VoIP - A question

[TourGuide]

Does anyone know if the current VoIP technology consumes a constant flow of bandwidth or does your bandwidth drop only when a call comes in or goes out?

In my research I have not been able to find an answer to this question.

 

[aphex]

I believe it only drops when your using the phone.... Honestly though, i've been using mine for 5 months now and never have noticed any negligable drop in internet speed even while anyone is on the phone....

 

[Hoober]

Originally posted by: aphex
I believe it only drops when your using the phone.... Honestly though, i've been using mine for 5 months now and never have noticed any negligable drop in internet speed even while anyone is on the phone....

Same here. We've had ours for about 3 months now. We've got a 512K uplink.

 

[aphex]

Originally posted by: Hoober

Originally posted by: aphex
I believe it only drops when your using the phone.... Honestly though, i've been using mine for 5 months now and never have noticed any negligable drop in internet speed even while anyone is on the phone....

Same here. We've had ours for about 3 months now. We've got a 512K uplink.

Mines only 384k

 

[EyeMWing]

The bandwidth is only used during a call. There is one exception to this, and I'm not sure why. If your service allows incoming/outgoing modem/fax connections and you enable that option, a VERY small amount of bandwidth will be kept open at all times. I have NO idea why, and AT&T has never been able to explain it to me.

 

[imported_Geekking]

It does not constantly consume bandwidth...even when I am on the phone I can still do things like big downloads and gaming and notice no significant change in bandwidth usage...

 

[gutharius]

Originally posted by: aphex
I believe it only drops when your using the phone.... Honestly though, i've been using mine for 5 months now and never have noticed any negligable drop in internet speed even while anyone is on the phone....

With vonage the MOST it CAN affect my bandwidth is 90Kbps or 11KB/s. I hardly notice it since i am usually tearing things down at 400+KB/s.

Edit: it is on usage that it consumes bandwidth. The router waits for a loop connection to be created on the phone line and simulates a dial tone then starts shipping the digitized data off to your VoIP service.