Tips on How to Improve Phone Call Quality for AT&T Office@Hand
Article #3669

Tips on how to improve phone call quality

Calls via AT&T Office@Hand use VoIP. This means that every call is made relayed via packets in bits and bytes as it traverses the internet, through your office network. This bits and bytes can be subjected to potential network-related challenges such as latency, jitter, and/or packet loss. As a result, your connection to the Internet and the devices you use play a part in improving your call-quality experiences.

Upgrade your Internet connection (if needed)

Available bandwidth and the consistency of your internet connection is a major factor to consistent call quality experiences. Your internet connection should have enough bandwidth to support however many concurrent calls your business dictates. Each call requires roughly 100Kbps (upload and download). If your connection normally deals with 5, concurrent calls at any given moment, 500Kbps of bandwidth is required to be available for just the VoIP traffic and at least another 1.5Mbps available for your other/nonVoIP traffic. If your internet connection isn’t at par with the recommended bandwidth, you may want to consider upgrading your Internet connection. For more information. see the articles below:

Testing your Internet Connection for AT&T Office@Hand Service

Pause any Large Downloads/Uploads on the same network

Often, a call can drop out or you can experience reduced call-quality when you are simultaneously downloading/uploading huge files over the same network. It is advisable to pause any downloads while on a call or use a different network for your downloads/uploads.

Consider Using a QoS-Enabled Router

It is highly recommended that your router has and supports Quality of Service (QoS) feature/functions. By enabling the available QoS feature/functions, your router can prioritize the voice traffic over other data traffic; a minimum guaranteed bandwidth can be assigned to this prioritized traffic. And if needed, some consistency with your Internet speed/performance can be somewhat controlled if your ISP cannot guarantee or ensure a minimum level of service. Together, all these QoS related feature/functions provide for a more consistent, call-quality experience. Ensure to check the list of recommended routers to see if you’re already using one.

VoIP QoS Frequently Asked Questions
AT&T Office@Hand Recommended Routers

Improve Your WiFi Signal

If you are using a WiFi phone for your calls, improve your WiFi signal to enhance your call-quality experience, by simply moving your phone/laptop/desktop PC closer to the router. Alternatively, range extenders and signal-improving antennas are available on the market.

Switch from WiFi to Ethernet

WiFi signals to/from your router can be susceptible to interference by other devices broadcasting on the same frequency, and/or impeded by building/office infrastructure. If possible, connect directly onto your network switch or router, via an Ethernet cable. A wired solution greatly reduces the possibility of interference and provides for more consistency in call-quality experience.

Get a Quality Headset

Consider upgrading to a higher quality headset if you frequently use the AT&T Office@Hand Softphone to make calls. These higher quality headsets offer enhanced echo cancellation features and better overall audio/connectivity performance.

Recommended headsets and speakers

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