Improve Communication with VoIP
October 19th, 2023 by William Wentowski
During the pandemic, many employees made the shift to remote working. The new reality included a tough schedule comprising making business calls around the clock. At this time, VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) phone services allowed enterprises to keep up with their clients, ensuring work efficiency. With the help of office extensions, lines could be assigned to smartphone devices and laptops, which allowed people to maintain an open line of communication.
Two features of VoIP that helped businesses streamline their work are whiteboarding and video conferencing. Moreover, the cost savings offered by VoIP makes it a smart investment. The success of this technology is measured by voice quality. Though switching to VoIP offers various benefits, frequent call drops and garbled voices undermine them.
No doubt switching to VoIP from PBX phone systems is quite beneficial for businesses, but there are a few challenges that need to be addressed, such as jitter, network congestion and call latency. The good news is that everything can be fixed with a high-speed internet connection.
It's possible you still might face a few glitches. Following are some tips on how to improve communication with VoIP:
Optimize Network Structure
- Begin by measuring your current bandwidth capacity. If it is insufficient, consider upgrading it.
- Analyze your network traffic to identify any bottlenecks or congestion points. This will help you segment your network to separate VoIP traffic from other data traffic.
- Conduct formal tests to measure latency and jitter levels.
- Assess your network's ability to find out major routes of VoIP traffic and configure your network devices to prioritize VoIP packets.
- Implement formal redundancy and failover mechanisms to ensure VoIP continuity.
Install a DECT (Digital Enhanced Cordless Telecommunications) Phone
Using a DECT phone for VoIP is a convenient and practical way to make and receive calls over the Internet. DECT, which stands for Digital Enhanced Cordless Telecommunications, is a wireless technology commonly used for cordless phones.
DECT phones use radio frequencies to connect to a base station, minimizing outside interference. They are known for offering reliable communication and excellent call quality. The phone's range is several hundred meters from the base station, making it suitable for use in homes and small offices.
Find Out the Contention Ratio
Calculating the contention ratio for VoIP allows you to optimize your network. It helps ensure the quality of calls by determining how many devices or users share the bandwidth.
VoIP calls typically require a specific amount of bandwidth to maintain acceptable quality. This varies depending on the VoIP codec used, but for standard G.711 codec, it's approximately 64 kbps for each call in each direction (download and upload).
Estimate the maximum number of concurrent VoIP calls your network needs support. Here's an example to help you understand this:
- Available Bandwidth: 100 Mbps (100,000 kbps)
- Required Bandwidth per VoIP Call: 64 kbps
- Maximum VoIP Calls: 50
- 100,000 / 64 x 50 = 31.25
A high contention ratio (above 10) indicates the use of less bandwidth. So, upgrade your internet connection to limit call drops.
Choose the Right Compression Software
VoIP compression is the process of reducing the size of voice data packets before transmission. It helps optimize bandwidth use, ensuring minimal loss in voice quality. There are two primary types of compression techniques:
- Lossless Compression: This technique reduces the size of data packets without any loss of information. This compression is crucial in maintaining voice quality in situations such as emergency services or conference calls.
- Lossy Compression: In this technique, some data is discarded during compression, which reduces bandwidth requirements, resulting in a slight loss in voice quality. This compression is acceptable for casual conversations.
So, choose software that favors your work requirements.
Monitor and Maintain Your System Regularly
Like any technology, VoIP systems require regular monitoring and maintenance to ensure they operate smoothly and provide reliable communication services. Here are some of the maintenance tasks that can be completed using monitoring tools:
- Software Updates: Keep your VoIP software up to date. Manufacturers release updates to fix security vulnerabilities and improve system performance.
- Hardware Maintenance: Ensure that all hardware components, including phones and routers, are functioning correctly. Replace or repair any faulty equipment promptly to avoid service interruptions.
- Backup: Implement a foolproof backup plan. Regularly back up call data and configurations to ensure quick recovery in case of system failures.
- QoS Configuration: Prioritize VoIP traffic over other network traffic using QoS settings. This ensures that voice calls receive the necessary bandwidth and low latency for high call quality.
Many VoIP systems integrate seamlessly with other business tools and software, such as customer relationship management (CRM) and email. This significantly improves workflow efficiency by allowing employees to access communication history and customer data with ease. With a stable internet connection and a reputable VoIP provider, you can expect excellent call quality.
In conclusion, VoIP is the best choice for communications due to its cost-efficiency, scalability, integration capabilities, reliability, mobility, and security. To give your business the gift of VoIP, visit the website BTS Technologies. They are experts in implementing voice technologies that increase customer satisfaction and revues.
Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) is a technology that allows you to make and receive phone calls over the Internet. It's a great way to save money on your phone bill and improve your communication.
If you want to learn more about how VoIP can improve communication, contact us today.
Posted in: Solutions
