MythBusters Volume 2: You Need High-Speed Internet to Use VoIP
One of the most common questions that we get asked is “what internet bandwidth is required to support a VoIP system?” Our MythBusters team is here to give you all the details you'll need to know before you deploy.
Welcome to Volume 2 of net2phone Canada’s MythBusters series, where we debunk the biggest myths surrounding unified business communications in today’s technology-driven world. One of the most common questions that we get asked is “what internet bandwidth is required to support a VoIP system?” While the final answer is dependent on several factors, our Product Experts turned MythBusters have the details you need to determine if your internet speed is ready for the switch to VoIP.
Today’s Internet
Long gone are the days where an email attachment took a day to download, where the dreaded colour wheel spun long enough to hypnotize you, and where your internet would fail more often than it would work. Thankfully, modern internet connections are incredibly robust and reliable. While it may seem like you need very high-speed internet, the amount of bandwidth included in standard business packages significantly exceeds the minimal requirements necessary to support the average VoIP system. However, to determine if your business’ network is ready for the switch to VoIP, you should consider these three factors:
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Bandwidth
For net2phone Canada service, each concurrent call needs to have 80 kbit/s of bandwidth available both upstream and downstream. This is very minimal, considering that the average business’s bandwidth generally ranges anywhere between 0 x 1 MBPS to 300 x 20 MBPS, depending on the number of devices on the network. -
Packet Loss
Packet losses indicate that there is a problem with your network or connection with your provider which is causing dropped packets. This results in conversation interferences of delays in communication. In order to receive quality service, the packet loss between your business and your VoIP provider service needs to be 0 percent. To alleviate this problem, look for a VoIP provider that uses traffic shaping. Traffic shaping prioritizes a small portion of your bandwidth specifically for your VoIP service which helps regulate network data flow without affecting your other internet activity.
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Latency
Latency is the measure of time for a packet of data to get from point A to point B. Latency combined with your network’s bandwidth will determine the speed of your network. A high latency means you will experience more delays and this can be attributed to many reasons. Latency between customer and VoIP servers should always be less than 100ms.
What happens if my internet goes down?
Modern day internet is very reliable and rarely faces outages, but even if you were to experience a challenge with your internet, your phone system will hardly experience any changes. Because all calls originate in net2phone Canada's data centers, callers will still enjoy the same experience regardless as to whether or not the internet connection is viable. At worst case, you can simply connect your hardware to a separate internet connection or use our mobile app to forward incoming calls to your cell phone.
Final Verdict
Now, the net2phone Canada MythBuster verdict: Do I need high-speed internet to use VoIP? Yes. But in all likelihood, your business already has more than enough bandwidth to support a VoIP system! To ensure your internet will support your VoIP needs, check your internet’s bandwidth, packet loss, and latency.
Our Team of MythBuster Product Experts know all the ins and outs of setting up VoIP phone solutions across Canada. Contact us today for a personalized product tour!
