Telephony over the network.
WHAT MATTERS
Consistency, not raw speed.
A call needs modest bandwidth and steady timing.
WHAT DEGRADES CALLS
Jitter Packet loss Congestion Wireless interference
WHAT A POOR CALL SOUNDS LIKE
- Robotic audio: loss
- Words cut off: loss or jitter
- Delay before the other person responds: latency
- Everything fine then suddenly poor: congestion
WHAT TO DO
Use a cable for desk phones and fixed positions Prioritise call traffic, where the router supports it Ensure upload capacity is adequate Avoid backups and large transfers during calling hours
THE UPLOAD POINT
Your voice leaves via upload.
A saturated upload degrades calls while downloads appear fine.
HOW MANY SIMULTANEOUS CALLS
Establish the requirement per call and multiply.
Then check upload capacity against it.
WHAT TO TEST
Calls at the busiest time of day, not a quiet one.
WHAT TO CHECK WHEN QUALITY DROPS
What else is using the connection.
