“Via Phone” – Meaning & Correct Usage (With Synonyms)

Some English words have their root in much older languages, such as Latin. One example of this word is the word “via”. In this article, we will be discussing the meaning of the phrase “via phone”, as well as other similar phrases.

What Does “Via Phone” Mean?

The phrase “via phone” is a grammatically correct phrase that is synonymous with the phrases “by the phone” and “using the phone”. The word “via”, as used in this phrase, means “to use the phone to send or receive a message”.

The word “via” is a Latin word that means “the way” or “road”. Nowadays, it can be used synonymously with the word “through”. It can be used to refer to the way you go through. It can also refer to something you use.

It is the latter definition that applies to the phrase “via phone”. When you say “via phone” it means “to use the phone to send or receive a message”.

Some phrases that are synonymous with “via phone” include the following:

• through the phone
• by the phone
• using the phone

How to Use “Via Phone” In a Sentence

Grammatically speaking, the phrase “via phone” is not a complete sentence because this requires a subject and a predicate. However, the phrase can be used informally, such as in the following conversation:

• Person A: How can I contact you?
• Person B: Via phone.

Below are some examples of how to use “via phone” in a sentence:

• You can contact me via phone.
• I can’t be reached via phone, as I lost my mobile a couple of weeks ago and haven’t replaced it yet.
• She told her husband that she was giving birth via phone.

“Via phone” is often used in a situation where one is talking about how to send or receive a message. It can, however, also be used as a medium by which one experiences an event:

• I don’t want to attend my niece’s graduation via phone!
• Nancy’s bedridden mother attended her daughter’s wedding via phone.
• With the advent of applications like Zoom, we can now attend classes via phone.

The word “phone” is often synonymous with the word “telephone”. Given this, the phrase “via telephone” can also be used.

• We can contact the bakery via telephone.
• I keep in touch with my cousins via telephone.

Something else that “phone” is synonymous with is “cell phone”. The phrase “via cell phone” is also commonly used:

• I can send text messages via cell phone.

Is It “Via a Phone Call” or “With a Phone Call”?

Both “via a phone call” and “with a phone call” are grammatically correct phrases. They also mean the same thing: that a message was sent or something was done by means of a phone call. As such, these phrases are synonymous and can be used interchangeably with one another.

You can choose to use the phrases “via a phone call” or “with a phone call” to talk about something that was done by means of a phone call. Picking one phrase over another makes little difference in the overall meaning.

Take the following sentences, for example:

• My life was changed when I was told via a phone call that we won a million dollars.
• My life was changed when I was told with a phone call that we won a million dollars.

The second sentence, however, may sound a little awkward and stilted to some. The word “through” or the phrase “by way of” are better substitutes for the word “via” than the word “with”.

Is It “Via Phone” or “Via Phone Call”?

Both the phrases “via phone” and “via phone call” are correct. Choosing between either phrase depends on whether the correspondence you are speaking of is over the phone, which can include text messaging and other features, or purely through a phone call.

Back in the days when “phone” only meant “telephone”, the phrases “via phone” and “via phone call” were synonymous with one another.

Nowadays, however, the word “phone” can mean either “telephone” or “cell phone”. A cell phone, these days, has many other features beyond just making phone calls. For example, one can communicate via text message or video call through the cell phone.

Given these changes, the meaning of the phrases “via phone” and “via phone call” have also changed. “Via phone call” specifies the medium of communication, limiting it to a phone call. Meanwhile, “via phone” means that correspondence can be made by any feature found on the phone.

Is It “Via Phone” or “Via a Phone”?

“Via phone” is the more correct phrase, rather than the phrase “via a phone”. The use of the article “a” after the word “via” depends on the word that follows. Given that this word is “phone” in this case, “via phone” is more appropriate than “via a phone”.

Using the article “a” after the preposition “via” depends on the word that follows. When the word that follows is just “phone”, it may be more appropriate to say “via phone” rather than “via a phone”.

Consider the following:

• I’ll contact you via phone.
• I’ll contact you via a phone.

In the above examples, the first sentence sounds more correct, while the second sounds a bit awkward and stilted.

It is a different situation, however, when there is a word after “phone”, such as the phrase “phone conversation”:

• I confessed to my mother via phone conversation.
• I confessed to my mother via a phone conversation.

In the above examples, both sentences sound correct.

Is It “Via Phone” or “By Phone”?

Both phrases are considered grammatically correct. The phrases “via phone” and “by phone” mean the same thing: that something was done using a phone. As such, these phrases are synonymous and can be used interchangeably with one another in the same sentence.

The word “via” can be substituted with the phrase “by way of”. In some cases, like in the phrase “by phone”, the phrase “by way of” can be shortened to “by”.

Thus, “via phone” and “by phone” mean the same thing and can be used interchangeably with one another.

Take the following sentences, for example:

• I’ll contact you via phone with my decision before next week.
• I’ll contact you by phone with my decision before next week.

There is no difference in the meaning between the two above sentences, despite the different phrases used.