What is the difference between analog phone lines and VOIP phone lines?

Answer 1

Voice Over internet Protocol, converts your voice into a digital signal and transmits it through the internet. Analog telephones transmit electric signals over a public network (telephone lines & central switch offices). Since analog phone service runs independent of your local energy grid, an analog phone can be used during a black out. Since VOIP is dependant upon the electricity in your house (for computer & internet service), it will not work during a power failure.

The most critical difference is your immediate connection to emergency services. Since VOIP runs over an internet connection, your exact location cannot be determined. Many VOIPs have their own emergency call centers. However, you must provide your name, exact location and the nature of your emergency to receive assistance. They then call emergency services for you. If you are not able to provide this information, they cannot locate you/dispatch emergency services.

A standard landline connects you directly to a 911 call center. They receive your address immediately and can dispatch emergency services if you are unable to speak. Many VOIP providers suggest that you keep a landline for this reason.

Answer 2

Analog, most simply, is a hard wire, connected to a switch board, which is switched between different addresses, or phone numbers. Voip is voice over internet protocall, which means your phone is connected over the internet, it is digital, your audio is converted to digital, a series of 1s and 0s, then sent over the web, then reconverted to analag to connect to a hardline. Analog is essentially a sine wave of electric current on a wire of varying frequency based upon the input audio into the mic on your phone. The difference to you, in ideal connections is barely audible, the only draw back is that you cannot fax over voip, unless they fixed that issue.