Unfortunately, poor quality voice over internet protocol (VoIP) calls are often a result of high-levels of latency, and even the slightest delay may be noticeable.
High and persistent latency can slow down conversations and tends to result in the dreaded ‘talk over’ effect, where one speaker unknowingly interrupts the other. Additionally, echoes caused by latency can make it difficult for the listener to hear and easily understand the conversation.
What is VoIP?
VoIP allows individuals to make calls and communicate over the internet. VoIP technology transforms your voice into a digital signal, allowing you to make a call directly from a computer, a VoIP-enabled phone, or other compatible devices. Traditional PSTNs (public switched telephone networks) continue to transmit voice analog signals primarily through copper telephone lines.
However, when using VoIP, the digital conversion occurs once the user speaks. All data, including voice, is transformed into data packets. These packets are then sent over the internet.
The quality of your VoIP call mainly depends on:
- Your internet connection.
- The internet connection at the receiving end of your call.
- The internet connection throughout the intermediate path.
While VoIP comprises several essential elements, one that is often unfortunately overlooked is latency on networks.
Latency Matters
A survey by IDC (International Data Corporation) noted that “global business leaders rate latency a higher priority than speed.” It was also observed in the same survey that 9 of 10 executives believe their business success is dependent on achieving low levels of latency.
Increased incidents of latency in call centers can negatively impact call quality, frustrating both agents and customers alike.
It’s important to remember that latency affects all industries, not only telecommunications. For example, in the gaming industry, latency doesn’t just annoy the players; it directly affects the user’s experience and the perceived quality of the game and this can be detrimental to the success of developers and their gaming companies.
How Does Latency Affect Telecoms?
In telecommunications, latency represents the time from when you speak to when the person at the other end hears your voice. High latency values can make conversations difficult and cause frustrations. As a result, prolonged delays in any audio being received or highly variable delays can have a severe impact on a caller’s experience. An example of this which frequently occurs in meetings is when a number of users are speaking. And due to latency there is a delay, resulting in multiple participants’ voices arriving at the same time. This makes it very challenging to proceed effectively with the conversation.
Latency can be measured in one or both directions and is quantified in milliseconds. According to Gregg Communication Systems, “a mere 150 milliseconds of latency, and you’ll start to experience issues in the quality of your calls.” One-way latency represents the time taken for a data packet to travel in one direction and is commonly used to diagnose network problems. Two-way latency is the total time it takes for a signal to travel from a source to a destination and back again and it is commonly used to calculate the Mean Opinion Score (MOS).
Reduce Latency and Improve Your VoIP Calls
Strong internet connections are crucial for VoIP calls. However, as these can often be variable, it makes it virtually impossible to completely eliminate all potential disruptions caused by latency.
Nevertheless, there are a number of steps that you can take to reduce latency and improve your VoIP calls:
- Upgrade or replace slow networking equipment and devices
Prioritize your network traffic based on the most important applications, for example, voice or video traffic. Consider investing in a VoIP-priority router, as downloading large files on a call can affect the quality. Additionally, ensure you keep all your devices up-to-date to prevent any resultant defects which could cause packet loss.
- Enhance your routing
If data packets take two or more unnecessary journeys to reach their destination, consider changing or enhancing your routing. Data from your Cyara’s tests will easily allow you to make much more informed routing decisions.
- Select the right internet service provider (ISP)
Ensure your internet connection has sufficient bandwidth for your needs, for example, your call and network usage during peak traffic periods. Your ISP should also support internet protocols that are conducive to high-quality VoIP transmission, so be sure you understand exactly what is included.
- Implement Cyara’s latency tests
Cyara’s latency test allows you to:
- Replicate your customers’ call flow.
- Quantify the amount of latency your customers experience.
- Proactively measure and benchmark any delays.
- Identify where there are variations and trends over time.
- Take quick action to reduce latency and improve your overall customer experience.
To find out more about how Cyara’s latency test works, see our contact center number testing page.
