About VoIP Services
You can make phone calls without a handset using a computer connected to the internet. All you need to make a call from your computer is a VoIP service and a headset. VoIP, Voice over Internet Protocol allows people to talk to anyone from anywhere in the world at a lower price but with enhanced privacy. Voice is converted into digital signals and these signals are sent over the internet as data. Using this VoIP technology you can make a phone call directly from a VoIP phone, or your computer.
The following are a few VoIP systems.
- Computer – From your computer, you can make voice calls through programs like Skype, Apple FaceTime, Google Talk, and more. You can use applications like Skype to make calls to mobile numbers and landline numbers, as well. But calling phone and landline numbers will involve a charge.
- VoIP adapter – You can use your regular landline phone along with a special VoIP adapter to make VoIP calls.
- Smartphone – Using your smartphone, you can call people from apps like FaceTime, Skype, WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger, Line, and more. Spyke and a few other apps let their users make calls to mobile and landline numbers but it may not be free.
VoIP is affordable and this is one reason why it is popular. Likewise, many choose VoIP over other services as it offers utmost privacy. However, VoIP services are blocked in many countries. Telecom companies are against VoIP as they lose their profits as a result of which they pressurize the government to block or restrict VoIP usage. Likewise, many governments have blocked VoIP as these services help people discuss illegal information, including terror-related information.
While VoIP itself can encrypt calls, you might wonder why you will need a VPN for VoIP. The following are certain reasons why you will need a VPN for VoIP.
Why Do You Need a VPN for VoIP?
Many people use VPNs for security and privacy online. But VoIP services themselves encrypt calls their users make. So you might wonder why many people use a VPN for VoIP. While some use VPNs for enhanced security and anonymity, the main reason why many people use VPNs for VoIP is that VoIP services like Skype are restricted or banned in many countries like Jordan and UAE. This is where you will need a VPN as VPNs can unblock VoIP in countries where it is blocked and help you access Skype and other services from anywhere.
Third-parties like hackers can track and spy on your conversations as VoIP services do have vulnerabilities. But VPNs offer the strongest encryption with the help of which you can keep your calls completely private. Moreover, VPNs come with a solid privacy policy stating that no data will be retained so you need not worry about your calls being tracked and stored.
If you tend to use more data, your ISP might throttle your bandwidth. This will result in slow connections or poor voice quality. But when you use a VPN, your ISP cannot see what you do online so that they cannot limit or throttle your bandwidth.
The most important reason why you need a VPN for VoIP is to bypass government censorship. If you live in countries like China, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Mexico, and Egypt, that have blocked VoIP services, you will need an IP from a different country to access VoIP services. A VPN is what you need to get a different IP address to access a blocked VoIP service and also to secure your internet connection.
A VPN will prevent everyone, including the government from tracking or seeing what you do online by masking your original IP address and assigning you a new one. By working together with VoIP encryption, a VPN will make your calls more secure and private. Your physical location will also be changed as a VPN will give you the freedom to choose and connect to servers in any country. But remember, not all VPNs support VoIP.
Make sure to stay away from free VPNs that promise to offer the same services premium VPNs offer. Such VPNs may not be secure and they may not offer good and consistent speeds for VoIP calls. Likewise, as a result of their small server network, you will be forced to connect to an overcrowded server, which will result in slow speeds and poor call quality.
In our research, we found that the following VPNs are the best options for VoIP.
Top 5 VPNs for VoIP
- NordVPN
- Surfshark VPN
- ExpressVPN
- IPVanish VPN
- UltraVPN
NordVPN – Best VoIP VPN with excellent security and privacy features
Its next-generation encryption technology will make sure your data is secure and encrypted at all times. Even when you browse the internet on public WiFi, NordVPN assures that your data will be secure and private. Likewise, its kill switch feature will make sure your data never gets exposed.
Be it VoIP services like Skype or geo-restricted streaming services like Netflix US, Hulu, Vudu, etc, NordVPN will let you bypass all kinds of censorships and access these services securely. The Quick Connect option will automatically choose the best server for you.
- 5200+ servers in 62 countries
- Use up to 6 devices
- Next-generation Encryption
- Double VPN Feature
- Strict no-logs policy
Using its 30-day money-back guarantee policy, you can test all its premium services. Know more by checking out our detailed NordVPN review.
Surfshark VPN – Top VoIP VPN for unlimited devices and security
It offers extra features like CleanWeb, Whitelister, kill switch, Private DNS & leak protection, Camouflage Mode, MultiHop, and NoBorders mode. It is sure to keep your connection secured and private. It also does not track or store any information as it follows a strict no-logs policy.
It supports Mac, iOS, Linux, Windows, Android, and more. The good thing about this VPN is that you can use the VPN on all these devices at a time as there are no connection limits. You can use this VPN to unblock almost anything including BBC iPlayer, Netflix US, Amazon Prime Video, HBO, Hulu, and more.
- Connect unlimited Devices
- AES-256-GCM encryption
- IP & DNS leak protection
- Unlimited bandwidth
- Free Browser Extensions
- Strict no-logs policy
If you are looking for a perfect VPN that will not put a dent in your pocket, you cannot go wrong with Surfshark VPN. Test the VPN yourself using its money-back guarantee.
Would you like to know more, check out our detailed Surfshark VPN review.
ExpressVPN – Fastest servers for VoIP
Its key features include a network lock kill switch that will make sure your data does not leak even when the VPN connection drops, DNS/IP leak protection, zero-log policy, and split tunneling.
Its server network includes more than 3,000 VPN servers in over 94 countries optimized for speed. You can choose any of those servers to connect to access your favorite VoIP service that is unavailable in your country.
- 160 server locations
- Network Lock kill switch
- Zero-knowledge DNS
- VPN split tunneling
- Stream Sports online
As it promises fast speeds, you are sure to have a great call quality. You can download the VPN app for any device of your choice and access anything you wish.
You can test its premium features for 30 days using the money-back guarantee. If you have more questions and wish to know more, you can check out our extensive ExpressVPN review.
IPVanish – Most secure VPN that unblocks VoIP services from anywhere
One of the best features of IPVanish is its policy that allows unlimited simultaneous connections. This feature will be of great help to tech enthusiasts who wish to connect multiple devices to the internet and use them at a time and also for households that have many internet-connected devices.
IPVanish comes with an easy to use interface that will allow you to easily switch servers and change protocols. Its apps for Fire TV, Windows, Mac, Linux, iOS, Chrome OS, and routers can be set up quickly.
- 1,500+ VPN servers
- 40,000+ shared IPs
- Unthrottled speed
- 256-bit AES encryption
- Unmetered connections
Know more about IPVanish by reading our detailed review.
UltraVPN – VPN for VoIP with a good coverage
Its user-friendly interface and easy to use apps make this VPN an ideal choice for VoIP calls. It is also an affordable option for online browsing, streaming, and torrenting. It offers multiple protocol options and offers unlimited bandwidth.
If you are looking for strong security while using VoIP services, UltraVPN will be an excellent choice. It offers all the required encryption and security features to keep your internet traffic secure and private. IP leak protection, DDoS protection, and kill switch are among its robust features that will keep you secure.
- 100+ worldwide servers
- Unlimited VPN access
- No Buffering
- Industry leading encryption
- Unlimited bandwidth
- 24/7 technical support
If you do not wish to sign up for a long term plan, you can give this VPN a go using its 30-day money-back guarantee. You can check out our expert review of UltraVPN to know more.