VoIP Speed
Even the best hosted phone systems require a proper network connection to bring the high-quality service you expect. To properly evaluate your broadband connection, a VoIP speed test will quickly and accurately provide a glimpse of your system’s bandwidth and line quality. With a VoIP speed and quality test, you can expect to see what your current upload and download speeds are during moment you run the test.
Achieving Top VoIP Speeds
A VoIP speed test is a great first step, but then what? If your upload speeds are less than 80 kilobytes per second, it’s likely you will experience call quality issues when a single call is taking place. For two concurrent calls, you may experience call quality issues with upload speeds less than 160kbps, for three concurrent calls, 240kbps, and so on. Then how does that number change when you factor in your company’s internet browsing, streaming services, or WiFi activity? Every group’s network usage varies, but the below is a good starting point in understanding how your bandwidth is used. To account for fluctuations, we’ve allotted a 20% buffer in the calculations below.
| Bandwidth (Upload Speed) | Bandwidth used by Internet Browsing | Bandwidth Remaining for VoIP | Maximum Number Of Concurrent Calls |
|---|---|---|---|
| 500 kbps | 260 kbps (1 user) | 140 kbps | 1 call |
| 1 mbps | 510 kbps (2 users) | 280 kbps | 2 calls |
| 5 mbps | 2.8 mbps (11 users) | 1.2 mbps | 11 calls |
| 10 mbps | 5.6 mbps (22 users) | 2.4 mbps | 22 calls |
| 30 mbps | 16.8 mbps (66 users) | 7.2 mbps | 66 calls |
Getting More Bandwidth
As your business grows, so too does the traffic on your network. What was originally an adequate level of bandwidth may no longer serve your needs, especially during peak hours. But just because your business is getting exponentially bigger doesn’t mean you have to pay exponentially more to support that traffic. Our network experts have access to a database of bandwidth pricing by locality and can help you find the best deals in your area. If now is the time to upgrade your bandwidth, we can help you save!
Prioritizing VoIP Calls
There may be times when bandwidth isn’t quite enough to ensure call quality at all hours. If your network experiences sharp peaks in traffic, but generally uses little of the available bandwidth, you may consider prioritizing VoIP traffic. Some VoIP users will keep VoIP traffic completely separate from web browsing or other activities by using a dedicated VoIP network. Another option is implementing QoS (Quality of Service). QoS can give priority to VoIP calls over other traffic, so that should several of your network users be streaming video, for example, when a call comes in, it will be given plenty of bandwidth. While your users’ YouTube cat videos may take longer to buffer, your calls will remain clear.
Complete Network Diagnosis
You’ve got enough on your plate with your business’ daily operations. Should you experience network issues, or want to make sure you start off with VoIP on a good foot, we can run a full network assessment for you, including how your network is set up to handle your current level of traffic. Our Professional Services team will offer you a comprehensive analysis of your network and most importantly, a strategy for how you can maximize its contribution to your business.
