Talkswitch Small Business Phone Systems News

Talkswitch and Broadvoice have a long partnership, as this old post shows. From the resellers we sell t0, probably 95% of end users use Broadvoice. However, like any VOIP service using the public internet, quality can vary widely. So, what should you expect from VOIP service providers?

Since Talkswitch is sold into small businesses, the luxury of high quality internet connections and equipment is not always there. VOIP call quality can be affected by many factors. Factors important to call quality include QOS on the router, separate voice and data network or not, bugs in the router used to connect to the internet, speed of the internet connection, consistency of the internet connection (and often forgotten factor), latency, and much more. So, to take reports saying call quality is great or not great, and try to apply to your own potential use, is not wise. It can vary widely! The best way to see how call quality will go is to experiment with VOIP, perhaps using an account with a service provider or two to test with. You can run various VOIP quality tools, but, they are only accurate at the instant in time you run them.

This is one good reason why a hybrid PBX such as Talkswitch is good for smaller businesses. VOIP quality is sure to improve over time. Some customers of Broadvoice report perfect call quality, some bad call quality. Bad call quality is not necessarily the fault of the service provider. It’s a function of the current state of networks and technology. By using a hybrid PBX, you can experiment with a VOIP line, and, make the transition when you are comfortable. Some customers use VOIP lines for long distance only, other customers use VOIP for all calls to remote extensions. There are many ways to use VOIP.

We at SOHO PBX Consulting Inc have used Broadvoice lines for almost 2 years, and find them as good as land lines close to 100% of the time. But, we have good network equipment and a quality T-1 connection. If you want to try Broadvoice, use this link.