider

Hate Talking on the Phone? Send Yourself Straight to Voicemail With These Apps

Stephanie Mlot, Jason Cohen — Fri, 10 Oct 2025 15:46:42 +0000

You'll never have to talk on the phone again once you learn how to take advantage of ringless voicemail services and start recording voice memos.

Anyone born after 1996 probably doesn't understand the anxiety of making a phone call: The beating heart, the sweaty palms, the rehearsed conversation—all to ask what time a store opens. Even more foreign to Gen Z is the concept of voicemail, a computerized system for exchanging audio memos that no …

Lose Your Landline: The Best VoIP Home Phone Services for 2026

Ben Moore, Neil Mcallister — Wed, 20 Aug 2025 14:09:16 +0000

A voice over IP (VoIP) service can boost your call quality and save you money compared with a traditional landline. These are the best VoIP services we've tested for home phone needs.

Dialpad Connect

John Brandon, Wayne Rash, Paul Ferrill — Wed, 13 Aug 2025 13:00:00 +0000

A slick, reliable VoIP with some limitations

Dialpad Connect is a VoIP solution that fully supports calling, messaging, and video conferencing. It benefits from several improvements since the time of our last review, including a slicker interface and more helpful AI capabilities (such as call summaries and real-time transcription). All of its settings …

That 'Universal Service Charge' on Your Phone Bill Isn't Going Away

Rob Pegoraro — Fri, 27 Jun 2025 21:47:48 +0000

The Supreme Court rejects a challenge to the FCC's universal service fund, meaning the agency can continue collecting money from telcos to support service in rural and low-income areas.

The government program set up to ensure that all Americans have a baseline level of connectivity survived a legal challenge on Friday when the Supreme Court upheld the funding and administrative mechanisms of the FCC’s Universal Service Fund.

In a 6-3 ruling, the court rejected …

Microsoft Teams Phone

John Brandon, Paul Ferrill — Tue, 17 Jun 2025 17:58:26 +0000

A highly capable add-on to Microsoft Teams with powerful AI assistance

Microsoft Teams Phone is an optional extension for the Microsoft Teams communications app that extends its voice over IP (VoIP) capabilities. On the one hand, it offers an extensive set of telephony features and competitive Copilot AI capabilities …

Zoom Phone

John Brandon — Thu, 22 May 2025 15:47:40 +0000

A smart, low-cost VoIP with plenty of AI tools

The Zoom Phone voice over IP (VoIP) service stands out for its affordability without skimping on other aspects of the experience. It offers useful AI features, top-notch calling quality, and robust support resources all in a streamlined user experience, while also packaging SMS/MMS, …

NextivaONE

John Brandon, Paul Ferrill — Tue, 15 Apr 2025 16:28:33 +0000

An affordable VoIP service with limited AI and video meeting features

NextivaONE is a customer communications service with decent voice over IP (VoIP) features for small business teams of 10 people or fewer. It has a colorful, friendly interface and reliable tools for business calling, along with basic social media account monitoring capabilities. That …

Ooma Office

John Brandon, Wayne Rash, Paul Ferrill — Thu, 03 Apr 2025 19:20:48 +0000

Simple, cost-effective voice calling

Ooma Office is a small business-focused voice over IP (VoIP) service that doesn't make calls and meetings more complex than they need to be. It's easy for admins to set up and for team members to start using without much training. Ooma Office's …

Vonage Business Communications

John Brandon, Paul Ferrill — Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:35:29 +0000

A powerful VoIP system

Vonage's voice over IP (VoIP) roots extend back several decades, so it's no surprise that its Business Communications service has a clear interface and consistently excellent call quality. Its basic video conferencing features work well, too. But while its plans have reasonable starting …

8x8 Work

John Brandon — Sat, 01 Feb 2025 19:00:00 +0000

A straightforward and comprehensive VoIP platform

8x8 Work—formerly 8x8 eXperience Communications as a Service—is a workhorse VoIP system for small- and medium-sized businesses that simply need to make sure everything works. It offers reliable voice and video calls, while its interface, though a bit basic, is simple to use and navigate. …

Wildfire Evacuation Alert Accidentally Sent to Everyone in LA County

Jibin Joseph — Fri, 10 Jan 2025 14:41:39 +0000

While the message was intended for residents of Woodland Hills, officials say the registration location of the phones might have caused a wider distribution.

Los Angeles County has been battling wildfires for the last three days, with authorities issuing evacuation orders to residents of several affected neighborhoods. On Thursday afternoon, though, an evacuation alert was accidentally sent to everyone in the county, CBS …

Intermedia Unite

John Brandon — Tue, 31 Dec 2024 15:00:00 +0000

An advanced business VoIP service that puts usability first

The intuitive and reliable Intermedia Unite business VoIP system offers top-notch call administration features, an AI bot that helps you communicate with customers, and a respectable video conferencing experience. It even has messaging and file-syncing capabilities, along with decent

FCC Threatens to Block 2,400 Voice Providers Over Lax Robocall Enforcement

Michael Kan — Tue, 10 Dec 2024 21:48:02 +0000

The FCC says the providers, mostly little-known companies that provide VoIP services, have failed to follow rules designed to prevent them from facilitating robocalls and spam.

The Federal Communications Commission is threatening to block 2,411 domestic voice-calling services unless they comply with rules meant to stamp out robocalls.

The FCC flagged the providers today for failing to properly file with the agency's Robocall Mitigation Database, which requires …

RingCentral RingEX

John Brandon — Thu, 05 Dec 2024 18:41:57 +0000

A powerful business communications suite with robust integrations and AI features

RingCentral RingEX (formerly RingCentral MVP) is an advanced and reliable VoIP system that caters to both large and small businesses. Far beyond just a platform for taking calls, the feature-rich RingEX lets you write text messages to employees and clients, host video meetings, and even …

Here Are 2024's Most Used (and Worst) Passwords: Is Yours on the List?

Michael Kan — Thu, 14 Nov 2024 16:43:00 +0000

NordPass' annual list of the 200 most commonly used passwords finds that many people are leaving their accounts vulnerable to hacking, with '123456' once again taking the top spot.

PC Gaming On the TV? How to Turn Your Gamepad Into a Computer Mouse

Whitson Gordon — Thu, 14 Nov 2024 16:03:33 +0000

If you plan to play PC games on your big 4K TV, turning your game controller into a computer mouse can help make the process easier.

The PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X may be the new hotness for living room gaming, but if you want the benefits of PC gaming with the comfort of the couch, business VoIP and call center service that fits comfortably within the company's ecosystem of software. Its approachable design and quick setup make it easy to get going quickly, and we like that the free tier doesn't impose many restrictions. That …

Microsoft Bids Farewell to Ads on Skype

Jibin Joseph — Wed, 31 Jul 2024 17:14:27 +0000

The move is intended to provide a decluttered experience in Skype chats and channels.

If you're still using Skype, there's some good news. With an update that's rolling out now, Microsoft is making its video-conferencing platform ad-free.

"Our latest update removes all ads from Skype channels and the entire Skype platform, ensuring a smoother, decluttered, and more enjoyable user experience," …

AT&T Shells Out $370K to Hacker to Delete Stolen Phone Records

Emily Price — Sun, 14 Jul 2024 22:17:09 +0000

The hacker initially wanted $1 million.

Earlier this week, news spread of an AT&T hack involving stolen call records for tens of millions of its customers. As it turns out, AT&T reportedly paid a hacker $370,000 to delete the data and provide video proof of the deletion.

Wired spoke …

Not Dead Yet: AT&T Must Continue Providing Landline Service in California

Emily Price — Sat, 22 Jun 2024 13:47:23 +0000

AT&T is designated as a Carrier of Last Resort in the state for at least another year, the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) rules.

AT&T must continue providing landline phone service in California after the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) rejected the company’s request to stop providing the service.

AT&T has been designated as a Carrier of Last Resort (COLR) in the state since 1996, meaning it has committed to providing …

Business Choice 2024: The VoIP Services Preferred by Employees and IT Managers

Eric Griffith — Mon, 15 Apr 2024 14:20:18 +0000

The office phone is still the centerpiece of business communications after decades. Find out which VoIP provider is best for powering your calls.

For some, phone calls have gone the way of the dodo, but even in a world saturated in emails and Slack messages, there's still plenty of voice communication taking place at the office. Most of it is powered by a digital private branch exchange (PBX) system, better known as voice …

How to Get a Secret Phone Number (and Why You Need One)

Eric Griffith — Wed, 03 Apr 2024 18:06:29 +0000

These burner apps let you quickly create disposable phone numbers whenever you need to, which is much easier than buying and activating a burner phone.

Decades ago, people changed their phone numbers all the time. If you moved to a new place, you'd get a new number. But things are different these days. Now, you can take your first cell phone number with you for life, even keeping the area code on a new continent …

7 Ways to Improve VoIP Phone Call Quality When Working From Home

Oliver Rist — Mon, 24 Jul 2023 18:18:53 +0000

Frustrated with your digital phone service? Follow these simple steps to enjoy crystal-clear VoIP call clarity.

Over the last few years, much has changed regarding how we live and work, with the biggest difference being the shift from working in an office to working from home. That means you need access to work tools in your home office, and the most fundamental one is a phone …

FCC Orders Voice Providers to Block Company That Facilitated Robocall Scams

Stephanie Mlot — Fri, 12 May 2023 13:57:02 +0000

The FCC says the move is its first-ever 'roboblocking order.' Voice service providers have until June 10, 2023, to stop accepting traffic from One Eye.

The FCC is cracking down on a company that made it easier for scammers to inundate people with robocalls that impersonated a major financial institution.

The agency ordered voice service providers to block One Eye, which failed to block calls that tried to convince consumers a "preauthorized …

How to Keep Your Company’s Virtual Water Cooler Secure

Advertising Content From Intermedia None — Tue, 11 Apr 2023 21:33:44 +0000

A virtual space for socializing can help foster better collaboration between your hybrid teams, but is someone from the outside “listening in”? Here are some key tips for keeping employee communications secure.

Water-cooler conversations have long been a fixture of office life and a place for workers to bond and feel more connected as a team. But with the rise of remote and hybrid work, many of the casual, face-to-face chats that used to take place around the water cooler have gone …

Business Choice 2023: The Top VoIP Service for Your Office

Eric Griffith — Tue, 07 Mar 2023 18:42:16 +0000

Not everything is on online, many companies still require a capable phone system that delivers. And our readers name this brand the best VoIP service for the 10th year in a row.

Whether you call it a digital phone system, a virtual PBX, or simply voice over IP (VoIP), the service that keeps an office talking is essential. It has to be reliable and provide excellent voice quality and extras such as mobile support and fax capabilities make it even more useful. …

5 Ways AI Is Changing How We Collaborate in the Virtual Workspace

Advertising Content From Ringcentral None — Fri, 18 Nov 2022 14:09:05 +0000

Virtual collaboration is easier than ever before with the help of AI.

There are many moving pieces that keep a remote or global team running efficiently, and thankfully, the tools that allow for virtual collaboration have improved exceptionally. But noise-related hurdles still happen in a world where one teammate may be sitting quietly at their desk and another in the back of …

Google Fi Now Comes With One Year of YouTube Premium

Dave Leclair — Wed, 16 Nov 2022 17:00:00 +0000

You'll need to sign up for or already be on the Unlimited Plus Google Fi plan.

Google is looking to attract more people to its Unlimited Plus Google Fi wireless plan by offering an entire year of YouTube Premium for free with a new activation.

It's a nice added bonus for anyone looking to get …

You Can Try Cricket Wireless on iPhone for Free Right Now

Dave Leclair — Thu, 03 Nov 2022 21:09:45 +0000

Cricket is letting iPhone owners download an app and try its network with no upfront cost or commitment for 14 days.

Cricket Wireless, a solid, affordable MVNO, is letting anyone with an unlocked iPhone download the tryCricket app and use its network for 14 days.

The carrier doesn't require any upfront payment or commitments and promises that it won't interfere with the …

Freshdesk Contact Center

Wayne Rash, Paul Ferrill — Wed, 31 Aug 2022 17:07:30 +0000

An affordable softphone for call centers and customer service operations

Although Freshworks' Freshdesk Contact Center (previously known as Freshcaller) qualifies as a general-purpose, business voice-over-IP (VoIP) system, it differs from many competing services we tested in that it's primarily geared toward call center operations, large and small. This could be either an internal IT help …

FCC Goes After Voice Providers Enabling 8 Billion Auto-Warranty Robocalls

Rob Pegoraro — Fri, 08 Jul 2022 13:47:02 +0000

The FCC tells eight small voice providers to block calls from an operation that's been flooding people with robocalls or risk being cut off from the US telecom network entirely.

The FCC on Thursday moved to dismantle an operation it says is behind some 8 billion auto-warranty robocalls.

The commission notified eight regional US phone companies that they have 48 hours to block incoming calls from a group of scammers collectively known as …

7 Ways to Future-Proof Your Business VoIP for Hybrid Work

Neil Mcallister — Tue, 03 May 2022 21:35:45 +0000

For a distributed workforce, many traditional business communications practices no longer apply. Make the most of the new remote work reality with these top tips.

The way we work is dramatically changing. As COVID-19 restrictions loosen, some workers are preparing to return to the office, while others are leaning toward roles where they can permanently work from home. Likewise, the pandemic has led many companies to consider reducing their real estate expenditures and embrace

Business Choice 2022: The VoIP Services Our Readers Rate the Highest

Eric Griffith — Fri, 04 Mar 2022 13:00:00 +0000

The world has moved online, but if you still need a phone system in your workplace these voice over IP providers should be on your shortlist.

The big move by many businesses to a mostly work-from-home culture (aka hybrid work) doesn't mean there's less chat on the phone—instead, probably a lot more. The office place needs a good phone system no matter the size, and a virtual PBX, more commonly called …

10 Critical Questions to Ask Before Migrating to a New VoIP Phone Service

Wayne Rash — Wed, 23 Feb 2022 20:19:11 +0000

Today's hybrid work models make VoIP more attractive than ever, but they also make implementing it more complicated. Be sure to consider these points before making a major change.

With the rise of hybrid work, the widely distributed nature of today's workforce means you'll probably be in the market for a voice-over-IP (VoIP) system sooner or later. A cloud PBX not only lets your IT staff manage everyone's phone from a central location, it's also …

Skype Can Now Make Emergency Calls in the US

Nathaniel Mott — Sun, 20 Feb 2022 19:07:36 +0000

Microsoft has updated Skype's desktop and mobile apps with emergency call support.

Microsoft has updated Skype to let users in the US make emergency calls via the service.

XDA Developers spotted this new capability in the release notes for Skype 8.80, which was released for Windows, Mac, Linux, Android, iOS, iPadOS, and the web …

PCMag UK voip-phone-services