Problems With VoIP Service
Now that VoIP -- Voice over Internet Protocol, or "digital telephone," as it is sometimes rebranded -- has gone mainstream, it's important to have a solid understanding of the problems that can crop up. Keep in mind, though, that VoIP is dependent on your broadband Internet connection. Many of the problems that can affect the quality of a VoIP call may be directly due to the quality of the Internet connection itself.
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Sound Quality
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The sound quality of a VoIP call is affected by a number of factors outside the VoIP provider's control. On the user end, the quality of the microphone and speakers used will certainly affect how the audio is reproduced. And between you and your intended call recipient, there is a world of Internet hardware that neither you nor the VoIP provider has any control over.
Echo
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Echo can be caused by several factors. One of them, the user can do something about, but others are inherent in the technology. If you are using a microphone and computer speakers, it is pretty easy to understand how an echo can be created: Sound from the speakers is entering the microphone. To minimize this problem, use a headset, preferably one with a noise-canceling microphone.
Echo can also be caused by the quality of the Internet paths that a VoIP call takes. A few VoIP providers try to ensure that they are tied into the highest-quality connections available, technically referred to as Tier 1 carriers, but this goes only so far, because the connections at the user end could be the problem.
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Service Outages
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Most Internet users are acutely aware of service outages. When your Internet service is down, your VoIP phone goes with it. If you need as close to 100% reliable service as possible, a VoIP service over a consumer-grade Internet connection may not meet those standards. If there is a high likelihood that you'll need your phone to make emergency calls, or if you have a business that's dependent on phone service, VoIP shouldn't be considered as a replacement for a land-line phone. It should be noted that outages caused by VoIP providers are extremely rare.
Technical Support
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The ability to get good, competent, tech support when needed will vary from company to company. As can be expected in almost every industry, the least expensive companies often provide the worst support -- if you can get support at all.
Satellite Internet
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Some types of Internet service do not lend themselves to VoIP calls. Satellite Internet, regardless of provider, cannot be used for VoIP calls due to the inherent delay involved in carrying your call up to the satellite 22,000 miles above Earth and back down. Low Earth Orbit satellite service may change this, but currently this service is not available.
Security
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Serious concerns exist as to exactly how private a VoIP call actually is when compared with a land-line or cell-phone call.
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