Quality Matters in VoIP
So you want VoIP but have heard horror stories about the quality. "Land-line Quality" depends on several factors, all important together.
- The Instrument Used (Phone, PC)
- Inside Wiring (modem)
- Bandwidth (Sufficient to deliver consistent rate
- Latency (shortest path routing/multiple carriers)
- Instrument at the Receiving End
Ensuring Quality VoIP Calls
In the very early days of VoIP, there was one major problem - the quality. For most of us broadband phone users, VoIP has matured enough for business use, but there are still many pockets of "quality-challenged" users who are sold on the magic of broadband phone service, and call quality is foremost of their complaint list. I'm not talking about those physically unable to get high speed internet, let alone broadband phone service, there a whole other article there!
Land-line Quality
The quality you get making a traditional call on your land-line phone. We've taken it for granted for years without dropped calls, static lines (unless calling overseas in the early days), and echoes of another conversation going on. These were and are some very real concerns for VoIP users. That in-the-next-room quality that we are used to can come and go with VoIP.
What Can You Do?
When VoIP becomes a true viable option for businesses and families as it has become, the responsibility of providing that kind of quality calls comes with it. Enough of the echo, and the annoying faint sounds - it's time to step up to the plate!
So what can you, the VoIP user, do to make calls clearer?
- Use an IP Phone instead of a PC or adapter. IP Phones, like the Uniden 5.8 ghz, for example, plug right into the modem.
- Research your company's bandwidth usage and see if they have enough bandwidth for the subscriber base they have. Vonage for one, has been notorious for over subscribing their lines and leaving customers with under-appropriate bandwidth at times.
- Try to call land line phones, cell phones, or other IP Phones. Call to and from a computer SoftPhone are more likely to experience interruptions, static and other non-quality factors.
Choosing a voip carrier is an important decision when it comes to quality calls, and worth some research and forethought. Cheap will get you service, but not the quality you expect or are accustomed to. Choose Wisely!