You just installed Starlink and realized you’re still paying $45 a month for a landline nobody uses. Good news: with an internet connection you can have a real home phone number for $5 to $15 a month, and keep your existing number. Less good news: there’s a safety question to settle first, and almost nobody talks about it properly. Here’s the complete guide.
VoIP works well over Starlink
Starlink’s latency (25-60 ms) is comparable to cable — plenty for clear calls. Typical saving: $400 to $600 a year versus a traditional landline.
Why it works
VoIP earned a bad reputation on old geostationary satellite services, where 600 ms latency made conversations painful — everyone talked over each other.
Starlink is low-earth orbit, with 25 to 60 ms latency. That’s the same range as cable internet in a city. A VoIP call needs very little bandwidth (under 0.1 Mbps) and works without trouble.
A reassuring technical note: Starlink’s CGNAT is not a problem for VoIP, because the traffic is outbound. Your adapter connects out to the provider’s server, not the other way around.
Options in Canada
| Service | Typical cost | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| VoIP.ms | ~$5-15/mo depending on usage | Best pick for most. Montreal-based, pay-as-you-go pricing. |
| Fongo Home Phone | $4.95/mo | Simplest and cheapest. Fewer advanced features. |
| Ooma | Hardware purchase + low monthly fees | Sold at Costco, turnkey setup |
| Traditional landline | $40-60/mo | What you’re probably paying now |
It’s the service we use ourselves. The model is pay-as-you-go: roughly $1/month to keep a number, then per-minute or an unlimited bundle depending on your usage. For a household that doesn’t call much, the bill often lands around $5 a month. It’s a Canadian company based in Montreal, and it has a strong reliability reputation. Slightly more technical to set up than Fongo, but far more flexible.
⚠️ 911: the part you can’t skip
In a power or internet outage, your VoIP phone stops working
A real landline is powered by the phone company and keeps working through an outage. VoIP does not. No power or no internet means no phone — and therefore no 911.
In rural areas, where outages can last days and emergency services are far away, this is not a theoretical concern.
What to actually do:
- Register your civic address with your VoIP provider. VoIP 911 (E911) doesn’t know your location automatically the way a landline does — it uses the address you declared. If you move the adapter, update it.
- Keep a charged cell phone as backup. Simplest protection there is.
- Put your dish and router on battery. A power station keeps Starlink and your VoIP phone alive through an outage. See plan options →
- If you have no cell signal at home, think carefully before dropping your landline entirely. Some households keep minimal basic service purely as a safety net.
Keeping your existing number
Yes, this works, and it’s your right. Number portability applies between Canadian providers, including to VoIP services. Two rules:
- Don’t cancel your current service first. Cancelling releases the number and you lose it. Open the VoIP account, request the transfer, and the old service closes automatically.
- Allow several business days, sometimes longer if the current provider drags.
What you need
- An app on your phone or tablet — zero hardware, your home number travels with you. Easiest way to start.
- An ATA adapter ($50-80) — a small box between your router and your existing cordless phone. Everything works exactly as before.
- A dedicated IP phone — mainly for business use.
The ATA adapter is the right call for most households: you keep your cordless handsets and nobody notices the difference.
What about cell service in rural areas?
- Wi-Fi calling: most Canadian phones and plans support it. Connected to Starlink, your cell phone works normally at home even with no nearby tower. Usually free and often on by default.
- Satellite texting: Rogers offers messaging via Starlink satellites where there’s no tower at all. See how satellite-to-phone is evolving →
The one-year math
| Scenario | Annual cost |
|---|---|
| Traditional landline at $50/mo | $600 |
| VoIP.ms light usage (~$5/mo) + adapter | ~$130 first year, ~$60 after |
| Fongo Home Phone ($4.95/mo) + adapter | ~$130 first year |
Realistic saving: $450 to $500 per year, while keeping your number.
Frequently asked questions
Is call quality good over Starlink?
Yes. Latency is comparable to cable and a call uses very little bandwidth. If you get dropouts, it’s usually a dish obstruction rather than the VoIP service. See the obstruction guide →
Does it use much data?
Very little: roughly 30 MB per hour of talk time. Negligible even on a metered Roam plan.
Can I have more than one number?
Yes, and it’s a real advantage. With VoIP.ms you can add a number in another area code for about $1/month — handy if you have family elsewhere or a small business.
What about a cottage used only part of the year?
VoIP.ms pay-as-you-go pricing fits perfectly: you pay almost nothing during the months you’re away.
No Starlink yet?
Internet and home phone for far less than a traditional bundle. Check availability and get your first month free.
VoIP rates vary by usage and provider; check current pricing. VoIP 911 has important limitations described above. Last updated: September 1, 2026.
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