VoIP and the Importance of QoS

Written by: Dennis Green - Jan 9, 2009

VoIP (voice over internet protocol) services are becoming increasingly available as tier 1 providers are now embracing this technology to improve their voice offerings. Quotes vary depending on the type of VoIP you are seeking. One of the most important elements related to VoIP pricing relates to quality of service (QoS). There are several levels of QoS. To ensure ideal voice quality with VoIP, QoS must be present at every junction throughout the service provider’s network, until the call reaches the public switched telephone network (PSTN). This ensures that voice packets receive priority over other types of data. Where QoS is not present, voice packets have no priority over other forms of data. This often results in latency and jitter. Latency and jitter negatively impact voice quality. Most tier 1 providers can now ensure QoS throughout their systems. This costs money however, thus tier 1 VoIP quotes are often a bit higher priced then VoIP services which utilize the public internet. Internet VoIP can often offer the many valuable features sought by end users, and lower phone costs, such as $45 per month for unlimited long distance service to the continental US and Canada. However, QoS cannot be assured across the public internet. So although an end user can control the QoS throughout their local network, once voice packets reach the internet, QoS can no longer be assured, so voice quality is inconsistent. If call quality with your customers is mission critical to your business, it is advised that whenever possible, obtain a VoIP service which is provided by the same provider that is providing the bandwidth. Then as an extra precaution, it would be wise to require the provider to confirm that they provide and control QoS throughout their system, until each call is transferred to the PSTN. To check availability and pricing for your business locations, complete the pricing tool at the top of this page, or on our home page. It’s real-time, simple, free, and there is no obligation. (Click here to return to top of page)