VoIP echo is a common issue that causes disruption and delays in communication between individuals. If you have a far end-point, the loudness and delays during calls can get considerably worse.
In this article, we will cover some of the main causes of VoIP echo and explain how to resolve an echo in VoIP.
Causes of Echo
There are two main reasons behind Echo in VoIP calls. The echo can be created due to electrical imbalances in impedance or acoustic feedback. In either case, it’s important to determine where the problem lies in order to resolve it.
Identifying the Cause of Echo
To identify the cause of a problem, you have to follow a step-by-step procedure to identify the problem. Since there are two primary reasons behind echoes during calls, it is necessary to uncover the cause of the echo, determine how bad the problem is and how long the echo lasts.
In most cases, an acoustic echo is continuous and you will be able to notice your words echoing words more often. Another sign of an echo caused by acoustic feedback is if the echo occurs at both ends.
You can verify this by simply holding your hand over the speaker of the handset. See if this action stops or minimizes the echo. If yes, then the echo may be happening due to acoustic feedback.
You can resolve echoes caused by acoustic feedback by changing the handset you are using. Many low-cost handsets have an insular separation that can cause your voice to travel inside the phone from its speaker and then back to your microphone.
You can also adjust the volume of your handset to a lower level to reduce this effect marginally. Although an echo a call can also happen because of electrical impedances, using this method can be useful for testing acoustic feedback.
Resolving Echoes Caused by Electrical Impedance
If your calls are suffering from echoes due to an impedance mismatch or any other electrical causes, its effects will mostly be one-sided. Therefore, you will notice the echo rather than the other caller who might not notice it at all.
To resolve an echo caused by electrical impedance, you will first need to determine whether or the echo is local. After that, you will have to eliminate any faulty connections to fix the electrically-induced echo.
If the VoIP connection works with an Analog Telephone Adapter (ATA) connected to a modem or router, then will you need to connect one phone to find out the problem. However, you must do so without any splitters and connect the phone to the ATA directly with the help of a short RJ11 cable. You must also ensure that you still have a proper grounding and are using an efficient power source.
Check all the locations of your modem, router, ATA, as well as all the attached cables. After that, isolate all the above-mentioned devices from the connected power supplies so there is no other source for electrical induction.
Check if the echo stops after cutting the house wiring. If yes, then the reason for the echo can be anything from the following:
- Electrical interference caused by the connected electrical devices with phone cables.
- The use of low-cost splitters.
- Long, untwisted phone wiring in your company.
- Faulty or damaged connections.
What If the Echo Persists?
If you continue to experience an echo after eliminating the possible causes mentioned above, you may have insufficient echo cancellation at the PSTN gateways. You need to understand that an echo is only noticeable when you have a delay between speaking and hearing your voice. Therefore, if the delay is longer, the echo will be more noticeable.
Most traditional PSTN devices are configured with echo cancellation for long-distance calls to minimize echoes and delays. At the same time, VoIP PSTN calls support all cellular calls to the PSTN. Therefore, you need to consider the following things to see why the echo problem persists.
Check if the calls affected by an echo belong to a specific category. For instance, you can experience the echo when making calls to certain countries. It may happen when your carrier is using an outsourced service belonging to the B or C-grade category. Likewise, many connections can degrade over time.
Your provider is responsible for both these things and you need to rely on a high-quality VoIP service to prevent these issues from ever happening.
DLS Internet Services offers a comprehensive VoIP solution for businesses of all sizes. The company ensures that calls to all countries and regions have the same level of excellent quality needed for smooth business operations.
For further information on the company’s services, visit the company’s website at https://www.dls.net/.