What Is a Softphone? How It Works and Why Your Business Needs One
A softphone is software that enables your computer, tablet, or smartphone to function as a fully featured business telephone. Instead of a physical desk phone that connects to a phone line, a softphone uses your internet connection and a headset to make and receive calls — with all the same functionality as a traditional office phone, plus features traditional phones cannot offer.
How Softphones Work
Softphones connect to your business VoIP phone system over the internet using SIP (Session Initiation Protocol). When you dial a number or receive an incoming call, the softphone handles the call signaling and voice transmission over your internet connection. The audio travels through a headset, speakerphone, or your device’s built-in microphone and speakers. From the caller’s perspective, there is no difference — they dial your business number and reach you whether you are using a $300 desk phone or a $0 softphone app on your laptop.
Softphone vs. Desk Phone: Which Is Better?
The choice depends on your work style and environment. Desk phones are preferable in fixed office environments where calls are a primary job function, for receptionists and call center agents who need physical buttons and dedicated handsets, and in noisy environments where a noise-canceling desk phone handset outperforms a headset. Softphones win for remote and hybrid workers who move between locations, traveling employees who need office phone functionality from hotels and client sites, businesses looking to reduce hardware costs when employees already have computers, and teams that want to consolidate desk phone and cell phone functionality into a single device.
Softphone Features for Business
Modern business softphones include the full feature set of a physical phone plus additional capabilities unique to software. All standard phone features work: transfer, hold, mute, conference call, voicemail, and extension dialing. The screen adds click-to-call from your contacts or CRM, call history with one-click redial, real-time presence showing which colleagues are available, and visual voicemail that displays message transcriptions before you listen. The most advanced softphones integrate with CRM systems to pop up customer records automatically when a known contact calls.
What You Need to Use a Softphone
A computer or smartphone with the softphone app installed, a reliable internet connection, a quality headset with microphone, and a VoIP phone system account are all you need. For office use, a wired headset provides more consistent audio quality than wireless. For mobile use, Vivant’s smartphone app includes HD audio optimization and background noise suppression for call quality that rivals a desk phone.
Softphones with Vivant
Vivant’s cloud phone system includes desktop and mobile softphone apps for all users at no additional cost. Your team gets full phone system access on every device — Mac, Windows, iPhone, Android — with the same extension, voicemail, and call routing whether they are at the office desk or working from a coffee shop. Contact Vivant to learn how softphones can reduce your hardware costs while improving team accessibility.
