Netflix is Insight into VoIP Quality

Peter : On Rad's Radar?
Peter
| Peter Radizeski of RAD-INFO, Inc. talking telecom, Cloud, VoIP, CLEC, and The Channel.

Netflix is Insight into VoIP Quality

Netflix has an ISP rating to let consumers know how ISPs are doing delivering Netflix streaming video. Netflix is involved in a fight for the last mile with the largest ISPs in the US, especially Comcast and Verizon FiOS.

When your Netflix video buffers and buffers, some people call their ISP who has them do a speed test. Big deal. The speed test doesn't tell you what the path is like between your house and Netflix servers. And the problem is usually upstream -- most likely the peering point despite what tech support tells you.

This week I received a call from someone who has Hosted VoIP with a client service provider of mine that is giving them poor quality. The customer asked me if another VoIP provider could do better. I told him it was 50-50. Why? He has cable modem Internet. It's a factor.

OTT (over-the-top) VoIP requires quality Internet. It certainly helps if the VoIP provider is peering with or buying transit from the ISP.

One thing we do know is that Internet access - web surfing - is not an indication of the quality of the Internet access. Real-time traffic like Netflix or VoIP requires a better connection.

That said, if your Netflix buffers on your ISP, why would you expect that same ISP (broadband) circuit to be the pipe for your video or voice????

Yes, we all want to pay as little as possible, but we also want to be able to have clear phone calls in our business, right? You want to pay $10 per seat and $100 for the pipe - and you want it clear? Yeah. People in hell want ice water. You pay more than that for your cell phone service - and how dependable is that service? That same broadband pipe that buffers your Netflix (or YouTube or Hulu) is going to buffer your VoIP traffic too.

SIDE BAR

In conversations this week I notice that Hosted VoIP doesn't charge install fees or support fees, even for custom things. However, order a PBX and it will come with install charges, support charges and really no guarantee on the service quality. Even though the POTS or SIP Trunk is a monthly recurring fee, it is separate from the PBX. That makes it different. Just figured I'd share that.



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