As the availability of high-bandwidth Internet increases, growing numbers of businesses are relying on VoIP phone service. Business owners find the fact that VoIP service typically costs less than traditional phone service to be a strong incentive to make the switch. However, this reduced cost can sometimes come with a trade-off: reduced call quality. So it pays to take care when selecting VoIP providers.
How a VoIP Call Works
The crystal clear call quality of a traditional phone call transmitted over copper can be approximated by VoIP, but unfortunately not all VoIP quality is created equal. Understanding VoIP technology can help you make informed decisions when you select your VoIP provider.
In a traditional phone call, the phone captures the voice’s sound wave and converts that wave into an electrical signal which is passed along copper wires. This electrical signal replicates the soundwave very faithfully, producing a call quality comparable to that of a face-to-face conversation.
The process differs for VoIP, in which the soundwave of your voice is sampled at various points along the curve before being digitized into 1s and 0s, then algorithmically compressed into a format suitable for transmission over the Internet. The number of points at which the soundwave is sampled directly correlates with both the quality of the sound – and also the provider’s cost in transmitting that sound. Because more sampling points means more data to be transmitted, providing better call quality creates higher bandwidth usage, and thereby increases the provider’s cost of doing business. In a manner of speaking, the more a call is compressed, then the fuzzier, and the more profitable, it becomes.
Closing Tips
For technical reasons, your best bet to guarantee VoIP quality is to select a local provider that controls their own telephone switch. Understanding the cost structure of VoIP outlined above can make choosing a local VoIP provider even more compelling. And don’t be pressured into signing up for a long-term deal until you’ve had an opportunity to try out the service and test the call quality for yourself. When properly selected, VoIP service can reduce your monthly phone bill without compromising the clarity or quality of your important calls.
Locally-owned & located in Downtown Bend BendTel provides a complete solution for all business communications needs – from phones to fiber-backed Metro Area Ethernet.
541-389-4020
www.BendTel.com
