A recent commentator on the post of our series Question player put a big question that we felt warranted a new position to answer.
Q: Using bradband dsl for Internet connection. Do you need cable or satellite to buy Vonage?
Vonage requires a broadband Internet connection (DSL or cable). So your DSL connection to existing broadband will be quite enough if you decide to sign up for Vonage service.
Keep in mind that one of the most important factors in determining the quality of your VoIP connection, Vonage and other VoIP providers, is the speed of your broadband connection . Specifically, you want to test the speed at which data is transferred through your Internet connection. the Internet connection speed is measured in kilobits per second, which is a measure of the rate at which data is transferred via modem (you'll see it often abbreviated Kbps or kb / s).
Most experts agree that your Internet connection should have a minimum of 90 Kbps to have a VoIP call quality experience. There are two great sites that we met that will help you determine exactly what you can expect if you decide to sign up for Vonage or VOIP services to your existing Internet connection.
The first is SpeedTest.net. This site will quickly determine the speed at which data is sent and received, or uploaded and downloaded via your broadband modem. The results are shown in Kbps. Keep in mind that your data transfer rates can vary throughout the day so it is best to perform this test during the time that you usually make calls from your home phone line phone.
The second site, TestYourVoip.com, goes a step further and actually test VoIP calls from your Internet connection at locations worldwide. In less than 20 seconds, they are able to show you the estimated quality VoIP calls from your Internet connection.
Both sites are totally free and we are not affiliated with them in any way, but we believe they offer valuable information for consumers looking to join the VoIP revolution.
If you want more information on VoIP please visit our guide for VoIP service providers.