Why VoIP Call Quality Is Poor (And How Businesses Can Fix It)

Typically, the first thing that companies do when the quality of their VoIP calls degrade is that they hold the phone system accountable. They tend to think that the VoIP provider is not dependable, the handsets are defective, or the software is faulty. Many times, they begin to search for a new phone system without fully understanding the issue.

The reality is that VoIP call quality issues are almost never caused by the phone system. They are caused by the network carrying the calls. VoIP depends completely on the internet, so even minor flaws in connection can very easily result in distorted audio, dropped calls or annoying delays.

Today’s enterprise phone systems as well as cloud, based calling platforms are highly dependable provided that the network is properly designed. Fixing VoIP problems usually means fixing the internet environment around them. If you are using or planning business phone systems, understanding how connectivity affects call quality is essential to getting consistent, professional results.

Common Signs of Poor VoIP Call Quality

VoIP issues generally manifest in familiar ways. Identifying the symptoms can help you decide if the problem is with the network or the phone system.

Common signs of poor VoIP call quality include:

• Robotic or distorted voices
• Echo during conversations
• Noticeable delays or talk-over
• Calls dropping unexpectedly
• One-way audio where only one person can be heard

Practically these problems occur sporadically, hence the reason for the high level of frustration. In fact, calls can be perfectly clear at one time and then at the next one, especially during peak times, they can fail completely. Such unpredictability is a clear sign that the root cause is the internet performance and not the VoIP platform.

The Real Reasons VoIP Call Quality Is Poor

VoIP is very vulnerable to network conditions. Voice traffic, in contrast to email or web browsing, cannot tolerate delays or interruptions. The following are the factors that most frequently cause poor VoIP call quality in business environments.

High Latency

Latency is the delay that occurs between the sending and receiving of voice data. High latency can make people feel that their conversations are fake. People tend to talk over each other, noticeable pauses are made, and calls become awkward.

Minor increases in latency can significantly affect voice clarity, especially in the case of a heated discussion.

Jitter

Jitter is the fluctuation in the timing of data packets. VoIP calls require packets to come in a consistent, certain flow. If the packets arrive irregularly, the sound will be broken, robotic, or distorted.

Experiencing jitter in their VoIP calls because of packet loss, the companies usually complain that at first, the calls sound alright but later on, the quality gets worse, especially during peak network usage.

Packet Loss

Packet loss happens when voice data does not get to the destination. However, unlike files, voice packets that are lost cannot be resent in time. The absence of packets leads to words being chopped, sentences broken, or calls dropped.

Packet loss as little as a fraction of a percent can severely affect call quality, to the point where a party has a hard time following the content.

Insufficient Upload Speed

Many businesses focus on download speed and overlook uploads. VoIP sends voice data out of the office, which means upload performance is critical.

If upload capacity is limited or unstable, calls may drop, audio may break up, or multiple calls may struggle to run at the same time. This very problem actually ranks among the most frequent, yet hidden, reasons of internet troubles with VoIP.

All of these problems are best addressed with a VoIP-ready internet connection designed for real-time voice traffic rather than general browsing.

Why Standard Business Internet Often Breaks VoIP

Standard business internet services are usually designed for mixed usage such as email, web access, and cloud applications. VoIP places very different demands on a connection.

Common limitations include:

• Shared bandwidth with other users
• Contention during peak periods
• No prioritisation for voice traffic
• Residential-grade routers in business environments

NBN network services are a good fit for many office premises, however, they may have difficulties in handling heavy VoIP usage because of shared infrastructure and upload restrictions. This does not render NBN fit for only few businesses, but it implies that the service needs to be properly aligned with VoIP requirements.

Going for a business NBN and internet provider that fits your needs is in many cases way more crucial than just upping the speed tiers.

How to Fix VoIP Call Quality Issues

The main thing to remember about resolving VoIP issues is that the answer is in the network. One does not have to replace the whole phone system to fix the problem. The surest way to improve the system is to make it more stable, do the correct prioritization, and add more layers of continuity.

Upgrade to VoIP-Optimised Internet

VoIP works best when the network has dependable upload speeds, low latency, and overall consistent performance. Fibre and dedicated business, grade services provide significantly better results compared to shared or residential, style plans.

Use Business-Grade Routers with QoS

Quality of Service (QoS) gives the voice traffic a higher priority than other data. If you don’t have QoS, voice traffic can be displaced by file uploads, backups, or cloud syncing that cause a lot of traffic, thus degraded call quality.

Correct handling of VoIP traffic on the part of the business, grade routers cannot be without these routers.

Separate Voice and Data Traffic

Separating voice traffic from data traffic helps to reduce congestion, and it guarantees that calling quality does not deteriorate even when the network is heavily loaded. This is especially significant for offices having a large number of users or those engaged in call, heavy workflows.

Businesses often solve multiple issues at once by moving to fibre, 4G and 5G business internet solutions designed for voice reliability.

Why VoIP Needs Backup Internet to Stay Reliable

VoIP phones depend entirely on the internet. When the connection drops, phones usually fail instantly.

Even short outages can cause:

• Missed inbound calls
• Dropped conversations
• Lost sales opportunities
• Customer frustration

A proper VoIP failover setup uses 4G or 5G backup connectivity to keep phones online when the primary connection fails. This ensures calls continue automatically, without staff needing to intervene.

For businesses where phones are mission-critical, backup internet for VoIP is no longer optional.

Why VoIP Needs Backup Internet to Stay Reliable

VoIP phones depend entirely on the internet. When the connection drops, phones usually fail instantly.

Even short outages can cause:

• Missed inbound calls
• Dropped conversations
• Lost sales opportunities
• Customer frustration

A suitable VoIP failover arrangement relies on 4G or 5G backup network to enable the phones to remain functional in the event the primary connection is down. Thus, the calls keep flowing seamlessly, and the employees do not have to step in.

For businesses where phones are mission-critical, backup internet for VoIP is no longer optional.

How Broadconnect Prevents VoIP Call Quality Problems

Preventing VoIP issues starts with designing connectivity around voice traffic, not treating VoIP as an add-on.

Broadconnect focuses on:

• Internet connections optimised for VoIP
• Stable upload performance
• Low latency routing
• Redundant connectivity paths
• Business-grade monitoring and support

Rather than managing multiple vendors, businesses benefit from internet solutions built for VoIP with one provider accountable for performance.

FAQs

We would love to help you find the right business internet and phone solutions. Follow us on  Facebook, LinkedIn, and Instagram or reach us at hello@broadconnect.com.au | Call: 1300 880 330