VoIP Services
Frequently Asked Questions about VoIP Services.
Is the call quality and reliability as good as traditional phone service?
Our testing, as well as other third-party, independent research, continues to show that most consumers find VoIP quality and reliability as good as or better than traditional phone service. In a recent study by research firm Telephia, 71% of VoIP users found that VoIP was equally as reliable as traditional landline service, with 16% finding VoIP more reliable and 13% finding traditional service more reliable. Similarly, in a January 2006 survey by Consumer Reports, half the users found VoIP and traditional phone service equally reliable, with the rest evenly split as to which service was more reliable. In terms of call quality, the Telephia study showed that 67% of users found VoIP and traditional phone service to have the same quality, with 19% finding VoIP better and 14% finding it worse. 57% of the Consumer Reports respondents found VoIP quality to be as good as or better than traditional service, although 43 percent found traditional service better.
Most VoIP quality issues that consumers face are caused by a slow or unreliable Internet connection. The higher the speed of the connection, the more likely it is that you will have excellent call quality. We recommend that you have at least 90 kbps upload and download speed in order to have good voice quality. Typically the download speed will not be a problem but occasionally upload speed is too low because of subpar service from an ISP. We have found a very helpful free test that estimates the quality of VoIP call you can expect to receive based on your Internet connection. Regardless of your test results, however, we still recommend that you order one of our recommended VoIP services, install it, and make some phone calls to make sure the quality is acceptable. Only after verifying the quality should you cancel or make changes to your existing phone service or initiate number transfer. Since all our recommended providers offer money back guarantees, you should pay close attention to their requirements and if the service does not work well enough, cancel the service and get your refund.
Search our blog archives and frequently asked questions for more information about VoIP Services
Recently answered questions about VoIP Services:
Will VoIP work with my security system?
The following post in our Reader Question series is an actual user submitted question. To maintain the integrity of the original question, we do not edit or change reader questions in any way.
Q: I have Cable TV, Cable Internet and Cable Phone service. All three with one cable company. I also have a Home Security [...]
Are there any set-up fees for VoIP.com?
The following post in our Reader Question series is an actual user submitted question. To maintain the integrity of the original question, we do not edit or change reader questions in any way.
Q: Are there any set up fees [for VoIP.com] your website says no start up fees but when you look futher it [...]
What is a V-Portal adapter? Or is it simply the thing that makes the phone work?
The following post in our Reader Question series is an actual user submitted question. To maintain the integrity of the original question, we do not edit or change reader questions in any way.
Q: What is a V-Portal adapter? Or is it simply the thing that makes the phone work?
A: A V-Portal adapter is [...]
Will Vonage go out when the power goes?
The following post in our Reader Question series is an actual user submitted question. To maintain the integrity of the original question, we do not edit or change reader questions in any way.
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Why haven't you reviewed Skype?
The following post in our Reader Question series is an actual user submitted question. To maintain the integrity of the original question, we do not edit or change reader questions in any way.
Q: I'm considering VoIP again. Went round the block with SunRocket a couple of years ago and got BURNED! I appreciate your [...]
Are you able to provide a comparison of services with the Magic Jack?
The following post in our Reader Question series is an actual user submitted question. To maintain the integrity of the original question, we do not edit or change reader questions in any way.
Q: Are you able to provide a comparison of services with the Magic Jack?
A: We are currently working on a review [...]
Does Vonage offer cell service?
The following post in our Reader Question series is an actual user submitted question. To maintain the integrity of the original question, we do not edit or change reader questions in any way.
Q: Does Vonage offer cell service?
A: No. Vonage does not offer cellular phone service. Vonage is a provider of voice [...]
How do I improve the quality of my VoIP service?
The following post in our Reader Question series is an actual user submitted question. To maintain the integrity of the original question, we do not edit or change reader questions in any way.
Q: I am on packet 8 phone service, and it is terrible static and noise, and echo. Do you need a phone for [...]
Why was ooma not reviewed?
The following post in our Reader Question series is an actual user submitted question. To maintain the integrity of the original question, we do not edit or change reader questions in any way.
Q: In reviewing the Voip services listed I see OOMA is not included. Can you tell my why?
A: We reviewed the ooma service [...]
Can you use VoIP service with a wireless Internet connection?
The following post in our Reader Question series is an actual user submitted question. To maintain the integrity of the original question, we do not edit or change reader questions in any way.
Q: Can you use VoIP services if use wireless internet connection such as cricket for example?
A: The speed of your broadband Internet connection [...]
