| A long-standing question for potential VoIP (Voice over | | | | is limited then you can adjust your VoIP bandwidth to |
| Internet Protocol) consumers is "How much bandwidth | | | | one of the lower settings. Some consumers with 128 |
| does a VoIP phone require to make quality telephone | | | | Kbps upload connections can receive less VoIP |
| calls?" | | | | service quality due to a poor quality ISP (Internet |
| First of all, Bandwidth is defined as the ability to | | | | Service Provider). By selecting a lower quality VoIP |
| transfer data (such as a VoIP telephone call) from one | | | | bandwidth setting, this problem can be avoided. |
| point to another in a fixed amount of time. The higher | | | | If you plan on using a VoIP service provider, should you |
| the bandwidth speed you have, the more data you | | | | get a DSL or a Cable Internet access provider? In |
| can send over your Broadband Internet connection. | | | | general, DSL upload bandwidth starts at 128k where |
| There are two types of bandwidth at your location: | | | | as Cable Internet upload bandwidth starts at around |
| upload bandwidth and download bandwidth. The | | | | 600k. Cable Internet is a little bit more expensive, but it |
| Upload Bandwidth is the amount of data you can send | | | | is also about 4-5 times faster than residential DSL and |
| to the Internet and download bandwidth is the amount | | | | a bit friendlier to a VoIP telephone call. Having said that, |
| of data you can receive from the Internet. The more | | | | both DSL and cable modem high-speed services |
| Internet bandwidth you have from your ISP (Internet | | | | provide sufficient broadband Internet access |
| Service Provider) the better. | | | | bandwidth to support any of the top VoIP service |
| In most cases, the normal VoIP telephone call will use | | | | providers. If you are experiencing low Broadband |
| up 90 Kbps (kilobits per second). If you have a | | | | Internet Service provider bandwidth, we suggest you |
| Broadband Internet service provider that doesn't offer | | | | try Packet8 VoIP. Packet8 VoIP boasts an advanced |
| much bandwidth then most VoIP providers give you | | | | compression technology in which each active voice line |
| the option to lower the VoIP voice quality by lowering | | | | uses approximately only 23Kbps of total data |
| the bandwidth used for VoIP calls to 60 Kbps or, to | | | | throughput, upstream and downstream. |
| really conserve your bandwidth, 30 Kbps. Most people | | | | The amount of bandwidth that a VoIP provider |
| can't tell the difference between the three settings. | | | | requires to make a quality telephone call is only one |
| We suggest you use the high sound quality setting (90 | | | | thing to consider when choosing a VoIP service |
| Kpbs in most cases), if bandwidth is not an issue. High | | | | provider. In fact, there are many things to consider |
| VoIP voice quality is generally the default setting but if | | | | when choosing a VoIP provider. An educated |
| you are running into a situation where your bandwidth | | | | consumer generally results in a satisfied consumer. |