Cable ISPs Best Bet as VoIP Phone Service Providers for Quality Telecommunications

VoIP, or voice over Internet protocol, is stirring up competition among telecommunications providers. Cable companies, telephone companies and independently hosted VoIP providers, such as Vonage, are all reworking traditional telephone service into the digital, VoIP offerings their customers demand. All of this competition means that it’s an excellent time to shop for VoIP phone service, but unfortunately some service providers and Internet connection types just aren’t a good match with VoIP.

Broadband Internet Necessary for VoIP

No matter which VoIP provider you choose, you need high speed Internet access to support your VoIP services. VoIP converts analog signals into digital voice packets, and then sends the packets along your Internet connection to be interpreted by the analog telephone, computer, or VoIP phone on the other end.

Because VoIP is reliant on fast, reliable Internet access, you’ll want to invest in a high speed cable broadband Internet connection. Dial-up and satellite connections are simply too slow to properly support VoIP. If you attempt to use your dial-up or satellite Internet connection with your VoIP service, you will be forced to endure garbled sound quality and dropped connections. DSL is only slightly better for VoIP, and there are additional reasons to go with cable Internet to support your digital phone service.

Cable Internet Service Providers Lead in Providing Quality VoIP

You might assume that independently hosted VoIP providers, such as Vonage, are the best possible choice for VoIP. However, if you want the highest quality digital phone service available, you should look no further than the same cable Internet service provider you selected to provide your high speed Internet access.

Because cable VoIP providers run their voice service over their own network, they have more control over the sound quality of digital phone calls than independent providers. Cable VoIP providers give a higher priority to voice packets than general Internet data transmitted over their own networks, ensuring that sound quality calls remains high. Independent providers, on the other hand, are piggy-backing on an already existing network. Consequently, their voice packet data is transmitted at the same priority as everything else on the Internet, resulting in sub-standard sound. 

Additionally, many cable companies that offer VoIP services simplify their customers’ lives by offering “triple-play” packages that consolidate cable television, high speed Internet, and VoIP phone services into one low price. Bill consolidation can be a major selling point in this busy, modern era, as it saves money and makes paying for utilities that much simpler and more convenient.

For all these reasons, you will want to consider your high speed cable Internet access provider first when you choose to make the switch to VoIP. Independent providers such as Vonage are making headlines for being the first to tap into the VoIP market. However, because these providers are not able to integrate their services with the same networks they use for voice packet transmission, they will never be able to provide the same high quality service as your cable ISP.