Menu
VoIP Issues
Most people don’t have issues with VoIP and problems are usually few and far between. However, you should be aware of the VoIP issues that you might run into while using VoIP so that you can prepare yourself and prevent any problems from occurring in advance.
Some preventative measures may require spending a little bit of money, so you should also be aware of these extra expenses to that you aren’t surprised or upset by your expenses later. For example, you may want to consider buying wireless phones or a backup power sourceto prevent any problems with VoIP. However, most of these extra expenses are one time purchases, and with the money you will be saving on your phone bill, you should make up for the cost of these expenses in no time. And by taking some preventitive measures now, you will prevent a lot of issues with VoIP in the future.
Possible VoIP issues you might face
- Voice quality
- 911 location
- Power outage or broadband failure
- Multiple phones connected to one line
Voice Quality
While customers generally report great satisfaction with VoIP systems and voice quality, you should realize that your VoIP system can only be as good as your broadband connection and a bad broadband connection is your most likely source for issues with VoIP. If you have a slow connection, you are much more likely to have issues with call quality and clarity.
You may also experience call quality issues if you are trying to use an analog phone with adapter. Some people report VoIP issues when using analog phones and adapters. Sometimes there is a buzzing or static noise during phone calls. If you have been having sound quality problems with VoIP service, an analog phone may be the problem.
911 Location
911 operators can’t trace a VoIP call the same way that they can trace a call from a landline phone. This means that you have to register your VoIP account with your home or business address so that 911 services can find your address if you are unable for whatever reason to tell them where you live.
In addition, if you move or if you are using your VoIP service from some location other than your home (for example, maybe you are using your VoIP travel features), then you will need to remember to update your address or location in case of emergency.
Power or Broadband Outage
When you depend on VoIP as your primary telephone service, you are using your Internet to support your phone service. This means that you will lose both your landline telephone and your Internet connection in the incident of a power or broadband outage. This is one of the biggest issues with VoIP service.
For the most part, modems and routers have an external power source. If your power goes out, you probably cannot access your Internet connection, even if your Internet connection still has power.
If you are going to use VoIP for your landline phone service, you should use some kind of backup power source. You can get a backup generator or a powerstrip with a battery to use in case of emergency. And if you don’t already have a cell phone, you may want to get one. A cell phone would be very useful in emergencies when your VoIP and Internet are out.
Multiple Phones
If you want to have multiple phones connected to the same phone line, you may want to consider getting wireless phones as these will allow you to easily connect multiple phones to the same line without the need for a lot of wiring or extra phone jacks.