zod5000
join:2003-10-21
Edmonton, AB
 ·TELUS
·TekSavvy Solutions..
| Degradation of Sound Quality
I work in a call centre of sorts, and you can tell which people are calling it from landlines, and which people are calling from a digital based phone, whether it be VOIP or a cell phone.
The quality on digital phones just doesn't compare, quite often I can hear the compression and it bugs me (just like you could here it in 128kbps mp3's back in the day).
I think I'll keep my landline a while longer just because of the quality. |
|
suncet
join:2001-02-01
Lehi, UT
| I think that there's some confusion about VoIP here. The bottom line is that your broadband connection, whether it be 1.5Mbps or 100Mbps, the ISP HAS to provide QoS (Quality of Service; prioritizing your VoIP traffic) across the entire network to the gateway. And that doesn't matter squat if your crappy $50 Netgear/Linksys/Belkin whatever router doesn't also provide QoS on your internal network (from the ATA or digital phone).
Then there's the issue of how many hops your VoIP call is going through the public internet to reach the hard lines. Vonage (as an example) averages about 30 hops in the western US (not sure about eastern and of course this changes per geographical location where ever you are)which translates to many more possible problems than say 10-15 hops.
So the bottom line here is your ISP's ability to provide QoS, the ISP's uptime, your VoIP provider and your internal network. If all are in check then your VoIP will sound way better than a POTS line...guaranteed. And you can get many 'cheaper' features plus the free long distance bonus = less $$$ out of your wallet.
Do your homework and see if your ISP can actually support VoIP (QoS, not just the connection speed)and if they can then your good to go.
And as far as e911 goes, check with your VoIP provider to make sure they support your zip. If they don't then keep a cell phone handy when the kids face down in the swimming pool. |
|
a333
A hot cup of integrals please
join:2007-06-12
Rego Park, NY
 ·Cingular Wireless
·Verizon Online DSL
1 edit | said by suncet  :I think that there's some confusion about VoIP here. The bottom line is that your broadband connection, whether it be 1.5Mbps or 100Mbps, the ISP HAS to provide QoS (Quality of Service; prioritizing your VoIP traffic) across the entire network to the gateway. And that doesn't matter squat if your crappy $50 Netgear/Linksys/Belkin whatever router doesn't also provide QoS on your internal network (from the ATA or digital phone). That's the problem, innit? Most ISP's are reluctant to prioritize a competing voice product. Most cable ISP's would rather that you use THEIR phone product. Same goes for the baby bells providing DSL. Notice all this talk about bandwidth caps? If there's one thing cable MSO's learned from telcos, it's that you can't sit on your hands and let the competition use your products against you. Telcos suffered from dry DSL availability, which led to landline losses to cheap VoIP. Cablecos, obviously, don't want to be dumb pipes and offer the same choice for consumers, though they should, in the ideal free market picture.
In short, QoS and bandwidth caps are the main clouds that cast doubt on the future of VoIP.
Peace,
a333 |
|
