Poor Sipgate call quality

I've had Sipgate for ever but hardly use the landline numbers. However a couple of (inbound) calls recently have been of poor quality. I don't remember this in the past.

Is this because Spigate is now worth every penny I pay? Or maybe there's a router setting I could fiddle with?

I'm with Zen and am using their FritzBox router to access Sipgate. The call quality is poor both when using the DECT (also FritzBox) handset or Groundwire over mobile. So I'm assuming its at their end unless my router is misconfigured - but I haven't touched the VoIP settings...

Anyone else feel Sipgate's quality had deteriorated? Or any router settings to look at?

I haven't noticed any problems with call quality - not that I use it much, but the call I had yesterday was OK.
Apart from scammers only my mother calls my old landline number on sipgate (and I never make outgoing calls). Just using old generic dect phones paired to the Fritzbox.
I haven't changed any settings in 3 years,, though interestingly as of last week it has been connecting via IPv6 -prior to that all connections have always been from IPv4 server addresses.

Last call received on mine was about a week ago, I use GS Wave app, no problems at all, certainly a lot better than the crackly copper line.

I'm with Sipgate and voice quality is unchanged.

It really depends on what you mean by poor quality though. Is the audio stuttering or sounding a bit like a Dalek, which would indicate a network or ISP issue with packet loss or swings in latency, or is it sounding okay but just thin in tonal qualities? If it just sounds like poor audio quality and you have not used it in a while, perhaps you've got used to better audio on apps like WhatsApp or been getting HD Voice calls over mobile, so now in comparison it seems worse, but just might be everything else got better?

In terms of settings check which Codec's (Codecs compress the audio to various quality levels) are set on the Fritz box. Usually its a list of a few and we change the priority of which gets used first. Make sure G711u or G711a is at the top, next put G726-32, those are usually the better sounding ones.

Hope that helps.

On the Fritzbox, you can check for packet loss, jitter etc. on the page
Telephony > Telephone Numbers > Voice Transmission

that should give you an idea what is causing the problem

In reply to a post by E300:

It really depends on what you mean by poor quality though.

Breaking up. Not hearing every word, having to have the caller repeat. Having to listen hard to understand. Like a mobile phone in the 90s!

I might try getting someone to call from a mobile to Groundwire on my mobile outside of my WiFi area and see if that helps. If there's a difference it would point to my LAN or broadband connection.

In reply to a post by essex_man:

On the Fritzbox, you can check for packet loss, jitter etc. on the page
Telephony > Telephone Numbers > Voice Transmission

Translate this for me!

14.12.2023 12:03 <- Date & Time
0:21:06 <- Call Time
217.10.xx.xxxx <- Remote Site
G.722-HD G.722-HD <- Coding (send & receive)
62723 (-) 62907 (-) <- Packets
- - <- Packets Lost
13 ms <- Voice Transmission Delay
0 ms 3 ms <- Jitter
- 0 ms (0 %) <- Burst

If your packet loss column is empty and your jitter is sub-5ms that all looks good,

your delay figure of 13ms is slightly higher than mine of 2.5 to 5.5 ms on FTTC with Zen's own telephony service.
However anything sub 20ms is still going to be negligible for voice.

Zen have configured my Coding (Send/Receive) as G.711 if that matters, but as a PSTN replacement that's as expected.

I'm using the built-in DECT functionality so there is no Wi-Fi (or indeed any LAN-side elements) involved in the calls.

Edited by prlzx (Fri 15-Dec-23 12:15:02)

you can find a detailed explanation of the parameters here

https://fritzhelp.avm.de/help/en/FRITZ-Box-7590-avme...

so nothing wrong with the connection between yourself and Sipgate, most likely an issue beyond Sipgate. Do you get poor voice quality all the time or with certain numbers only?

In reply to a post by essex_man:

so nothing wrong with the connection between yourself and Sipgate, most likely an issue beyond Sipgate. Do you get poor voice quality all the time or with certain numbers only?

Thanks for the link. Hard to say really as nobody ever calls the landline - except for a couple of calls this week. I'm pretty sure the call quality was fine a month or two back. I do answer a 'wrong' number now and then and try to be helpful and let callers know which digit they misdialled!

I'll try some test calls, maybe it will return to normal. Thing is I have credit and need to make a longish call to the USA which will be business like and technical. At the moment I can't use the line for this call as I can't trust it will be clear.

If you don't trust Sipgate call quality, why not sign up to one of the many Dellmont VoIP resellers. see here for price omparison
http://voip-comparison.com/?ll=0&ll=1&mb=0&mb=1&sms=...
with some of these, you even get 120 days of free calls (including US) when you top up €12.50

I have been using freevoipdeal for well over ten years now (including international calls, mainly to Germany) and never had problems with call quality

In reply to a post by essex_man:

If you don't trust Sipgate call quality, why not sign up to one of the many Dellmont VoIP resellers. see here for price

Because I don't make outbound calls via VoIP*. I'm happy with Sipgate and the amount I pay**, it's only the past week I've ever noticed poor call quality.

If I did need to get a proper VoIP I have in the past recommended - having used elsewhere - Dial9.

* I may make a call to the USA in the next week or two, first time I will have used the line in a dozen years.
** £0.00 per month

In reply to a post by Woolwich:

I might try getting someone to call from a mobile to Groundwire on my mobile outside of my WiFi area and see if that helps. If there's a difference it would point to my LAN or broadband connection.

Done that.

Call from mobile 4G to landline to Groundwire on my mobile 4G was OK. A bit soft but fine. 4G to 4G on the same cell to compare was a bit louder a bit less soft but not night and day.

Then a call from 4G to landline on DECT handset was absolutely fine. No breakup like yesterday. Details on the FritzBox look the same as yesterday.

So maybe just a temporary 'on of these things'. As I say, worth every penny I pay so can't complain.

Our experience of Sipgate is varied. I have put that down to connecting our VOIP phone via a very old Devolo mains connector plus the fact that we have wireless Internet connection. I shall re-evaluate after we get fibre installed.

I ported my mobile to RWG on 6th December, but the number port got stuck for a week, so I have been using my Sipgate number for incoming calls instead. Call quality has been fine. I'm on Aquiss and use Acrobits Softphone.

Presumably you've run all the call tests using the Sipgate diagnostic numbers?

10000 for a general call test
10020 for DTMF / IVR test
10005 for a record / echo test

[Sipgate has been completely fine, as usual, from the two sites we use it at]