I have considered this solution before, since Canadian cellphone plan is outrageously expensive.
So I paid $15 for 5GB data on esim and Fongo as VOIP. I did port my main phone number, since port phone number into VOIP is one thing, porting out phone number would next to impossible.
One of the downside for VOIP is text verification code. None of bank will send code to VOIP services and these day you kind have to working phone number to do banking.
I've heard this and faced it with ONE stage show ticket seller myself, but otherwise have had no problem with it. All banks, investment houses, and all other sources (except that one ticket seller) have worked just fine for me. That ticket seller would ONLY validate by text confirmation... and no other option (like email or phone call validation which just about all others that I use seem to also offer). The workaround for that one situation was validate with a family members phone and then use the service normally with my iPad mini and/or Mac. At some point, I'll have to verify with them again, but it's already been more than a year.
Second is the call quality, VOIP (as least for Fongo) can't compare with VOLTE.
5G is 5G. Voice service is not preserving analog. It's converting it to digital and then back to analog on the other end... just like VOIP. Perhaps it could use a
different algorithm or something, but both leave our mouths, get immediately converted to compressed data, shot to the other end and converted back to analog so the other end can hear what we said... then vice versa.
So yes, I'd assume the device or the buds or the VOIP app choice itself, etc. I don't have such problems, nor get told by those with whom I'm speaking. I even specifically ask if I have low bars or am using new buds or just hear a little something in THE signal. Now, a LOT of my time has me in free wifi zones, thus using wifi bandwidth instead of cellular a lot of the time. I'm often complimented on how clear I sound... but some of that could be thanks to making the call on wifi.
Third, VOIP has to stay in foreground all the time, since you don't want miss call, and this will kill battery. And potentially privacy issues comes along (if you care about privacy)
Again, not true for me. I tend to leave the app open but definitely in the background. And I don't notice much battery burn at all. You made me curious, so I checked battery usage: it comes in
below Safari, News, Messages, Mail, Amazon, Youtube, and "Home & Lock Screen."
Also, while actively in conversation, I can send the VOIP app to the background and do other things- exactly like using an iPhone, having a conversation while checking movie show times or the weather or a map. No problem.
The last thing about using VOIP on iPad is that you either have to put call on speaker or you gonna have to connect to Bluetooth headphones each time for phone calls.
Yes, so I use buds. If that's inconvenient in the moment, I'll let a call go to voice mail and call or text caller back ASAP.
Unless Apple give iPad proper earpiece and phone app, VOIP plus iPad can only serve as temporary solution, it will never be primary telephone device.
I'll somewhat agree with this one. However, it's served my own telephony needs perfectly fine for > 11 years as my "primary." I don't feel like I've missed a thing for my own purposes (except pocket-ability). In exchange, it has cost farrrrrrrrrrrrr less than 11 years of iPhone hardware (typically replacing every few years) and much more expensive Voice + Text + Data service. Even when one gets down to “bargain” cell service options for around $25/month, I’m paying $25 for a
YEAR of the
same 5G.
Anyone reading this and feeling any doubts can just download a VOIP app or two to any iDevice they have now and test themselves. Most will give you a free number, so you can test for $0. Call a friend and have them call you. Gauge call quality relative to phone call quality with the same friend. Watch the battery usage to see how much it uses on your iDevices. Text the friend and receive texts through that app.
Hop in your car and see if you can sync it via bluetooth to the built-in audio system. With mine I can use steering wheel call controls to receive calls, make them, hang up, use the car's microphone for the conversation, etc. and listen to map turn-by-turn on the car's speakers, stream music to the car's speakers, etc.
It costs nothing to try if you have an iPad... or even an old iPod Touch. Put a VOIP app on your Mac and it can be a phone in this way too. I've made and received many a (Buds) call through my Mac, using the web version of the VOIP service... and texted with people on cell phones via the Mac too. Like a flashlight, tape measure, map, music player, video player, etc, telephony is just another app. Install that app and about any computing device can become a phone & texting device.
If you ever FaceTime, Zoom, Skype or similar with buds, VOIP audio quality is about the same- you’re simply using a
different app that isn’t sharing video too. If you ever record voice in Messages to send a recording instead of text, quality is very much like that, because VOIP is basically working that same way, minus pushing the record button when you want to speak. Again, VOIP apps are generally free to try. So try and see- no hear- for yourself.
Ops situation seems to call for at least considering this option...
I have been thinking of upgrading to a larger iPhone (a Plus or Max model) that would allow me to see various content better because of the larger screen. At the same time, however, I have two doubts:
- I would not want to carry around an exaggeratedly large device (I would get the iPhone 16s that are supposed to be even bigger this year). However, I generally don't use my phone so much on the fly during the days, I mainly use it while sitting in the office
- I wouldn't want to spend too much time on my phone-I'm trying to avoid consuming too much content (social, youtube, reddit, etc.). I am afraid that with a large device, I would be attached all day, because it will tempt me to watch content directly from the device thaat I always have with me at hand
Therefore,
I thought of another possible solution: an iPhone Mini (13 mini for example) with the addition of an iPad (iPad Mini or an iPad Air).
Consider the bolded wants against the idea. OP could buy only the iPad Mini (first), install a VOIP app or two and see if that can cover not spending "too much time on my phone" phone needs. If OP is using it "mainly sitting in the office" he's probably using it on a higher quality wifi signal most of the time (just like I do).
OP likes to hang on to his phone for many generations, so he's probably value minded. There is huge cost savings by going this way instead of buying a new iPhone every 2 or 3 years and paying much more for the 5G service.
OP generally wants a larger screen for all of the other stuff he does... thus being tempted towards "a larger iPhone" though he doesn't want to "carry around an exaggeratedly large device" which is the one big thing in his own wants against BOTH a bigger iPhone or Mini as a phone.
So OPs working concept is to buy the smallest iPhone mostly to use a compact phone and an iPad for just about everything else. OP could try this idea by buying only the iPad first and seeing if he can roll with it in this way. If not, he could then add the smallest-sized iPhone as a second purchase or maybe even get a dedicated NOT-Apple phone for an even more compact phone & texting device that will cost a lot less than iPhone when he needs to make a call or text when "on the fly" which is "generally not that often." There are lots of not-Apple, unlocked smart phones on Amazon for under $250 but OPs carrier will give them one for $0* with contract if they decide they must have a phone too.
