Business VoIP & Other Frequently Asked Questions

Bandwidth.com provides premier data and voice communications solutions, along with comprehensive customer support. Bandwidth.com helps small and medium-sized businesses around the country leverage cutting-edge technology and complete transparency to enable them to compete directly with large enterprise. Bandwidth.com's experienced Account Executives can help you discover how your company can save money and time by utilizing advanced VoIP and data technologies.

Bandwidth.com takes service seriously. Our goal is to provide our customers with the best possible experience. Our exceptional growth rate (we're the number 1 fastest-growing telecom company in North Carolina, #16 in the country) and our 99.1% customer satisfaction rate indicate that in this effort, we are succeeding. Our service staff is available 24x7 to answer any questions you might have and solve any problems that might arise. Our Service Level Agreements (SLA) are some of the most comprehensive in the industry. Read our customer testimonials to see examples of our team in action.

Bandwidth.com is able to negotiate the best available rates from the leading national carriers. Because we purchase access in bulk, we can pass significant savings on to you. We will give you a comparison of the leading providers, allowing you to choose the best rate. Additionally, if you have business premises in multiple locations, we can mix and match carriers, building you the best rate package available. Bandwidth.com also offers complete customer support, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. All of our customers - regardless of their size - receive the same outstanding technical support.

Bandwidth.com deals with business of all sorts, all around the country. We provide complete business communications solutions to small and medium-sized business and Fortune 500 companies, handling over 200 million voice minutes per month. Head over to our customer testimonials to read how we have helped companies like yours solve their communications challenges.

VoIP is a means of transmitting analog voice signals over a digital network. Small to medium-sized business (SMBs) are increasingly turning to voice over IP (VoIP) solutions as an alternative to traditional public switched telephone networks (PSTNs). Instead of your voice being transmitted over analog phone lines, your calls will be routed through networking equipment and travel by way of Internet Protocol. Since phone calls are placed through the internet, phone companies and long-distance charges are bypassed. Commercial users of VoIP technologies can save money and cut costs by installing VoIP hardware instead of using telephones which can accumulate hefty long distance charges.

Many businesses can save money by switching to business VoIP for their voice communication needs. Our Account Executives can help you explore options and find out how much your business can save. Additionally, the option of running voice and data communications over the same circuits is another way to save money.

Definitely. Depending on your communications needs, VoIP has the potential to deliver significant savings on communication, letting you allocate valuable resources where they should be allocated: growing your business. Learn how Bandwidth.com's business VoIP solutions can give your company the competitive edge.

Many current phone technologies are capable of running VoIP. If you currently have a PBX, our Account Executives can help you determine whether you're ready for VoIP. Bandwidth.com also offers hosted IP-PBX, allowing you to avoid the hassle of maintaining your own equipment. To see how Bandwidth.com's Hosted IP-PBX service can streamline your operations, visit our Phonebooth page!

SIP is a process that allows for creating, modifying, and terminating multimedia sessions with one or more participants. These sessions include Internet telephone calls and multimedia conferences. SIP is widely used as a protocol for Voice over Internet Protocol, or VoIP.

SIP trunking is a means of leveraging the powerful SIP technology to provide dedicated multimedia support to a physical location. A SIP trunk is a connection between your IP network and the SIP network of your telephony provider - in essence, a SIP trunk is a phone line. Bandwidth.com is the leader in SIP trunking technology, with an active and experienced research and development team and 24x7 customer support.

SIP easy to use, is scalable, and saves companies money. With SIP, you can buy exactly the number of lines you need. You can route calls to any domestic physical location, and you can leverage your existing infrastructure to maximize your investment potential.

Internet Protocol Private Branch Exchange. IP-PBX is communication equipment located on the physical premises of the business. It is the backbone of an office communications system.

Bandwidth.com offers small- and medium-sized businesses the functionality they expect from a traditional hosted VoIP solution at a fraction of the cost: with our Phonebooth solution you don't need an IP-PBX! Phonebooth provides your business with a broad array of voice features that simplify your communications. Visit our Phonebooth page or contact one of our Account Executives - they can help you determine if Phonebooth is suited to your situation.

Bandwidth.com contracts with the leading national carriers to offer you the best, most reliable internet access, at the best price, to support your voice needs. Bandwidth.com is a complete business communications solutions provider. We offer inbound, outbound, and two-way calling with a variety of available features. Contact your Account Executive for specific details on how Bandwidth.com's VoIP service can give your business an edge over the competition.

Bandwidth.com offers a variety of VoIP service packages with myriad features, priced and configured according to the specific needs of your business. We are a complete business communication solution provider. Contact your Account Executive for specific details and custom solutions!

E911 is an improvement to the traditional 911 Emergency phone system. E911 provides emergency operators with a physical address for each incoming call. This offers obvious public safety advantages. Some VoIP providers (like Vonage) direct 911 calls to a central operator, who will gather the necessary address information and forward it to the authorities. E911-compliant systems connect you - and your address - directly to the local public safety officials. Our ELS phone lines are fully E911-compliant, offering you and your employees complete peace of mind.

Bandwidth.com provides superior SIP trunks and call-routing technology. Our routing networks are structured to provide the most direct route for your calls. Bandwidth.com employs multiple call gateways, assuring faster and better connections for your calls. This means reduced latency and coverage of over 90% of the domestic service area. All of this translates into superior business performance. Contact one of our Account Executives to learn the benefits of Bandwidth.com Business VoIP.

It depends on the type of PBX you currently have. If you have recently made a large investment in phone technology, it might make sense for you to go with our SIP trunking service, which would allow you to leverage your current investment with the latest technologies. If you favor a more hands-off approach, our feature-rich Hosted IP-PBX service might be just what you need. Our Account Executives can assist you in making this determination.

Bandwidth.com provides local numbers in more than 5,300 domestic service areas. At this time, we do not provide international numbers.

Bandwidth.com maintains a stock of more than 2 million voice-capable SIP trunks, offering full Local Number Portability (LNP) compliance. We support local call origination from 5,300+ rate centers, covering 300+ markets. Our service footprint covers 93% of the U.S. population, with 1,000 to 10,000 phone numbers available in each unique rate center. We can request specific numbers, but cannot guarantee them. Our number porting service allows you to move the custom numbers you currently have to a Bandwidth.com VoIP system.

Probably. Along with many other features, Bandwidth.com supports number porting from almost all service providers. We can configure your system with your current numbers, offering your customers and employees a seamless transition.

Typically, we can get your new Business VoIP system up and running in 3-5 business days. We maintain a large stock of local numbers in more than 300 markets, so we probably have the numbers you need in stock. If we need to secure additional numbers, the process will take 5-10 business days.

Bandwidth.com offers local numbers in more than 5,300 rate centers in the U.S., covering 300+ markets and serving more than 93% of the U.S. population.

In many cases, our customers can use their current telecommunications equipment. If you currently have an IP PBX or SIP-ready equipment (click here to determine whether your equipment is SIP-ready), you will need no additional hardware. We can also help you acquire the equipment necessary to convert your analogue voice equipment to VoIP technology. Bandwidth.com will refer customers wishing to upgrade their equipment to our certified PBX partners.

The amount of bandwidth for a call depends on the compression method (or codec) that is being used. The g.711 codec requires about 80-90k per call, while the g.729a requires about 30k.

Bandwidth.com supports both the g.711 codec and the g.729a codec.

Bandwidth.com is a complete SIP trunking communications system provider. At this time, we do not support IAX trunking.

Bandwidth.com recommends a T1 data connection for the best call quality. T1 lines offer the best combination of uptime, stability, and reduced latency. Our Account Executives can help your business experience the increased productivity of a T1 line and the efficiency of VoIP communications with our bundled service packages. Bandwidth.com's SIP trunking can run on IP-enabled PBXs or on an Asterisk server.

Bandwidth.com offers one, two, and three-year VoIP and data contracting. By signing a longer contract, you can lock in lower rates and reduce some installation charges. Additionally, Bandwidth.com offers the ability to re-negotiate pricing options at the end of a contract term.

Bandwidth.com offers some of the most comprehensive SLAs in the industry. Our U.S.-based customer support team is available 24x7 to solve all of your communications issues. Read our customer testimonials and hear what our customers have to say about the support they receive from Bandwidth.com.

Bandwidth.com has the industry's leading VoIP SLA. Our VoIP service is guaranteed to have maximum uptime and minimal latency and jitter issues.

Bandwidth.com knows that your small and medium-sized business needs maximum flexibility when it comes to scaling your operations. You can add a single DID line at any time during your contract for the same low initial rate. Unlike some of our competitors, we will not force you to buy packages of lines you don't need.

Bandwidth.com's Business VoIP service includes one DID per SIP trunk ordered. Additional DIDs may be purchased in packages at competitive rates.

Bandwidth.com offers industry-standard pricing of $0.029 / minute for toll-free lines.

Bandwidth.com offers very competitive international rates. Contact one of our Account Executives for specific pricing details.

Bandwidth.com can transfer your existing phone numbers to your new Business VoIP system. It typically takes 3-4 weeks to complete the porting process, depending on how many numbers you have to transfer. We realize that speed is essential; most of our small and medium-sized business customers have found that the process can be completed in about 30 days.

Absolutely. Flexibility is a hallmark of Bandwidth.com's small and medium-sized business VoIP service. We can add additional DIDs at any time. Leave us your contact information so  one of our Account Executives can contact you.

E.164 Numbering is the international standard for assigning telephone numbers. Bandwidth.com DIDs are E.164-compliant, which means that phone systems anywhere in the world can reach them.

Each business is unique in its communications requirements. Your bandwidth needs depend on how many users you have at your location, and what those users are doing. Bandwidth.com offers premium fractional T1, T1, fractional T3, T3, and optical data connections. Our Account Executives can help you determine which of these options is best for your situation.

For most customers in most geographic locations, it takes about 35-40 days to install a new T1 connection. Bandwidth.com coordinates every step of the process, from signing the contract to scheduling the installation. With our unique Customer Portal, you can manage every step of your installation process. You're not left with uncertainty about when installation events will take place, allowing you better to coordinate the resources necessary for setup. Additionally, our customer support team is ready to assist you 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Our T1, NxT1 and T3 (or DS3) data lines are private connections with private ports. We believe our small and medium-sized business customers deserve the speed and security that can only be delivered by a dedicated, private line. Our pricing includes the port and the loop charge together, providing for a seamless, guaranteed data connection.

Yes. Bandwidth.com believes consistent, reliable data and voice connections are essential to success for our small and medium-sized business customers. We pride ourselves on providing this service, and this guarantee is tied to our industry-leading SLA. You will always receive the specified speed capability.

Bandwidth.com realizes that when your internet access is down, your business is not making money. Therefore, we guarantee that when you call our 24x7 service department, you call will be answered - by a live technician in our Cary, NC service center - by the third ring. Most of the problems are such that we can solve them remotely. We have extensive relationships with each carrier, so if there is an issue, we have the ability to resolve it quickly and efficiently. When you sign with Bandwidth.com, you receive the added value of our experienced, dedicated in-house service and support geared for small and medium-sized business.

This depends on your network. If you want to add voice or other SIP trunking, that would determine the IP addresses you need. This depends on the size of the company. Each device that is connected to the Internet through your router requires its own IP address. Bandwidth.com's experienced service technicians will guide you through the process of determining your needs and provisioning the required resources.

Bandwidth.com offers small and medium-sized business a number of options in terms of equipment choice. An Account Executive will guide you through the process, helping you to decide whether it makes sense to purchase or lease your equipment, and what equipment to purchase or lease, based on your business plan. Call 800.808.5150 today to find out how Bandwidth.com can help your company succeed.

Bandwidth.com will handle connecting the data to your business location. All you need to provide is a router and cables. Bandwidth.com's experienced Account Executives will provide the correct equipment during the initial order process, making it as seamless as possible, so you can get back to business.

When you sign a contract with Bandwidth.com, an installation representative will guide you through every step of the process, from scheduling to initialization. We acquire the connection to the local and national carriers, activate the service, and coordinate service personnel. Additionally, we will provide you with a detailed chain of command, so you know who is responsible for every step of the process.

Bandwidth.com organizes the entire installation process. The customer has to be on-site during the activation process and have their router, as well as the correct cable connection from the T1 to the router. Bandwidth.com's experienced Account Executives will provide the correct equipment during the initial order process, making it as seamless as possible, so you can get back to the business of doing business.

Bandwidth.com works directly with the carrier to make the installation process as quick and painless as possible. For most small and medium-sized business customers, the process will take 30-45 days, depending on the location of the installation. Our experienced service and installation team will guide you through the process, every step of the way.

Yes. In some cases, if the customer's site is ready, the process can move more quickly. Ask one of our Service Representatives what you can do to make sure the process is as short as possible.

Bandwidth.com recognizes that small and medium-sized businesses often need their data connections to be on line as soon as possible. With some carriers, the installation process can proceed more quickly with an expedite order. This feature costs more up front, but results in a shorter installation process. With an expedite, the carrier will have an install done in 15-20 business days instead of the regular 30-40.

A demarc is the door to your T1. The carrier will make a connection from its network to your physical location. It looks like a normal phone jack, and is where you "plug in" to the internet.

A demarc is the main point of entry to the facility, which is determined by the carrier. That's where everything comes into the building. With a demarc extension, the carrier will extend the demarc from the point of entry to the customer's specified location.

This cost varies with the carrier. Some carriers do it by the hour, others have a pre-set fee. It could also depend on whether the T1 is already installed, or if it is requested before the install. The carrier will add more fees if the line is already installed, so be sure to specify where you want to "plug in" before your installation is scheduled.

The carrier determines the MPOE. The customer does not have input in this process. This is the point of having a demarc extension.

A smart jack is the same thing as a demarc. It is where you "plug in" to the Internet.

Installation of a new T1 line typically takes 30-45 days. A Bandwidth.com installation specialist will guide you every step of the way. Bandwidth.com values transparency and accountability throughout the process. To that end, we offer you a tool with which you can monitor every step of the installation and activation process, so you can have complete confidence.

Bandwidth.com works hard to get your business up and running as quickly as possible. Our installation specialists will get your order provisioned in the same business day.

Bandwidth.com believes in complete transparency throughout the ordering and installation processes. Through our unique Customer Portal system, you can track your order every step of the way. Our technicians will provide detailed notes and due dates for the various tasks so that you can keep abreast of the progress. Occasionally, a date may have to be moved back to accommodate a carrier's schedule. We do our best to minimize any such extensions and will always let you know what is going on.

Bandwidth.com takes customer support seriously. We employ highly trained technicians to keep you up and running. Many problems can be resolved remotely, while some problems require a more in-depth approach. Our SLA details the specific customer service guarantees you can count on.

Bandwidth.com works to get you up and running as soon as possible. Our billing department will begin billing two days after we inform you that your system is ready for activation.

Bandwidth.com's Customer Care Specialists work hard to make your company's move as seamless as possible. They will make the necessary arrangements with your carrier to set up your service and get it connected at your new location.

If at any time you choose to terminate your service with Bandwidth.com, let us know 40 days prior to the final date on which you need access to your service. We'll handle the rest.

If you are having difficulty with your Bandwidth.com services, you can get the ball rolling quickly by opening a trouble ticket online. Point your browser to the my.bandwidth.com portal, then click on "Support cases." Additionally, you can call one of our Customer Care specialists at 1-800-409-4357, option 1,1,1. The specialists are trained to get you the answers you need. To help speed up the trouble ticket process, please make sure to include the following information:

1. Service address affected
2. Local Contact name, number and access hours to site (this needs to be a contact at the location of the circuit.)
3. Circuit ID

The my.bandwidth.com portal is the key to managing your Bandwidth.com services. Through the portal, you can track what's happening with your account, from installation, to activation, to support. You can change some of the options for your services as well.

Bandwidth.com offers our customers the opportunity to pay their bills three simple ways.

1. By Mail:

Bandwidth.com

Attn: Accounts Receivable

4001 Weston Pkwy

Raleigh, NC 27513

2. Online:

Point your browser to https://www.bandwidth.com/tools/pay to begin.

Bandwidth.com accepts Visa, MasterCard, and American Express.

3. By Phone:

Contact one of our Customer Care Specialists at 1-800-409-4357, option 1,1,1 and they will create a billing ticket with all your payment information. Billing will then contact you regarding the ticket.

These acronyms refer to specific types of charges on your bill. MRC stands for Monthly Recurring Charge, and typically refers to the monthly payments you make for your services. NRC means Non-Recurring Charge, and is the money you pay initially for installation and initialization services.

A DID cost recovery fee is a government-mandated fee charged by all telecommunications providers to cover the cost of 911 service and various charges incurred by the provider. It is assessed at the same rate for each DID.

If you need a copy of your invoice, simply call or email one of our Customer Care Specialists at (800) 409-4357, options 1,1,1, or customercare@bandwidth.com, who are trained to assist you.

Late fees are assessed to the billing cycle two months prior to the current billing cycle. Therefore, if your payment is late, the late fee will not appear until another billing cycle has passed.

Your invoice charge includes your Monthly Recurring Charge (MRC) as well as any additional taxes, late fees or additional charges that may be assessed.

VAR stands for value-added reseller. A VAR is a company that bundles Bandwidth.com services with its products. For example, a company might sell IP phones like the Cisco 7960. If that company becomes a Bandwidth.com VAR, it could offer its customers Bandwidth.com service along with the phone system, making the most of their new equipment. VARs allow their customers to achieve greater returns on their infrastructure investments by bundling the services that enable them to use that infrastructure most effectively.

Bandwidth.com is in the business of providing outstanding voice and data services to our customers. We partner strategically with reputable companies offering quality products in order to provide total business communications solutions to our customers.

Bandwidth.com works with VARs which sell PBX equipment from the top manufacturers, including Allworx, Mitel, and ShoreTel. Visit our PBX page for the full list of PBX partners.

A customer who buys a phone system and Bandwidth.com VoIP service from a Bandwidth.com-certified VAR receives a total business communications solution. Their PBX equipment has been tested to ensure interoperability with Bandwidth.com's SIP trunking technology, and they receive dual technical support - from the VAR and from Bandwidth.com.

It's easy to become a Bandwidth.com VAR. For a small minimum commitment, you can enter into a strategic relationship that will enable you to offer complete business communications solutions to your customers. Call 888-BWC-VARS (888-292-8277) today to speak with a Channel Account Manager about becoming a Bandwidth.com VAR.

When you become a Bandwidth.com VAR, you enter into a strategic relationship that will help you sell more PBX equipment and help your customers achieve maximum return on their telecommunications investment. As a VAR, you receive access to sophisticated online pricing and support tools, sales leads from Bandwidth.com, and access to an aggressive, tiered commission schedule.

A significant portion of Bandwidth.com's business comes through our VAR partners. Call 888-BWC-VARS (888-292-8277) for more information.

As a Bandwidth.com VAR, you agree to a minimum monthly sales commitment and to abide by Bandwidth.com's business practices. That's all you have to do SIPlify your sales with Bandwidth.com.

Bandwidth.com operates an aggressive, generous commission schedule. For every sale of Bandwidth.com services you make, you receive a commission. Contact Doug Bescher, Channel Account Manager, at 888 BWC-VARS (888-292-8277) for more details.

Becoming a Bandwidth.com VAR enables you to offer your customers a superior product package, including lower pricing and faster return on their investment. Bandwidth.com service offers outstanding business features, such as disaster recovery (the ability to route calls to a different office in the event of a PDX failure.) Bandwidth.com's proven SIP trunking technology offers your customers a better value compared to traditional TDM services. Additionally, your customers receive 24x7 Bandwidth.com support for their VoIP services.

Bandwidth.com has hundreds of VAR partners around the country offering Bandwidth.com service to their customers. Some of the largest national telecommunications equipment retailers, including CDW, are Bandwidth.com VARs.

Call 888 BWC-VARS (888-292-8277) to begin a partnership with Bandwidth.com. Channel Account Managers are standing by to assist you.

NAT means Network Address Translation. When you connect to the Internet, information you send and receive is typically passed through a firewall, which protects your network infrastructure from hackers. Each individual network that is connected to the public Internet is identified by an IP address. Devices on the outside of your firewall see your publicly-routed IP Address; devices on the network inside of the firewall are addressed with private, non-routable IP addresses.

When information passes through the firewall, it does so in the form of data "packets." Each packet contains an IP address, telling it where it's from and where it's going. When a packet passes through the firewall to the public Internet, the private IP address is replaced with the publicly-routed IP address. When information passes from the public Internet through the firewall, the publicly-routed IP address is replaced with a private one and routed to the appropriate device.

SIP messages, which are carried inside of data packets, also include IP address information. Traditional NAT does not open the packet to change the IP information inside the SIP message. Therefore, the VoIP provider will not be able to send the call to the appropriate location. SIP requires a device to open the packet and adjust the IP information as it passes through the firewall.

Some firewall devices, known as Application Layer Gateways (ALGs), have the ability to make this change inside the SIP message. Though several ALGs are capable of SIP NAT traversal, Bandwidth.com supports the Ingate SIParator and Edgewater Networks' EdgeMarc router. Other firewalls, including Sonicwall and Cisco ASA/PIX, have this capability, but Bandwidth.com can only provide technical support for the Edgwater and Ingate ALGs.

NAT-traversal problems manifest themselves in several easy-to-identify ways. If you are experiencing any of the following problems, you may have a NAT-traversal issue:

1. Are you having one-way audio?

2. Is the call setting up (ringing), but missing sound?

3. Are calls not setting up in the first place?

If you are experiencing any of these issues with your VoIP service, call Bandwidth.com's Customer Care Specialists at 1-800-409-4357, options 1,1,1.

Bandwidth.com has several different options to help you deal with technical difficulties. If you are a Managed Network Services subscriber, we will take care of the problem from start to finish. If you don't subscribe to MNS, call our Customer Care Specialists at 1-800-409-4357, options 1,1,1.

If your network uses the Ingate SIParator or the Edgewater EdgeMarc ALGs, we should be able to troubleshoot your problems remotely. If you don't currently use one of these Bandwidth.com-supported ALG devices, there is another option. If you assign a public IP address directly to your phone system, you will obviate any NAT-traversal issues, because there is no translation necessary. This option does, however, leave your system vulnerable to attack. Bandwidth.com does not recommend this option.

Bandwidth.com supports two ALG devices: the Ingate SIParator and the Edgewater EdgeMarc router. Other devices capable of SIP packet translation are available, but Bandwidth.com does not offer technical support for their use.

ALG stands for Application Layer Gateway. An ALG is a device that handles translation of the packet IP addresses (and for Bandwidth.com VoIP service, the SIP IP information inside the packet) as they traverse the firewall. Bandwidth.com supports the use of the Ingate SIParator and Edgewater EdgeMarc ALGs.

It is important to remember that ALG devices are designed to handle a specific number of concurrent calls. Be sure to purchase an ALG that fits your business needs. Bandwidth.com's Account Executives can help you determine which ALG is right for you. Call (800) 808-5150, options 2,1, to speak with an Account Executive today.

Another name for ALG, a SIP-aware firewall is a device capable of handling the translation of SIP-packet IP addresses as the packets traverse the firewall. Bandwidth.com provides technical support for the Ingate SIParator and the Edgewater EdgeMarc firewalls for SIP-packet translation.

Far-End NAT traversal is a method of accomplishing NAT. See "What is NAT traversal?" for more information on NAT traversal. Bandwidth.com does not utilize Far-End NAT Traversal, because doing so would introduce unnecessary delays and latency into our customers' voice traffic. Bandwidth.com places paramount importance on the voice quality of our service, and we feel that accomplishing NAT traversal on the customer's premise is a far more effective and efficient technique.

QoS stands for Quality of Service. Quality of Service (QoS) is the idea that transmission rates, error rates, and other characteristics can be measured, improved, and, to some extent, guaranteed in advance.

Is the sound clear? Is there any jitter or latency? These are questions that determine the level of QoS. At Bandwidth.com, we pride ourselves on being an industry leader in QoS. Our engineers work tirelessly to ensure for our customers the highest possible level of QoS.

There are a several methods of ensuring the highest possible call quality. Bandwidth.com recommends using a dedicated data connection of at least T1 speed, along with a properly-configured router using the latest QoS technologies.

Bandwidth.com is dedicated to providing the highest possible level of call quality. To that end, our experienced engineers and technicians develop and test the latest QoS techniques. Bandwidth.com VoIP service currently uses several techniques to ensure QoS, including TOS-splitting, traffic shaping, and voice-optimized internet (on some phone systems).

A dedicated voice connection is an Internet connection used solely for voice traffic. It carries no data packets, so traffic congestion, latency, and jitter are not issues. It is one of the best ways to ensure call quality, but it is generally not cost effective, because it requires the purchase of an additional T1-class Internet connection.

TOS stands for Type-of-Service splitting. It is a way of classifying and prioritizing the traffic on a data connection to give priority to voice traffic. If voice packets are held up by data traffic, latency and jitter issues can arise. Data packets, on the other hand, can handle slight delay far more easily. Bandwidth.com currently utilizes TOS-splitting on outbound VoIP calls over Sprint's and Qwest's T-1 lines (Optional).

Traffic shaping is a technology used to enhance call quality. Used by EdgeMarc routers, traffic shaping software can differentiate between voice and data traffic. The software then "throttles back" the speed on the data traffic to make room for the voice traffic to proceed on the network unimpeded.

Voice Optimized Internet (VOA) is a technology Bandwidth.com offers to ensure call quality. Essentially,one circuit (ADSL, SDSL, or T-1) is delivered to the customer site. The circuit is provisioned with two separate IP addresses one for data traffic and the other for voice traffic. Using this method, the voice traffic is prioritized from the customer premises all the way to the carrier network. This reduces the congestion for both inbound and outbound voice traffic.

VoIP traffic is as secure as any other data traffic you send out onto the public internet. There are ways of making the system more secure, including some technologies currently undergoing testing by Bandwidth.com engineers, but none of the available technologies is yet universal. The best way to ensure security for your VoIP traffic is to employ the use of a SIP-enabled firewall, such as the Edgewater EdgeMarc or Ingate Firewall.

Your VoIP system is as secure as any other data leaving or entering your network. If you employ the use of a SIP-enabled firewall, your VoIP traffic is relatively secure. For someone to gain access to your VoIP calls, they would have to steal all of the packets leaving your network. The only way to do that is to be physically present at one of the points of transmission.

TLS is software with the ability to handle secure signaling, including SIP signaling, using secure certificates similar to the way some web sites use certificates to ensure secure financial transactions. Bandwidth.com engineers are currently testing TLS technology, but because it is not yet universal, it is not ready for implementation.

SRTP is a way to encrypt the signals carrying the voice information over the Internet. It is still in the development stage; Bandwidth.com engineers are testing and monitoring its progress to determine whether it can be of use.