28 Oct Assuring your internet can support VOIP effectively
VOIP has many positives over traditional systems, especially in cost, but there are a few things to keep in mind before making the change to VOIP. Most importantly you must be sure your business broadband connection is good enough to support the amount of VOIP traffic it will be receiving.
Why does your internet matter?
Your internet speed affects the call quality when using VOIP. It is important to have some knowledge of the bandwidth (the term used to define internet speed) you get from your ISP before using VOIP. A large portion of your bandwidth will be used to make a good level of call quality on VOIP.
The amount of bandwidth needed for a VOIP system
The minimum bandwidth for one call is 100KBps (Kilobits) but is recommended at 3 MBps (Megabits). The average internet download speed is 22 MBps so odds are you will have more than enough to have a good quality of a call, but this is worth checking. Windows Task Manager can show the basic data for your bandwidth, select the performance tab and then click the network interface.
ISDN has been regarded as a better option for quality of a call, but if you invest the money saved by changing to VOIP into a dedicated fibre line then you can ensure that VOIP has the desired bandwidth whilst saving money. VOIP systems can cost as little as £15 per month depending on system setup and selection, cheaper than a landline.
Upgrading your Business’ internet account
Business broadband is generally way faster than general broadband – better upload speeds, making it much easier to post things to the web and making video calls, etc. Most providers offer average fibre package speeds of 76Mbps, some offer speeds as high as 1GBps (Gigabits). Let’s go through some more differences.
Another advantage of Business Broadband is the quality of support you will receive being of a higher standard to home broadband. This will include service level agreements, compensation, and 24/7 support.
The contention ratio is referencing the number of customers sharing a single connection. Consumer services ratio is normally between 20:1 to 50:1, whereas business level customers can reach lows of 5:1!
When choosing Business Broadband, providers will usually offer customers a basic package to establish a web presence such as domain names and web hosting services.
Even greater speeds!
The best in business connectivity by a long way is a leased line, it will provide your business with an uncontended connection! You will have access to up to 10GBps and an experience that uploads and downloads at the same speed. Leased lines are very expensive in comparison to other business broadband options. Some business providers include leased lines too.
Full Fibre (FTTP) is BTs next-generation broadband with a dedicated connection that runs straight into your home. It uses a network of fibre optic cables to deliver high-speed data replacing the old traditional copper cabling. A downside to Full Fibre is that your internet is shared with other users, however, if full-fibre is an option where you are, you could have access to speeds of up to 1GBps.
The quality of the internet connection within your business is very important, making the correct decision on what avenue to take to achieve the best connection can be difficult. Remember, consider the availability depending on your area, the speed is adequate for a business of your size and location, the package is cost-effective for the connection they are providing, and the reliability of the connection.
Doing these things will ensure you that VOIP can be supported effectively, in turn taking you into the future of online connectivity by using your internet connection instead of a local phone company to make calls and video in your business.
How can we help?
Here at VaraTech, we offer a broad range of IT support and consultancy services that aim to help small businesses extract maximum value from their IT. From proactive network monitoring/maintenance and hardware leasing to Cloud services, VoIP telephony and much more, we help our clients identify and roll-out the best-fit solutions for their businesses.
We’re cloud computing experts! We can help your business leverage the potential of some of the most empowering Cloud services, such as Microsoft 365. Why not get in touch today, to discover how the flexibility, scalability cost-efficiency, convenience and security of Cloud services can help your business realise its potential.