Bandwidth per call
| Codec | Approx. bandwidth per call (each way) | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| G.711 | about 87 to 100 kbps | Standard quality, most common |
| G.722 | about 87 to 100 kbps | HD voice, same bandwidth as G.711 |
| G.729 | about 24 to 32 kbps | Compressed, lower quality |
| Opus | about 20 to 60 kbps | Adaptive, used by many apps |
Upload speed matters as much as download, because every call sends audio both ways. Add headroom for everything else your team does online.
VoIP bandwidth calculator
1.0 MbpsVoice upload needed
11.3 MbpsTotal upload with 30% headroom
Full fibreSuggested connection
Example figures shown. Change the inputs to match your business.
Quality targets
- Latency (one way): under 150 ms
- Jitter: under 30 ms
- Packet loss: under 1%
Improving quality
- Use wired connections for desk phones where possible
- Enable QoS on the router to prioritise voice
- Avoid running VoIP through consumer VPNs
- Consider a separate line for voice on very busy sites