Softphones are free to deploy — install an app, enter SIP credentials, done. IP desk phones cost 1 000–2 500 NOK each. The obvious choice seems like softphones every time. The hidden costs tell a different story.

Support load is the biggest variable. Softphone users call IT for headset issues, Bluetooth drops, laptop sleep breaking calls, and mobile OS updates killing background apps. Budget 2–4 support tickets per user in the first month.

Call quality on laptops is inconsistent. Wi-Fi contention, VPN tunnels, and fan noise affect perceived professionalism — especially for customer-facing roles.

IP phones over PoE ethernet are predictable: dedicated device, dedicated network path, one-touch transfer and hold buttons that work every time.

Break-even math for a 10-seat team: 10 × 1 490 NOK phones = 14 900 NOK hardware. If softphone support costs 3 hours per user at 800 NOK/hr internal rate, that's 24 000 NOK in the first quarter alone.

Our recommendation: softphones for remote occasional users; IP phones for desk-bound staff and anyone on the phone more than 2 hours daily. Mix both on the same SIP trunk — VoiShop Pro supports hybrid setups out of the box.