What is VoIP? Business phones, explained like a human
No jargon, we promise. Here is how business phones went from a wire in the wall to a phone system that lives in the cloud, rings your cell and takes notes for you.
From the wire in the wall to the internet
For about a hundred years, your phone was a copper wire running from your wall to the phone company. VoIP (voice over internet protocol) sends the same call over the internet instead. Your number stops being a wire and becomes a setting.
The old way: the wire in the wall
- One line, one call, one location
- Want a second line? A technician and a second wire
- Moving offices? New number, probably
- Features: ringing. Also, not ringing.
The new way: VoIP
- Calls travel over your internet
- Ring desk phones, cell phones and laptops at once
- Take your number anywhere in Canada
- Menus, voicemail to email, recording, video, AI
Things your old phone could only dream of
Wi-Fi phones
Cordless phones that use your Wi-Fi, so you can wander the office, warehouse or clinic and stay reachable.
Video calling
Desk phones with cameras, and apps that switch a call to video in one tap. Brush your hair first.
Your desk phone in your pocket
The app puts your office extension on your cell phone, with your business caller ID.
Voicemail in your inbox
Messages arrive as email, with a written transcript if you like.
Calls that file themselves
AI Call Desk records, summarises and tickets every call.
A real handset, if you want it
Yes, you can still slam the phone down after a bad call. It is the most satisfying thing in modern office life, and VoIP keeps it alive.
How a VoIP call works, in four steps
- You speak. Your phone or app turns your voice into tiny packets of data.
- The packets travel over your internet connection to a phone system in a data centre (for us, a Canadian one).
- The phone system hands the call to a Canadian carrier, which connects it to the person you are calling, on any phone anywhere.
- This all happens in a fraction of a second. You just hear "Hello?".
Do you need a phone system or just a number?
If it is just you, or a few people on cell phones, a $99-a-year Essentials number is perfect. If you have a front desk, multiple staff or desk phones, you want a hosted phone system. Not sure? Build both in the builder and compare.
The glossary
| Term | What it actually means |
|---|---|
| VoIP | Voice over Internet Protocol. Phone calls that travel over the internet instead of a copper wire. |
| PBX | Private Branch Exchange: the brain of a business phone system that routes calls to the right person. |
| Hosted PBX / cloud phone system | A PBX that lives in a data centre instead of your closet. |
| SIP trunk | A virtual phone line that connects a phone system to the phone network over the internet. |
| DID | Direct Inward Dial: a fancy name for a phone number that rings straight into your system. |
| IVR / auto attendant | The "press 1 for sales" menu. |
| Ring group | Several phones that ring at once when a number is called. |
| Simultaneous calls | How many outside calls can happen at the same moment. How 3CX is priced. |
| PoE | Power over Ethernet: one cable gives a desk phone both network and power. One less plug. |
| DECT | The cordless phone standard. Great range, great battery, very good for warehouses. |
| Porting | Moving your phone number from one carrier to another. Your number, your choice. |
| E911 | Enhanced 911 for VoIP: your registered address goes with your 911 call. |
Keep learning
Beginner questions, answered
Is VoIP the same as a landline?
It does the same job, ringing your phone when someone calls your number, but over the internet instead of a copper wire. Callers cannot tell the difference, except that it usually sounds clearer.
Do I need special phones?
No. You can use the free app on your cell phone or computer. If you like a desk phone, any VoIP desk phone works, and we configure it for you.
What happens if the internet goes down?
Calls can automatically ring your cell phones instead, so customers never hear a dead line.
Is VoIP cheaper?
Almost always. Our Essentials plan is $99 a year, and a full phone system for 10 people is about $26 per person per month.
Can I still slam the phone down?
Absolutely. Get a desk phone with a real handset. We consider it a wellness feature.
Build your own quote, right here, right now
Most phone companies make you "call for pricing". We publish every price we charge. Pick your team size, features and phones in our solutions builder and see your exact monthly cost, one-time cost and first-year total in about 60 seconds. No sign-up, no sales call, no surprises.
Phone fact, sort of: Wi-Fi phones roam the office with you, which makes "I was away from my desk" a much weaker excuse.
Canadian from the number to the server
Your calls, your data and your bill stay Canadian. That is not a marketing line, it is how we built the service.
Why it matters- Canadian phone numbersLocal numbers in every province and territory we serve, plus toll-free.
- Canadian carriers onlyYour calls go over Canadian-owned carrier networks. We do not use US phone carriers.
- Canadian serversYour phone system, recordings and voicemail live in a Canadian data centre.
- Canadian privacy lawYour data is handled under PIPEDA, not foreign rules.
- Canadian team and installersReal people in BC, and certified local installers in 55 Canadian cities.
- Canadian dollarsEvery price in CAD. No exchange-rate surprises on your bill.
Ready for phones that just work?
Build your quote online in 60 seconds, or get a clear, all-in Canadian price in one short call. No contracts, no surprise fees, and we handle the move from your old provider.
- Call 778-826-0464, weekdays 8 to 6 Pacific
- Email info@pacificvoip.ca
- Start a live chat with our team
Get a free quote
Tell us a little about your team. A real person replies within one business hour.