Short answer: for most small offices in India, a softphone on a shared business number beats both a desk phone and a second SIM per person. It costs one number rental for the team instead of a plan per person, the number stays with the business when staff leave, and every call lands in one history. Keep a mobile in the loop for incoming calls, because laptops are not always on.
The three options
Desk phone. A landline or IP handset on the reception desk. Familiar and reliable, but tied to one desk, and someone has to be at it.
Second SIM. A company SIM in each person's phone, or a second phone. Easy to start, but you pay per person, and the number lives in whichever pocket holds the SIM.
Softphone. Phone software on the computer or mobile, calling over the internet on a virtual business number. Edesy Phone is one. People call from the browser with a headset, or through their own mobile, and the customer sees the business number.
Side by side
| Desk phone | Second SIM per person | Softphone (Edesy Phone) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hardware | Handset, wiring | A SIM (and often a phone) per person | None; headset recommended |
| Monthly cost | Line rental | One plan per person | One number rental for the team (from Rs 449) plus per-minute calls |
| Who owns the number | The business | Whoever holds the SIM | The business account |
| Caller ID customers see | The office line | A different number per person | The business number for everyone |
| Incoming calls | Ring the desk | Ring each person's SIM | Ring a verified mobile you choose |
| Call history | On the handset, if any | Scattered across phones | One shared history with outcome, duration and cost |
| Recordings | Extra equipment | Not usually | Computer calls, when recording is on |
| New joiner | Another line or extension | Buy another SIM | Email invite |
| Leaver | Nothing to recover | Recover the SIM, or lose the number | Remove from the team; number and history stay |
| Works from home | No | Yes | Yes |
When each one wins
Pick a desk phone when a fixed reception desk is staffed all day and you want a handset there for the look and feel. Even then, many offices find a headset on the front-desk computer does the same job.
Pick a second SIM when one person works entirely on the move, has no laptop, and doesn't mind the business number living on their phone. For one person, it's simple. For a team, the costs and the "who owns the number" problem grow with every hire.
Pick a softphone when two or more people call customers, you want them all on one business number, and you want a record of every call. That covers most sales teams, clinics, agencies and service businesses.
The softphone weak spots, and how to cover them
Softphones have two honest weaknesses. A good setup covers both.
- Laptops aren't always on. If incoming calls only rang the softphone, you'd miss them after hours. Edesy Phone sends incoming calls to your verified mobile instead, as normal phone calls. See incoming calls.
- Phones and bad networks. Browser calls on a phone drop when the screen locks, and some office firewalls block real-time audio. For calls on the move, Edesy Phone's call via my phone rings your mobile first and connects the customer over the phone network. For the office, test calls from your real network before rolling out.
What a softphone setup costs on Edesy
| Item | Price (excl. 18% GST) |
|---|---|
| Landline (local) number | Rs 449 a month, Rs 0 setup |
| Mobile or 92-series number | Rs 499 a month, Rs 0 setup |
| Calls | Per minute from a prepaid wallet; rate shown before you dial |
| Per-user fee | None |
| New account | Rs 20 credit, no card |
For a team of five sharing one landline number, the fixed cost is one Rs 449 rental, not five SIM plans. Minutes are paid as they're used. See billing and rates.
A simple setup for a small office
- One landline number for the website, board and Google listing.
- The front-desk computer runs Edesy Phone in Chrome or Edge, installed as an app, with a headset.
- The front-desk mobile is verified, so incoming calls ring it.
- Everyone else joins the workspace by email and calls from the browser or via their own mobile, always showing the office number.
- Once a week, look through the call history for missed follow-ups.
Clinics and small offices are covered in detail on Edesy Phone for clinics and small offices.
When you need more than a softphone
If callers should hear a menu ("press 1 for appointments"), calls should ring several people at once or in turn, or each department needs its own routing, you've outgrown a simple softphone. Use a cloud PBX on the same Edesy account. For more on numbers themselves, see virtual number vs toll-free vs second SIM.
FAQ
What is a softphone?
A softphone is phone software on a computer or mobile that makes and receives calls over the internet, usually on a business number. You talk through a headset instead of a handset.
Is a softphone cheaper than a second SIM?
Usually, for a team. A second SIM costs a plan per person whether they call or not. A softphone setup like Edesy Phone costs one number rental (from Rs 449 a month) shared by the team, plus per-minute calls.
Can a softphone receive calls when the laptop is off?
Not on the laptop itself. That's why Edesy Phone rings your verified mobile for incoming calls, so you get them as normal phone calls whether or not the computer is on.
Do I still need a desk phone?
Only if you need a dedicated handset at a reception desk for the look of it. A headset on the front-desk computer plus a mobile for incoming calls covers what most small offices use a desk phone for.
Who owns the number with a second SIM?
Whoever holds the SIM, in practice. With a virtual business number the number belongs to the business account, so it stays when staff change.
Next step
Get a business number on Edesy Phone and try the softphone with Rs 20 free credit. Read the business phone app guide for the full picture.