Recently, while upgrading some things around the house, I noticed several things that were not needed. I know most people will first look to upgrade their refrigerator or television, or other fancy electronics. However, for me, the stationary phone quietly resting in the lounge was the first thing that came to my mind. 

mature-couple-calculating-family-budget

It was taking up space and, honestly, was rarely used these days. The only calls that came through were from cold callers, salespeople, and solicitors. And these were doing more harm than good. 

So why would I need it anymore?

Why Hold On to Your Traditional Phones

Smartphones and digital apps have rendered the traditional phone almost useless. Like you, I did not want to get stuck with a wired connection when I could connect with anyone, anytime. 

I was thinking of cutting the landline for good as it would save cost, and moms like me need every bit of cost saving. However, a friend who works in a large office introduced me to AXvoice and intrigued me with the features to think otherwise. Now, after using it for 5 months, I realize why I was recommended to use the service in the first place. 

AXvoice is a home phone-based service that uses Voice over Internet Protocol (VOIP) to convert an analog phone into a digital one. In short, you get a superior voice experience and advanced features within your existing phone. It is also the cheapest VoIP home phone service in the USA and Canada, and it allows unlimited and inexpensive long-distance calls.

The Thing I Dreaded the Most – Installation! 

I was scared to install a VoIP-based service since I had only recently learned what VoIP was. But honestly, AXvoice was really simple to get up and running. 

Before installation, you need to sign up and choose from the many residential plans the service offers. Once you do, you will receive the Plug and Play hardware within 3 to 5 days (I received mine in 2 days). 

The stuff you get includes an AXvoice Broadband Phone Adapter, an ethernet phone cable, and a power brick. As you are using your existing landline, there is no need for any other additional equipment. 

And the set up was pretty easy as well:

  1. I removed the AXvoice Phone adapter from the shipping box and turned off the power to my cable/DSL modem and router.
  2. Then I inserted one end of the ethernet phone cable into the port labeled ‘LAN’ on the adapter and the other end into my DSL/cable modem.
  3. After that, I connected one end of my landline telephone cable to the phone port of the AXvoice Telephone Adapter and the other end to the landline telephone.
  4. Next, I connected the AC power adapter to the AXvoice Telephone Adapter. First, I had to turn on the power of my cable or DSL, and after 1 minute, turned on the AXvoice Phone Adapter.

Trust me, it is much easier than it sounds.

The installation process did not take someone like me, who’s completely non-technical, any time at all. The best advantage is that you can switch to AXvoice with your existing landline number. 

AXvoice Features That I Got

With VOIP technology already popular, most services offer more or less the same features. However, you are expected to get a few features if you subscribe to a basic plan. For advanced options, you pay a relatively high monthly fee. This is where AXvoice will surprise you as it did me. The service does offer numerous plans, but the 30-odd features are standard on each.

The call quality was miles ahead of anything else. I would say it was on par with, if not better than, my smartphone. This alone made me use the landline more than my mobile phone.

My favorite feature was the anonymous call rejection feature since it allowed me to block robot calls and scammers – a true lifesaver. 

Call forwarding to my mobile phone was a close second favorite.

If you experience a power outage (which I do with storms in the area) or your internet provider is down, you can direct the calls to another number. And with the ‘call filter’ option, you can filter the contacts and redirect them to your AXvoice line. 

When managing business from home, the call-waiting functionality helped me take two calls simultaneously without hanging up on either one. With Axvoice, three calls can ring together, and you can even set different ringtones.   

If you are too occupied with running household chores or work and do not wish to take the calls, you can always.

  • Redirect the calls to voicemail and activate the option ‘Do not disturb.’
  • Use caller ID to see any anonymous callers
  • Block international and even anonymous callers using the call filter. 
  • Reject incoming calls from anonymous numbers.

The Online Account Management Was Pretty Easy as Well!

AXvoice’s dashboard is categorized into Accounts, Features, Billing, Call Activity, Voice Mail, and Add-ons. 

The quality of your experience with AXvoice will depend on your internet connection. My internet speed was not great, but I used the online portal to adjust the bandwidth as required by AXvoice. 

I wanted to separate work calls from personal ones. Enabling ‘Simultaneous Ring’ and choosing the ringtone of the number you are called at was simple. This feature is available for multiple numbers. 

There have been one or two instances where a potential client’s number was lost among the daily calls. Now even if I miss an important business call, I can use AXvoice’s ‘call logs’ to track missed calls and view incoming and outgoing calls. Not to mention the functional voicemails where you can check, move, and delete voicemails from any browser-based device. 

Pricing: The Major Deciding Factor that Tilted the Scale in AXvoice’s Favor

You will indeed look for other VOIP-based services; I know I did. The thing I was hung up on most was the pricing. 

For comparison, I found another popular VoIP service, ITP, and did a head-to-head price comparison. 

ITP is another service that offers residential VOIP plans at economical rates. These include Basic Residential, Premium Residential, and Global Residential. 

Here is the price comparison of their plans. 

AXVoiceITP
Pay As You Go: $4.99/monthUS/Canada 200: $5.99/monthHome Phone Service USA/Canada: $8.25/month
Basic Residential: $9.99 Premium Residential: $19.99 Global Residential: $24.99

Summing Up

AXvoice VOIP phone service is the reason why the ringtone of the landline phone still reverberates in my house. The service includes many user-friendly features that can ease managing daily phone calls. 

All the essential hardware is included in the plan, which means you do not have to pay any additional costs. AXvoice offers so many economic plans that you can easily find one that meets your needs.