Reader Question: What kind of Internet connection do I need for VoIP?

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April 28th, 2008 - Posted by Joe

A recent commenter on a post from our Reader Question series asked a great question that we felt warranted a new post to respond.

Q: Using dsl bradband for internet connection. Do you need satellite or cable to purchase Vonage?

Vonage requires a high-speed Internet connection (DSL or Cable). So, your existing DSL broadband connection will be totally sufficient if you decide to sign up for the Vonage service.

Keep in mind that one of the biggest factors in determining the quality of your VoIP connection, through Vonage or other VoIP providers, is the speed of your broadband connection. More specifically, you will want to test the speed at which data is transferred through your Internet connection. Internet connection speed is measured in kilobits per second, which is a measure of the speed at which data is transferred through your modem (you will often see it abbreviated as Kbps or kb/s).

Most experts agree that your Internet connection should have a minimum of 90 Kbps in order to have a quality VoIP calling experience. There are two great sites we have come across that will help you determine just what you can expect if you decide to sign up for Vonage or another VoIP services on your existing Internet connection.

First is SpeedTest.net. This site will quickly determine the speed at which data is sent and received, or uploaded and downloaded, through your broadband modem. The results are presented in Kbps. Keep in mind that your transfer rates can greatly vary throughout the day so it is best to run this test during the times that you would typically make phone calls from your home telephone line.

The second site, TestYourVoip.com, actually goes one step further and makes test VoIP calls from your Internet connection to locations all over the world. In under 20 seconds they are able to show you the estimated quality of VoIP calls from your Internet connection.

Both sites are totally free and we are not affiliated with them in any way, but we do think they offer valuable insight to consumers that are looking to join the VoIP revolution.

If you would like more information on VoIP please visit our guide to VoIP service providers.