What internet do I need for VoIP?

Bandwidth is rarely the problem

A single call uses far less bandwidth than a video stream. Even a modest business connection can carry many calls. The problems that affect call quality are timing problems: packets arriving late (latency), arriving unevenly (jitter) or not arriving at all (packet loss). These are caused by congested links, busy Wi-Fi, consumer routers and connections that share capacity with heavy downloads or backups.

• Budget about 100 kbps per call in each direction, then add headroom for everything else the office does.
• Upload matters as much as download; many home-style plans have low upload.
• Latency under roughly 100 ms and jitter under about 30 ms are comfortable targets.
• Packet loss should be close to zero; even 1 to 2 percent is audible.

Connection types in Canada

• Fibre and business cable: the usual choice; generally stable with good upload.
• DSL: works for small offices; check upload speed and line quality.
• Fixed wireless and LTE/5G hubs: usable for small teams; quality varies with signal and congestion.
• Satellite (including low-earth-orbit services): can carry calls, with occasional latency spikes or brief drops; a wired backup or mobile-app fallback is sensible.
• Shared or public Wi-Fi: not recommended for desk phones.

Network setup that helps

Put desk phones on Ethernet where possible, ideally with a switch that provides power over Ethernet. Enable quality of service on the router so voice is prioritized over downloads. Disable SIP ALG on the router, a feature that often causes one-way audio and registration problems. A specialist reviews these points with you during planning and can test the connection before switchover.

If the internet goes down, calls can be forwarded automatically to cell phones or another site, and the mobile app works on cellular data.