Voice over IP (VoIP) allows businesses to communicate with customers near and far with reliable voice quality through the internet. To understand how to get the best voice call quality from your VoIP phone system, you need to pay attention to voice codecs.
So, how do VoIP codecs support VoIP call quality?
In this guide, we will go over:
- What are VoIP Codecs?
- What Voice Codecs are used for VoIP?
- What is the Best Codec for VoIP?
Let’s dive in!
What is a VoIP Codec?
When placing calls with VoIP, the voice needs to be encoded and converted into data packets. During this process, data is compressed to increase transmission speed and improve caller experience with crystal-clear voice.
This is where codecs come in, as they help encode and decode voice.
Why are Codecs Important for Voice over IP?
VoIP codecs convert analog voice signals into digital data packets (compression) and then convert them back to voice at the destination (decompression).
Because of this crucial process, these codecs determine the quality of your VoIP calls. Specifically, they influence latency, packet loss, and other VoIP call issues that may occur when calls travel over the internet.
Users can adjust these voice codecs to meet different needs, such as improving voice quality or reducing bandwidth consumption. You can work with your VoIP provider to understand what codecs they use for their service and how that may impact your communication.
What Codecs are used for VoIP?
Here’s a list of common VoIP codecs:
| Codec | Bandwidth (kbit/s – bit rate) |
Key Points |
| G.711 | 64 kbit/s |
|
| G.722 | 48 kbit/s 56 kbit/s 64 kbit/s |
|
| G.723.1 | 5.3 kbit/s 6.3 kbit/s |
|
| G.726 | 16 kbit/s 24 kbit/s 32 kbit/s 40 kbit/s |
|
| G.729 | 8 kbit/s |
|
| GSM | 13 kbit/s |
|
| iLBC | 15 kbit/s |
|
| Speex | 2.15 kbit/s 44 kbit/s |
|
| SILK | 6 to 40 kbit/s |
|
What is the Best Codec for VoIP?
While there are a few different voice codecs available, you need to find the VoIP codec that works best for you.
So, which codec is better, G.711 or G.729?
This depends on your business’ bandwidth usage and capabilities, as well as call volumes. But the consensus is that the G.711 seems to offer the most reliable call quality. This codec provides uncompressed high voice quality, but also has high bandwidth usage.
G.729, on the other hand, is the low bandwidth alternative to G.711. However, it may only offer acceptable call quality.
So, it comes down to your specific business circumstances and resources. For these reasons, most VoIP providers accept G.711 and G.729.
Alternatively, G.722 also offers high voice quality, but not all VoIP providers accept this voice codec. So, make sure to ask.
Related: How Much Bandwidth is Needed for VoIP?
Choosing the Right Codec for Voice Calls
Since VoIP codecs need to compress and decompress audio traveling through your phone system, you and your provider must agree on the right codec. In other words, the codec you choose needs to support your team’s bandwidth usage as well as work effectively with your provider’s network.
This means you’ll need to speak with your desired provider to understand their requirements and evaluate that alongside your business.
United World Telecom supports the G.711 codec (both μ-law and A-law), and our call quality has an average MOS of 4.3.
Want to see if we’re a good fit for your business? Call us today at 1 (877) 898 8646 or chat with us online!