At CaptionCall, we’re focused on providing reliable call captioning services to anyone with hearing loss who needs captions to use the phone. We offer a range of methods to connect to our captioning service so you can enjoy calls no matter your home setup. That’s why we’ve added a new option called VoIP. It’s just another option for connecting your CaptionCall phone with our captioning service—and it can be a great choice if you don’t have a traditional landline.

What is VoIP?

VoIP stands for Voice over Internet Protocol. That may sound complicated, but it actually just means that your CaptionCall phone connects to calls via your internet connection rather than a regular phone line or cell phone network. So, if you have a reliable home internet connection, but no landline, VoIP lets you use a captioned phone anyway.

Why does VoIP matter?

In a word, flexibility. In the early days of call captioning, a call’s audio signal was carried over the phone lines, while the text captioning came over the internet. With VoIP, both are transmitted via the internet. Your CaptionCall phone doesn’t have to be plugged into a phone jack. Instead, it uses your home Wi-Fi network to connect to captions and call audio signals wirelessly. That means the caption phone can go anywhere in your house with a Wi-Fi signal. Put it in your kitchen, your bedroom, or wherever you’re most likely to use it. With VoIP, there’s:

• No need for a landline
• No running phone cords across the room
• No restrictions on where the phone must sit (as long as there’s a WiFi signal)

It’s a great solution if you’ve cut the cord on your old phone service or never had a landline to begin with. CaptionCall’s service works with nearly any kind of home connectivity setup. If you have an active home phone, CaptionCall can provide captions to incoming and outgoing calls on that landline. If you have a smartphone, we can connect a CaptionCall home phone to it via Bluetooth. If you have internet, you can use a VoIP setup.

Why does VoIP have its own phone number?

If you choose to have your CaptionCall phone installed using VoIP internet-based calling, it will come with a new virtual phone number. This number is required for the captioning service to work properly over the internet. Prefer to stick with your current landline phone number? No problem — your CaptionCall phone can also be installed using your home’s existing phone jack. You’ll have to place your CaptionCall  phone near the landline phone jack, but you also won’t be assigned a new phone number. You don’t need to cancel your current phone plan, and we’ll help you understand what number to use for what. It’s just another option—meant to make connecting easier, not harder.

What is E911?

E911 is an emergency calling system used for internet-based phones like VoIP. With traditional landlines, emergency services always know exactly where a call is coming from because the landline is always in the same place. VoIP numbers, on the other hand, can make calls from anywhere with an internet connection. That’s why you should register your address to help 911 responders find you. Here’s what to know:

• When you set up your CaptionCall phone with VoIP, we’ll help you register your home address.
• If you’ve registered your address, your call will be directed to emergency services based on your registered address.
• The dispatcher will see your name, phone number, and home address—just like they would with a landline.

Adding an E911 address is a quick and important step. It helps emergency services find you in an emergency.

What’s the bottom line?

VoIP gives you more freedom to use CaptionCall, even without a landline. It works with your internet, gives you a dedicated number, and helps you stay connected—on your terms. VoIP is a convenient option for connecting with call captioning if your home doesn’t have a landline connection. Whether you're setting it up for yourself or helping a loved one, CaptionCall is here to walk you through it step by step.

Ready to get started?