VOIP OVER SATELLITE VOICE QUALITY

[billyjay]

Hello,
I will need to use a satellite link for the internet because it is very slow on the BT line. If I use VOIP for telephone conversations (eg SKYPE), will the latency make this application impracticable as a replacement for the usual BT wired connection.
William

 

[helpstar]

Probably you will have lags and chopping video. I wouldn´t recommend it. Don´t you get in your area 3g or 4g mobile umts internet?

 

[billyjay]

Thanks for comment.
I live out in the sticks; a long way from the BT exchange so internet is never more than 0.5Mb/s download. Mobile signal is non existent and 3G, 4G signal is not available. So satellite is the only choice. I believe its good for fast download (streaming) but has a built in delay which is annoying on voice communication. However I have not actually used this type of satellite link for VOIP. I am hoping that it would not be too problematic and I am looking for the experience of others who may have used VOIP over satellite.

 

[wacabletech]

Hello,
I will need to use a satellite link for the internet because it is very slow on the BT line. If I use VOIP for telephone conversations (eg SKYPE), will the latency make this application impracticable as a replacement for the usual BT wired connection.
William

While sat has come a long way, my understanding is the latency to get to outer space and back is just too high for tolerable phone quality connections.
I know they deployed a new sat not too long ago though that upgraded the service and latency, I do not know how much and whether its enough for the phone quality standards though.

 

[billyjay]

While sat has come a long way, my understanding is the latency to get to outer space and back is just too high for tolerable phone quality connections.
I know they deployed a new sat not too long ago though that upgraded the service and latency, I do not know how much and whether its enough for the phone quality standards though.

Thanks for your comments.
Ideally I want to use VOIP for all phone calls so that I can stop paying the BT line rental. The satellite link would then be justified as it costs only £20 per month and I can get a grant for the installation (£750) from the Welsh Assembly because I am in a rural area with poor broadband (less that 0.5Mb/s) and no signal for wireless or mobile phones.

 

[mikepattinson]

Thanks for your comments.
Ideally I want to use VOIP for all phone calls so that I can stop paying the BT line rental. The satellite link would then be justified as it costs only £20 per month and I can get a grant for the installation (£750) from the Welsh Assembly because I am in a rural area with poor broadband (less that 0.5Mb/s) and no signal for wireless or mobile phones.

Hi there,
I am in the same boat as you in the sticks in Wales and want to do the same thing.
I've trawled the internet to find the best satellite solution. Tooway Direct seem to be the cheapest for satellite broadband (with first 3 months free on a 12 month contract) but I'm not sure if they do a separate bolt on VOIP package so you don't use your monthly broadband allowance to make phone calls. They do, however, use the latest KA satellite which is much faster and more powerful and the upload speeds are much greater than the older Astra satellites (so less latency?). Beyond DSL use the older type satellite which has less capacity for faster speeds (and more latency issues maybe?) but they do a £7 extra/month VOIP package so your broadband allowance stays separated. But think you have to sign up to a 24 month contract.
I have before used Skype on a 1MB connection through BeyondDSL on the (older Astra satellite) in the past and was able to video conference and make phone calls through the internet and it seemed acceptable most of the time. I'm hoping that if Tooway don't do a VOIP package at the moment,then they will soon.
I think I will go for Tooway for broadband and if they don't do VOIP packages then keep the BT line for now and also get a VOIP phone and try it out on the internet and see how it works with the latency. Then I can maybe use mostly the VOIP for outgoing calls and see how it affects my data transfer allowance. I would anticipate that if they don't do it now then it won't be long before they do bolt on VOIP packages and then I'll be set up with the kit on a faster satellite with more room for expansion and less latency (hopefully).
Can't wait to be getting 8MB speeds rather than the pathetic 0.1MB we get at the moment.

Good Luck,

Mike.

 

[billyjay]

Hi there,
I am in the same boat as you in the sticks in Wales and want to do the same thing.
I've trawled the internet to find the best satellite solution. Tooway Direct seem to be the cheapest for satellite broadband (with first 3 months free on a 12 month contract) but I'm not sure if they do a separate bolt on VOIP package so you don't use your monthly broadband allowance to make phone calls. They do, however, use the latest KA satellite which is much faster and more powerful and the upload speeds are much greater than the older Astra satellites (so less latency?). Beyond DSL use the older type satellite which has less capacity for faster speeds (and more latency issues maybe?) but they do a £7 extra/month VOIP package so your broadband allowance stays separated. But think you have to sign up to a 24 month contract.
I have before used Skype on a 1MB connection through BeyondDSL on the (older Astra satellite) in the past and was able to video conference and make phone calls through the internet and it seemed acceptable most of the time. I'm hoping that if Tooway don't do a VOIP package at the moment,then they will soon.
I think I will go for Tooway for broadband and if they don't do VOIP packages then keep the BT line for now and also get a VOIP phone and try it out on the internet and see how it works with the latency. Then I can maybe use mostly the VOIP for outgoing calls and see how it affects my data transfer allowance. I would anticipate that if they don't do it now then it won't be long before they do bolt on VOIP packages and then I'll be set up with the kit on a faster satellite with more room for expansion and less latency (hopefully).
Can't wait to be getting 8MB speeds rather than the pathetic 0.1MB we get at the moment.

Good Luck,
ith reduced latency
Mike.

Thanks Mike
It is useful to know that Tooway use a new satellite with reduced latency. I will talk to them again. The main practical problem is now a large tree which is in line of sight to the satellite so I may need a pole to be sighted away from the house. In any event I will keep the BT line until I can get reliable and cheap mobile connection. I am trying to find a provider which will allow 2 phones to have the same number as I will not want to pay for 2 mobiles (my wife will want access to a phone when I am out.)
Cheers
Bill

 

[bdubs85]

just as another sometimes overlooked option: wimax over microwave transmission, most often a Line of Sight sort of thing. It can reach around 30 miles distance, and has comparable performance to mid-tier DSL.

Not sure if it's available near you.

 

[billyjay]

Thanks for comment
There is fast broadband approx 1 mile from my village (optical fiber) but they will not do a connection to us because of the cost and supposed insufficient interest although the village has about 80 households.

Microwave will depend on a transmitter/receiver being placed 1 mile away and one in the village. We can get it installed at this end but who would let us put up the aerial at the remote end?
Bill