During the early days of Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) technology, skeptics and detractors criticized the technology for its poor audio or voice quality. And given that the early infrastructure at the time wasn’t fully developed yet, early systems were indeed a bit rocky and as a result, calls frequently had dropouts. Today, however, the VoIP technology has vastly improved, and the days long ago when using VoIP sounded like walkie-talkies are long gone. Now users can easily enjoy crystal-clear VoIP calls without a hitch!
Aside from subscribing to an excellent business VoIP service provider (as well as a reliable and fast internet plan), one of the things organizations can do to continue enjoying an unparalleled level of voice quality is by monitoring their VoIP network. Some find this a tedious and complicated job, but it is actually very necessary to ensure you get the most from your VoIP system. Below are a few suggestions on how to monitor the voice quality of your VoIP network:
A variety of vendors offer voice monitoring tools that generate detailed reports on the calls made and received over your network. Some of these solutions search through call details to identify issues with specific ports or lines. Issues such as latency, jitter, and packet loss can also be measured with a network quality monitoring software. Some software may not work with certain services, though, so make sure to check if the software is compatible with your VoIP service.
Your choice of VoIP provider can also affect the quality of your voice communications. Even if you are subscribed to a high-speed internet service with acceptable bandwidth, you may experience voice issues if the quality of your VoIP provider’s network is weak. A poor network may lead to delay, packet dropouts, and latency with your calls. This is why it’s important to choose a reliable provider that guarantees excellent voice quality and a robust VoIP network. If you run into some voice quality issues, make sure you raise this concern with your VoIP provider after testing your internet speed. It’s possible that they are performing routine maintenance, or that there are serious issues on their end (which means that you might have to switch providers).
Most VoIP quality problems occur when the network has become congested, which usually happens when both data and voice are routed over the same network. To maintain excellent voice quality, make sure to configure your network to prioritize VoIP traffic. There are many ways to handle this. One solution is to install Quality of Service (QoS)-capable switches and routers. With managed switches, your VoIP platform will be able to let the network know that it is carrying important voice data. If the network supports it, then voice data will be prioritized over other types of traffic.
The quality of voice communications is crucial to the success of every business. And one of the keys to a smoothly operating voice network free from quality issues is by consistently monitoring it. Be sure to apply these three tips to achieve the best possible VoIP voice quality.