Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) has become the communication tool of choice for a lot of businesses and teams working remotely. Not only is it cheaper than traditional phone lines, but it offers extensive features and flexible plans.
But when VoIP calls begin to delay or lag, it can be frustrating for anyone trying to get work done. In most cases, the main culprit is latency. A little bit here and there can be expected with any network but too much can affect call quality.
Why Is Latency So Disruptive?
Latency refers to the delay between the time that you speak to the time that the receiver hears it. In VoIP technology, it’s measured as milliseconds and too much of it can make your conversation awkward and messy.
If there is too much latency in a call, people end up talking over each other and timing gets completely thrown out. The result? It’s almost impossible to have a natural, smooth conversation.
And if the latency is particularly bad, your voice can almost sound robotic and distorted which can become incredibly confusing.
Is Latency Common In VoIP Calls?
Latency can be quite common especially in networks that are shared and become overloaded. The reason for it can be due to multiple causes from slow Internet and high traffic to outdated equipment or distant data routes.
Once latency crosses a certain threshold, which is usually 100 milliseconds, it becomes very noticeable and disruptive to your VoIP calls.
5 Steps To Troubleshoot VoIP Latency Problems
Fortunately, most latency issues are completely fixable. It just takes a couple of tweaks and adjustments here and there to get your VoIP calls back on track. Let’s get into a couple of things that you can look at.
Test Your Network
There is no harm in doing a basic network check first before you begin to panic. To do this, you can run a speed test to check your upload and download speed as well as your ping.
The ping will tell you how quickly data moves to and from your device and if it’s high, there’s a deeper problem. Similarly, jitter will also indicate an issue as this will tell you how consistent your connection is.
Order VoIP Traffic With QoS
An Internet connection usually needs to support multiple things at once from e-mails and file downloads to video meetings. If this traffic is not being managed properly, there’s a good chance your VoIP calls aren’t getting the bandwidth that they need.
By enabling Quality of Service (QoS) on your router, you can choose to prioritise VoIP apps or devices. This ensures that VoIP traffic has enough bandwidth to support it and calls can run smoothly.
Use An Ethernet, Not Wi-Fi
Wi-Fi is just as much as unpredictable as it is convenient. Other devices, walls blocking the way and even a microwave can interfere with the consistency and signal strength of your network.
What you can do is plug an Ethernet cable to your computer or VoIP phone and disable the Wi-Fi. You’ll be able to gauge pretty quickly if the call quality is improved.
Look For Bandwidth Overload
Apps running in the background and other users may be chewing up your bandwidth without you even realising it. Try to close data-intensive apps like Dropbox and Google Drive during VoIP calls to see if it makes a difference.
You can also use the admin panel on your router to see if there are any outside devices or users utilising your network without your knowledge.
Assess Your VoIP Provider Or Hardware
Sometimes the issue can lie with your service provider or the device that you are using, not the network.
Check to see if your VoIP software needs updating, restart your device or try a different headset or phone. If your hardware is faulty, it can cause poor audio quality and call delays.
If none of this works, you may need to try another service provider. Not all VoIP providers are the same, some have faster servers while others have better infrastructure. If you switch to a provider and your latency issues vanish, then it may be time to switch.
