VoIP vs Traditional Landline — The Key Differences
VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) and traditional landlines both let you make and receive calls. The difference is how they do it — and that difference has a massive impact on cost, features and future-readiness.
How Traditional Landlines Work
Traditional landlines use circuit-switching — a dedicated copper wire connection is made for every call. The analogue signal travels physically down a phone line from BT's exchange to your premises. It's reliable technology, but it's over 100 years old, expensive to maintain and packed with limitations.
How VoIP Works
VoIP converts your voice into digital data packets and sends them over your internet connection. There's no physical circuit — your call shares bandwidth with everything else on your broadband. Modern codecs make VoIP calls indistinguishable from landline calls in terms of clarity.
Head-to-Head Comparison
| Feature | VoIP | Traditional Landline |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly cost | £15–£35/user | £30–£80+/line |
| UK call charges | Included | Per-minute charges |
| AI receptionist | ✓ | ❌ |
| Remote working | ✓ App on any device | ❌ Fixed location only |
| Call recording | ✓ Cloud stored | ❌ Expensive add-on |
| 2027 PSTN ready | ✓ Already compliant | ❌ Will stop working |
| Add new lines | Instant, no hardware | Engineer visit needed |
When Would You Choose Traditional Over VoIP?
There are very few scenarios in 2025 where a traditional landline makes more sense than VoIP for a business. The only exceptions are locations with very poor broadband (in which case we'd recommend Starlink satellite first) or very specific legacy equipment integrations. Even then, the 2027 deadline means the choice is being made for you.