Virtual vs Traditional Phone Number
Compare virtual and traditional phone numbers for Australian businesses: what inbound 1300, 1800 and Phoneword services publish, and what they do not establish.
A "virtual" phone number is one that is not tied to a handset or a physical line at a fixed address, and a "traditional" number is one that is. The inbound numbers 1300 Easy Dial publishes sit closer to the first idea: 1300 numbers, 1800 numbers and Phonewords for Australian businesses, where the signup flow asks for the number the service will connect to rather than installing a geographic exchange line. What the published record does not establish is the wider virtual-mobile package — SMS, app-based calling or temporary numbers — so this comparison sticks to what is documented.
- Published products: 1300 numbers (shared cost), 1800 numbers (free for callers in the stated Australian 1800-number context, with the business paying call charges) and Phonewords (a 13, 1300 or 1800 number spelling a word on the keypad).
- Connection: the signup flow asks for the number the service will connect to. The published pages do not describe routing beyond that point.
- Plans: 1300 and 1800 published plans start at $10 per month; Phonewords start from $40 per month.
- Not established: virtual-mobile features, SMS to the number, app calling, temporary, international or residential use. This page does not establish them.
How the published inbound numbers differ from a traditional line
A traditional business landline is associated with a location and an area code. A published 1300 or 1800 number is not presented as an area-code service: it is an inbound contact point for customers, and the signup asks which existing number it should connect to. That is the documented difference. Claims about devices, apps, handsets or coverage behaviour would go beyond the published record, so they are not made here.
Caller cost: the clearest documented difference
Caller cost is published and comparable. On a 1300 number the caller pays a local call rate and the business pays the per-minute rate. On an 1800 number, callers can call free in the stated Australian 1800-number context and the business pays the call charges. A Phoneword takes either base and spells a word on the keypad, from $40 per month with availability and desirability affecting the price. Current plan fees and call rates for both are on the pricing page.
Where the virtual comparison stops
Comparisons of "virtual" services usually go on to cover voicemail-to-email, call recording, SMS notifications and app dashboards. Those features appear in older marketing copy, but they are not reconciled in the published record, so they are not claimed on this page. The honest summary is narrower: what is documented is a set of inbound number types, published plans, and a signup flow that asks for the connection number. If you need to confirm how a number would connect in your setup, contact the team, and review the terms and conditions before deciding.
Related reading: virtual phone numbers in Australia, virtual numbers for business, or the virtual phone number for Australia overview.
Virtual vs traditional: questions
Is a 1300 number a virtual number?
The published products are inbound numbers that connect to the answering point nominated in the signup flow. Whether that matches a particular vendor definition of "virtual" is not established. What is published is the number type, the plans and the connection step — the rest depends on details the current pages do not document.
Which is cheaper, a virtual or a traditional number?
A traditional landline's cost sits with your carrier and is outside the published record here. What is documented is the inbound side: 1300 and 1800 published plans start at $10 per month, and Phonewords start from $40 per month, all shown on the pricing page. A like-for-like total-cost comparison cannot be made from the published material.
Can I receive SMS on an 1800 number?
That is not established. SMS features are not part of the published record, so this page does not claim them. Confirm any messaging capability directly with the team before relying on it.
Do I need a new phone line for an inbound number?
The published signup flow asks for the number the service will connect to. Beyond that, line requirements are not documented, so this page does not establish them — ask the team about your specific setup.
Compare number types
Choose the inbound number that fits
Search available Phonewords or browse the published 1300 and 1800 options.