A home phone is critical since it helps you stay connected when your cell phone breaks up or there’s a blackout. Home phones provide high-quality calls and are secure and reliable.
Today, up to 44 percent of American households have a home phone. So, it won’t be entirely out of place for desiring to have home phone services.
There are different home phone service providers in the United States. Therefore, knowing the ones offering top-notch services is necessary. This article discusses that in greater detail to help you pick the right service provider.
What Is a Home Phones Service Providers
A home phone service provider is a company providing home phone services to those in need. The company may use traditional landline phones or Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) devices.
Apart from the hardware, you get a phone service plan with worldwide calling capability. It essentially provides caller ID, provider-hosted voicemail, call waiting, and 911 emergency support.
The hardware components include the phone or a bridge device if you have an old-style landline. Since the phones are mainly VoIP, they require a connection to an internet router to be able to make and receive calls.
While most VoIP home phones are wired, others can be wireless. Besides, your smartphone can be an extension to your home phone so that you do not miss important calls.
The 11 Best Home Phones Service Providers
If you’re looking for a reliable home phone service, it’s critical to get one from a good provider. The following are some of the best home phones service providers today:
1. Ooma Telo Home Phones Service
Ooma Telo is perhaps the most home phone service provider in the U.S. It has a standout business model that involves providing clients with an internet adapter for traditional landlines. After connecting your phone, Ooma lets you use its service free.
Even though its device goes for $129.99, it’s available at cheaper rates at certain retailers. The Basic Home Phone package includes unlimited talk-time for free. If you wish, you can upgrade to the Home Phone package for $9.99. with that, you can make international calls at 1.4 cents per minute.
The Ooma Telo device has a speaker and works like a traditional answering machine. For $49.99, you can get an additional Wi-Fi/Bluetooth adapter that removes the need for an ethernet cable.
It has outstanding call quality even though it lacks SMS texting capability. You can view status, favorite numbers, and call activity from the web interface. The voicemail function makes it possible to set a greeting and retrieve messages.
Ooma Telo comes with a mobile app for installing on a desktop and making calls from your computer. Besides, you can download and install the app on a smartphone and make calls from there.
2. Community Phone
Community Phone provides home phone services to customers across the United States. It offers standout wireless landline services that work without wired or internet connection.
Unlike VoIP phones, which require connecting to the internet, Community Phone devices connect to the nearest cell phone tower. So, its service is simple and dependable.
With Community Phone, you get a no-contract plan and the opportunity to choose a new number or keep the old one. Since it does away with a wired or internet connection, it’s much cheaper to operate.
It provides various calling services, including long-distance, unlimited, and international. The Community Phone landline base costs $99, and the monthly subscription fee is $39.
Since it partners with the most significant cell network carriers, Community Phone is capable of providing reliable service. The landline base comes with a backup battery and can work even during a blackout.
3. AT&T Home Phone
AT&T is one of the traditional home phone providers offering landline services. Its home phone service is reasonably priced and has excellent bonus features. The landline phone service allows unlimited calls to all local contacts.
The phone packages come with fibre internet, so you stay connected in all possible ways. For example, at $79.99, you get the phone service and fibre internet at 300Mbps. The most expensive package is $104.99 with fiber internet at 1,000Mbps.
With the AT&T home phone service, you get features such as call forwarding, call blocking, call screening, call ID blocking, call waiting, and three-way calling. If you do not want a traditional landline phone, you can get the AT&T Wireless home phone.
Apart from calls and high-speed internet, the AT&T home phone service also provides cable TV services. The company has a responsive customer service department to handle all your issues.
4. Spectrum Voice Home Phone
Spectrum Voice relies on VoIP technology to provide reliable calls for its customers. Its clients enjoy unlimited local talk-time and cheap long-distance calls to Canada, Mexico, Guam, Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, and the rest of the U.S.
It has standard home phone features such as voicemail, caller ID, and call forwarding. The landline base comes with a 5-hour battery that keeps you connected in a power blackout. With Spectrum Voice, you can make and receive international calls more conveniently.
The Spectrum Voice package is available for $14.99/month, while Spectrum Internet + Voice goes for $64.98/month. Its service bundles may include voice, internet, and TV.
For example, the internet & voice double play bundle offers internet at 200Mbps for $64.98/month. The more expensive packages have faster internet and may include several TV channels.
5. Verizon FiOS Home Phone
Apart from wireless mobile services, Verizon offers digital landlines via its FiOS service. Verizon FiOS is a VoIP service that works over fiber-optic internet. Compared to the traditional landline, Verizon FiOS is cheaper.
Verizon FiOS has only one, unlike other home phone service providers that come with multiple service plans. Using the home phone service would cost you $25/month. The devices have features such as TV screen integration, call forwarding, spam alerts, voicemail, and caller ID.
In case you need a package with a phone and internet package, you’ll pay $114.99/month. The internet speed is impressive at 940Mbps. If you want, you can also get packages that include TV channels. These cost substantially more.
Alternatively, you can opt for Verizon Wireless, which costs substantially more than VoIP. With Verizon Wireless, you do not need to connect using ethernet cables.
6. Xfinity Home Phone
Comcast Xfinity is one of the premier home phones service providers in the U.S., with the most affordable plans. The Xfinity Voice package costs $30 per month and provides unlimited talk time. Other packages include voice, internet, and TV. Their prices vary based on internet speed.
With an Xfinity landline, you enjoy call forwarding, three-way calling, call return, speed dial, call waiting, and call screening, among other features. However, you might not get any of these features with the Xfinity Voice Unlimited Saver Plan.
The Xfinity Unlimited Plan offers international calling to more than half the world’s countries. However, you may have to pay for calls made to countries not listed as part of the unlimited plan.
Xfinity is one of the home phone service providers with the most extensive plans, ranging from the basic plan to the triple-play program. If you’re not happy with a phone plan as a first-time client, Xfinity has a 30-day money-back guarantee for you.
7. Cox Home Phone
Cox is one of the home phones service providers that utilize a digital IP-based network without necessarily relying on the internet. In addition to voice services, you can also access broadband, TV, security, and home automation, depending on the service plan.
It provides services in 19 states, reaching a substantial part of the population. The connection for the service is via fibre optic cable. Internet speeds range between 1Mbps and 1,000Mbps. The Cox Voice Preferred plan is $20 per month for unlimited voice.
Five triple-play plans range from $157.99 to $217.99, each offering voice, broadband, and cable TV services. The home phone service has several features, including TV caller ID, call forwarding, free call blocking, and readable voice mail.
Besides, you can make international calls for a small monthly fee on the Simply Worldwide plan. With the Mi Mexico 200 plan, you can make calls to Mexico for 200 minutes a month. You can’t use the free minutes to can any other country.
8. Suddenlink Home Phone
Suddenlink is a home phone provider offering voice, internet, and cable TV services to those needing them. You can choose any combination of the services with varying internet speeds depending on how much you can afford to pay monthly.
For internet-only plans, you’ll pay between $19.99 and $49.99. The TV-only service starts at $30 monthly. However, you can combine voice, internet, and TV for as little as $49.99. You can use it to access 225 to 340 TV channels.
The positive thing about Suddenlink is that its high-speed internet services reach rural areas. You can sign up for all its plans without entering into any contract.
Its features include call return, conference calling, call blocker, and an automatic busy line. You get unlimited calling in the U.S., Puerto Rico, Canada, etc.
9. Optimum Home Phone
If you’re looking for the best way to mix and match the voice, internet, and TV services, Optimum is the best option. Its internet-only plans start at $39.99 with minimum speeds of 300Mbps. Besides, Optimum has three cable TV packages, offering 220, 340, and 420 channels.
Those who do not want internet and TV services can opt for the Unlimited Phone plan for $39.99. The mix and match plan prices range from $124.98 to $159.98. The good thing is that Optimum has no data caps regardless of your chosen plan.
The major disadvantage of the Optimum home phone service is its coverage of New York City and the surrounding areas. However, users can make free 411 and 911 calls. The network comes with unlimited calling in the U.S., Puerto Rico, Canada, and the Virgin Islands.
10. CenturyLink Home Phone
CenturyLink offers a variety of packages to its home phone users. However, it is one of the few home phones service providers that lack nationwide coverage. So, you shouldn’t rush to enroll for their services. Instead, you should check if they have services in your area by entering your ZIP code and searching.
It offers a variety of packages that may contain a combination of landline, internet, and TV services. CenturyLink connects solely via Fibre and DSL, unlike other home phone service providers with a wireless option.
The internet speeds start at 100Mbps and can go up to 940Mbps. A typical CenturyLink internet-only package begins at $49 packages with cable TV offer at least 330 channels. So, you should be able to get a plan that meets your needs.
11. Windstream Home Phone
Windstream is one of the best home phone service providers in the U.S. The service provider doesn’t require you to sign a long-term contract or make a commitment. So, you can go in and come out anytime you wish.
The company offers unlimited nationwide and international calling, helping you reach out to others at no extra cost. Once you sign up for Windstream home phone services, you get a device and high-speed internet.
Phones start from as little as $64,99 as a promo price. The company’s home phone services are available in major cities and rural areas. Besides the basic voice service, you can also get high-speed internet bundles.
Given that it works over the internet, Windstream has crystal-clear voice quality for an enhanced sense of caller presence. Phone features include call waiting, caller ID, call forwarding, unlimited talk time, and nationwide dialling.
The Bottom Line
From the top 11 best home phones service providers above, you should be able to find one that meets your needs. They offer their services using a variety of technologies that have the power to meet all your communication needs.
Even though it is a calling service, some companies combine it with internet and cable TV. So, you get all-in-one service from a single plan. These plans can change your life with blistering internet speeds and affordable pricing.