VoIP Call Quality: Not So Good?

There has been a lot of talk about the quality of VoIP calls, especially since Skype hit the mainstream. While I have been very fortunate in terms of call quality between PCs using Skype, I have heard from others who have had lags and hissing on the line especially on long distance calls.

Now 2 new surveys from Brix Networks and Minacom aim to shine a light on the whole issue of VoIP call quality, an issue close to the heart of many businesses who are thinking about switching from their current PSTN telephone condition.

However, 2 trends emerged from the surveys. While the Brix Networks survey found that 20% of calls were unacceptably poor (with a downward trend in call quality over 18 months), the Minacom survey found that call quality had actually improved. The differing survey results may be explained by the fact that Brix Networks surveyed people making PC - PC calls using applications such as Skype and Google Talk whereas Minacom surveyed customers of managed companies such as Vonage.

With the popularity of VoIP on the rise, will call quality continue to drop to the point where users switch back to their old traditional landline? Certainly this trend among VoIP software providers is worrying, but there surely is little come-back when your call is free. My take on this is that people are attracted by the idea of free calls, but eventually they will move away from PC-based software for more convenient and familiar services using an operator-controlled VoIP service. While it may take time to persuade the average homeowner to start a monthly subscription, business owners will definitely be at the forefront of this shift.