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What is a VoIP test?
A VoIP test is a simple way to test the quality of your Internet connection. For a VoIP call to work effectively, you need a certain amount of Internet bandwidth. However, the speed of your connection is not the only factor impacting your VoIP phone service. You also need to consider the capacity of your VoIP provider. VoIP lines vary in terms of their VoIP call quality.
Before making important VoIP calls, it is wise to use VoIP tests to evaluate the quality of your VoIP connection. You can determine if you have adequate VoIP speed to obtain adequate VoIP call quality to speak with customers, friends, and family.
How can I test my internet connection for VoIP?
To make quality VoIP calls, you need an active Internet connection. But that is just part of the story of making high-quality VoIP phone calls. You also need to have a certain level of Internet speed, even when other devices and services are using Internet traffic.
Consider using a service like speedtest.net to evaluate the quality of your Internet speed by your Internet provider. This type of tool will give you insight into ping time and ping tests. A ping is a way to test any Internet connection without using much data. If ping time goes up, that indicates your Internet activities will suffer from lower Internet speed.
Jozef Remen
DevelopersMany active Internet users using the same active Internet connection can result in a slow Internet speed.
You can solve this bandwidth speed problem in several ways. You can ask other people to reduce their Internet activities during your VoIP calls. You could also ask your Internet service provider to upgrade your Internet speed or give you tips on boosting your Internet speed.
How is VoIP performance measured?
Generally speaking, there are two ways to measure VoIP performance. First, you can measure VoIP performance by observing your calls. For example, a call where each person can easily hear every word of the conversation tells you that you have high VoIP performance. However, this kind of subjective measurement has limitations.
That is why it is wise to use browser tools using a compatible browser. Some of the most popular browser tools to measure VoIP performance include the speed test tool offered by GetVoIP.com (i.e., https://getvoip.com/speed-test-tool/). When run from a compatible browser, browser tools measure ping speed, download speed, upload speed, and jitter of your broadband connection.
What do VoIP speed test numbers indicate?
After you run a VoIP speed test, you will encounter multiple test numbers. Use the following tips to understand these numbers and interpret the results of VoIP quality tests.
Upload speeds
Your upload speed influences whether the person you speak to can easily hear you during a VoIP call. For VoIP calls, three megabits is the recommended upload speed for calls. When upload speeds fall below that level, your VoIP call quality may suffer. Generally speaking, higher upload speeds mean better VoIP call quality.
Download speed
The download speed you see on your VoIP speed test influences your ability to hear the person you are calling. The recommended minimum download speed for VoIP is three megabits per second. As a rule of thumb, a higher download speed means clearer sound.
Ping
In simple terms, a ping tells you the reaction time of your Internet connection. Ping speed is measured in milliseconds. In general, you want to see a low ping speed to make successful VoIP calls. Ideally, your Internet connection should be under 60 milliseconds.
Latency
Simply put, latency is the time lag between data being sent and data being received. During VoIP calls, higher latency can degrade call performance. Aim for a latency level is 150 milliseconds.
Jitter
Jitter is usually described as packet delays. Your VoIP calls (and all other Internet activity) are broken up into a series of data packets transmitted over the Internet and reassembled on the other side. When data packets are delayed, the VoIP call quality falls.
Companies that need a large number of concurrent VoIP calls might need to invest in a higher capacity broadband Internet connection. If you run a VoIP testing tool multiple times over in a week and see that you fall short of VoIP bandwidth requirements, an upgrade may be needed to avoid poor phone quality.
How does a poor internet connection affect VoIP calls?
Since VoIP calls require an active Internet connection, a poor Internet connection impacts the quality of your calls in several ways.
- Audio quality issues: When your VoIP call lacks the speed or bandwidth to operate, you will likely experience audio quality issues. That means you will probably have to repeat yourself several times during a business VoIP call to overcome problems like packet loss.
- Poor call quality: Poor call quality can impact your calling experience on mobile devices, laptops, and desk VoIP phones. For instance, poor voice quality during sales calls might make a poor impression on customers.
Poor call quality is a significant challenge in business communications. If you want to create an amazing user experience, constant poor call quality issues are unacceptable.
What is the required Internet speed for VoIP?
To avoid poor quality and sound quality problems, keep the following Internet speeds in mind.
- Download speeds: To make the most of your VoIP service, you should have a download speed of approximately three megabits per second.
- Upload speeds: On each Voice over Internet protocol, you will need an upload speed of three megabits per second.
How to do a manual VoIP speed test?
In some situations, you may want an ad-hoc VoIP test to measure VoIP call quality. Start by using your ears. If you struggle to hear the other person during VoIP calling, you might have a poor VoIP connection. Likewise, the people you speak with should easily understand you. If you find the Internet speed low, ask your VoIP service provider and Internet service provider for further assistance.
What should you do if the VoIP test results are not satisfactory?
There are several ways to respond to a poor VoIP connection or poor VoIP test results.
- VoIP phone service: Contact your VoIP service provider for tips on ways to improve your VoIP quality. For instance, ask about using quality of service (QOS) technology to prioritize VoIP calls.
- Discuss VoIP quality with other people: If you have many users on the same connection (e.g., 100 – 999 users), discuss the issue with other people. For example, you could ask other users to avoid using video services.
- Internet service provider: In some cases, your network connections may be completely utilized. In that case, you may ask if they have additional enterprise features to manage your network more efficiently. Making a few network configuration changes now might be all you need to achieve a strong VoIP connection.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is a VoIP test?
You can use a VoIP test to evaluate the quality of your Internet connection. It is a good idea to test your VoIP connection before making essential calls.
How can I test my internet connection for VoIP?
Use a browser-based Internet speed test tool like speedtest.net to measure your upload speed, download speed, and other critical measures.
How is VoIP performance measured?
There are two ways to measure VoIP performance: subjective and objective. The subjective way is to pay attention to your call quality on each call. For instance, if everyone can hear each other's words clearly during a VoIP call, the quality of the call is high. The objective way to measure VoIP performance is using a speed test tool like speedtest.net.
What do VoIP speed test numbers indicate?
You will typically see five speed test numbers in a VoIP speed test: upload speed, download speed, ping, latency, and jitter. Ideally, you want upload speed and download speed as high as possible. Ping, latency, and jitter numbers should be as low as possible.
How does a poor internet connection affect VoIP calls?
A poor Internet connection makes it more challenging to have a conversation. You might be asked to repeat yourself several times. That can get quite frustrating.
What is the required Internet speed for VoIP?
The minimum required Internet speed is three megabits per second upload and three megabits per second download. When possible, higher Internet speeds are recommended.
How to do a manual VoIP speed test?
To conduct a manual VoIP test, pay attention to call quality. If you cannot understand what the other person says, you might have a VoIP speed test problem. To solve VoIP speed problems, consider using quality of service (QoS) or a faster broadband connection.
What should you do if the VoIP test results are not satisfactory?
If your VoIP speed test results are too slow, you have several options. You could ask your Internet service provider for tips or pay for faster Internet speeds. Further, you can also ask your VoIP service provider for help. Also, you can turn on the quality of service feature to prioritize VoIP calling.
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Expert’s note
Expert’s noteAs an award-winning customer support specialist, I highly recommend using a VoIP test to ensure high-quality communication with customers. It can help avoid poor call quality, resulting in better customer satisfaction and retention.
Free VoIP software allows users to make voice and video calls at no charge. It's ideal for businesses and individuals looking for cost-effective communication solutions. LiveAgent supports VoIP integrations, making it a reliable call center software for handling various types of calls. However, free VoIP services may come with limitations such as limited calling plans, user restrictions, slower connections, and office location requirements. It's important to choose a provider based on specific requirements, budget, and features.
