I'm Experiencing Call Quality Issues

I'm Experiencing Call Quality Issues

Overview

Experiencing problems with your phone system can be frustrating, especially when you rely on it to communicate with your customers. The good news is that many call quality issues have simple solutions and can often be resolved in just a few minutes.

Because your phone system uses Voice over IP (VoIP) technology, it relies on a stable internet connection to place and receive calls. Unlike traditional phone lines, VoIP is sensitive to network conditions such as high latency, jitter, and packet loss. Even if your internet appears to be working normally for web browsing or email, these conditions can still affect voice calls.

This guide walks through the most common call quality issues, explains what they typically look like, and provides step-by-step troubleshooting instructions. If the steps below don't resolve the issue, don't worry—our support team is always happy to help. 



Issue 1: Poor Audio Quality

Symptoms

Your phone rings normally and you can place or receive calls, but the audio quality isn't clear. You may notice that the other person sounds:
  1. Choppy or robotic
  2. Scratchy or distorted
  3. Delayed (long pauses before you hear each other)
  4. Echoing or repeating
  5. Cutting in and out during the conversation
These symptoms are often caused by an unstable internet connection or network settings that interfere with voice traffic.

Troubleshooting Steps

Step 1: Test Your Internet Connection

Since your phone system uses your internet connection to make and receive calls, network performance has a direct impact on call quality. Start by confirming that your internet connection is performing as expected. The following websites are helpful for testing your connection:

      https://qos.bluip.io(recommended for network quality testing)

If your speeds are significantly lower than expected, the test reports high latency, jitter, or packet loss, or the test is reporting issues with your network, we recommend contacting your internet provider before continuing.

Step 2: Restart Your Network Equipment

Many temporary network issues can be resolved with a simple restart.
  1. Unplug the power from your modem and/or router.
  2. Wait approximately 10 seconds.
  3. Plug the device(s) back in and allow them to fully reconnect to the internet.
Once your network is back online, place a test call to see if the audio quality has improved.

Step 3: Verify Your Router and Firewall Settings

If the issue continues, contact your internet provider or IT administrator and ask them to confirm the following:
  1. SIP ALG (sometimes called SIP Helper) is disabled.
  2. Any firewall features that may interfere with VoIP traffic are disabled.
If your network uses a third-party firewall such as a SonicWall, Netgear, or similar appliance, these settings should be checked there as well.

Step 4: Contact Your IT Administrator

If your organization has an internal IT department or a managed IT provider, let them know you're experiencing call quality issues. They can review your network configuration and, if necessary, enable Quality of Service (QoS) settings to prioritize voice traffic over other internet activity, helping improve call stability.

Still Having Trouble?

If you've completed the steps above and the issue continues, please contact our support team. We'll be happy to review your phone system, perform additional diagnostics, and determine whether any adjustments on our end may help improve your call quality.


Issue 2: No Audio at All

Symptoms

Your phone rings normally and you can place or receive calls, but once the call connects, there is no audio. You may experience one of the following:
  1. You can't hear the person on the other end of the call.
  2. The other person can't hear you.
  3. Neither party can hear the other.
This issue is typically caused by a device connection problem or a network setting that is preventing voice traffic from reaching your phone.

Troubleshooting Steps

Step 1: Restart Your Phone

Temporary communication issues can often be resolved with a quick reboot.
  1. Unplug the power cable from the back of your phone.
  2. Wait approximately 10 seconds.
  3. Plug the phone back in and allow it to fully restart.
Once the phone has finished booting up, place another test call to see if audio has returned.

Step 2: Check Your Handset Connections

If you're using the handset rather than speakerphone or a headset, make sure all connections are secure. Start by:
  1. Removing any third-party handset accessories, such as handset detanglers or extenders.
  2. Inspecting the handset cord for any visible damage, cuts, or fraying.
  3. Confirming that the handset cord is firmly connected to both the handset itself and the Handset port on the back of the phone (not the Headset port).
A loose or damaged handset cable is one of the most common causes of one-way or missing audio.

Step 3: Test Different Audio Modes

Next, determine whether the issue affects only the handset or the entire phone. Place a test call to a device you know is working correctly, such as your cell phone. During the call, try each of the following:
  1. Increase the call volume using the volume buttons.
  2. Switch the call to speakerphone.
  3. If available, switch to headset mode.
  4. Press the mute button to verify that it responds as expected.
If there is still no audio regardless of which audio mode you use, the issue is more likely related to your network connection than the phone itself.

Step 4: Verify Your Router and Firewall Settings

If the problem continues, contact your internet provider or IT administrator and ask them to confirm the following:
  1. SIP ALG (sometimes called SIP Helper) is disabled.
  2. Any firewall features that may interfere with VoIP traffic are disabled.
If your network uses a third-party firewall such as a SonicWall, Netgear, or similar appliance, these settings should be checked there as well.

Step 5: Contact Your IT Administrator

If your organization has an internal IT department or a managed IT provider, let them know you're experiencing audio issues. They can review your network configuration and, if necessary, enable Quality of Service (QoS) settings to prioritize voice traffic and help prevent network-related audio problems.

Still Having Trouble?

If you've completed the steps above and you're still experiencing audio issues, please contact our support team. We'll be happy to review your phone system, perform additional diagnostics, and determine whether any adjustments on our end may help restore audio to your calls.


Issue 3: Device says “No Service” or “No Network”

Symptoms

Your phone powers on, but you can't make or receive calls. You may also notice one or more of the following:
  1. The display shows "No Service," "No Network," or "LAN Issue."
  2. There is no dial tone.
  3. The time displayed on the phone might be incorrect.
  4. The buttons alongside the display may appear blank or grayed out.
These messages usually indicate that your phone has lost its connection to the internet and is no longer able to communicate with our system.

Troubleshooting Steps

Step 1: Restart Your Phone

A quick reboot can often restore the phone's network connection.
  1. Unplug the power cable from the back of the phone.
  2. Wait approximately 10 seconds.
  3. Plug the phone back in and allow it to fully restart.
Once the phone has finished booting up, check to see if it reconnects automatically.

Step 2: Verify Your Internet Connection

The next step depends on how your phone connects to your network.

If your phone uses an Ethernet cable (recommended):
  1. Confirm that the Ethernet cable is plugged into the Network port on the back of the phone (not the PC port).
  2. Press firmly on both ends of the cable to ensure each connector has clicked securely into place.
  3. Follow the cable to the other end and verify that it is connected to an active Ethernet wall jack or directly to your router or network switch.
A loose cable is one of the most common causes of network connectivity issues.

If your phone connects using Wi-Fi:
  1. Open the phone's Basic menu and navigate to the Wi-Fi settings.
  2. Search for available wireless networks.
  3. Select your Wi-Fi network.
  4. Enter your Wi-Fi password if prompted.
Once connected, give the phone a minute or two to register with our system.

Step 3: Test a Different Network Connection

If your phone still won't connect, try a different network connection to help determine whether the problem is with the phone or the network.

For Ethernet connections:
  1. Move the Ethernet cable to a different wall jack.
  2. If possible, plug the phone directly into a different port on your router or network switch.

For Wi-Fi connections:
  1. Move the phone closer to your wireless router.
  2. If another Wi-Fi network is available, temporarily connect to it and see whether the phone registers successfully.
If the phone connects after changing connections, the original network port or Wi-Fi signal may be the source of the issue.

Still Offline?

If your phone continues to display "No Service" or "No Network" after completing the steps above, please contact our support team. We can verify whether your phone is reaching our servers, perform additional diagnostics, and help determine why it isn't reconnecting.


Issue 4: Softphone App Problems

Symptoms

Your desk phones work normally, but you experience problems when using the Cloud Softphone app. You may notice one or more of the following:
  1. Calls have poor audio quality.
  2. Calls take an unusually long time to connect.
  3. There is no audio during calls.
  4. Your desk phone rings, but the softphone app does not.
  5. The app appears to be offline or unavailable.
These issues are typically caused by an app configuration problem, a network connection issue, or missing permissions on your mobile device.

Troubleshooting Steps

Step 1: Check the App's Registration Status

The softphone app must maintain a connection to our phone system in order to place and receive calls.
  1. Open the Cloud Softphone app.
  2. Navigate to the Keypad tab.
  3. Tap the bubble displaying "SIP Softphone" or your extension number.
Here you'll see two important pieces of information:
  1. Do Not Disturb (DND) – If DND is enabled, incoming calls will not ring on the app.
  2. Registration Status – This shows whether the app is currently connected to our system.
If the registration status indicates the app is not registered, please contact our support team. We'll issue a new set of login credentials and help reconnect the app.

Step 2: Verify App Permissions

Your phone may prevent the app from functioning correctly if certain permissions have been denied.

Open your device's Settings app, locate the Cloud Softphone app, and verify that it has permission to access features such as:
  1. Microphone
  2. Phone
  3. Notifications
You should also make sure the app is allowed to:
  1. Run in the background
  2. Ignore battery optimization (if available)
  3. Continue receiving notifications while Focus Mode, Do Not Disturb, or Battery Saver is enabled
The exact names and locations of these settings vary depending on your device and operating system.

Step 3: Try a Different Connection Method

If the app still isn't working properly, try changing the way it's connecting to the internet.

If you're connected to Wi-Fi, temporarily switch to your mobile data connection and place another test call. If the app performs better on mobile data, the issue may be related to your Wi-Fi network rather than the app itself.

You can also configure the app to always prefer mobile data for voice traffic:
  1. Open the Cloud Softphone app.
  2. Navigate to the Keypad tab.
  3. Tap the three-dot menu (Android) or gear icon (iPhone).
  4. Select Preferences > Network.
  5. Under Network Priorities for RTP, change the preference from Prefer Wi-Fi to Prefer Mobile Data.
This setting often improves call quality when Wi-Fi coverage is weak or inconsistent.

Still Having Trouble?

If you've completed the steps above and the app is still experiencing issues, please contact our support team. We'll be happy to verify your app's registration, review your configuration, and perform additional testing to help identify the source of the problem.
 

We’re Here to Help!

If you've worked through the troubleshooting steps above and are still experiencing issues, our support team is here to help.

When you contact us, letting us know which troubleshooting steps you've already completed can help us diagnose the issue more quickly and avoid repeating work you've already done.

We'll be happy to review your phone system, perform additional testing, and work with you to get everything back up and running as quickly as possible.

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