Common PBX Phone System Problems and How to Fix Them

A Private Exchange Branch (PBX) is a business phone system that helps companies overcome the physical restrictions of a traditional telephone system. Your business can benefit from a PBX system because you’ll no longer have to worry about copper wires or break the budget regarding your communications. Your business will be more successful when you communicate effectively and clearly with your employees, customers, and partners. 

If you’ve experienced echoes, busy signals, dropped calls, or audio issues, Delta Intellicom can help. The causes of these issues and solutions aren’t hard to find or resolve. Here are common PBX system problems and how to fix them.

Jitter

Jitter results in there being a disarranged sound on the line. These issues stem from how phone calls transfer over the Internet. When you’re on the phone, your voice converts into data packets that move through the Internet to the person on the other line. When there is a transmission delay, these data pockets might become jumbled or have gaps. 

You can fix a large amount of jitter with a jitter buffer that temporarily stores data packets in the appropriate sequence and transmits them in intervals. The result is clear audio reaching its recipient with minimal delay. 

Lagging Internet Connection 

If your Internet is slow after switching to a VoIP phone system, your current bandwidth might not be able to handle the amount of data that needs to transfer for VoIP calls to work. A higher bandwidth enables an immense amount of data to transfer. 

However, most Internet service providers (ISP) offer bandwidth that only works for normal Internet surfing versus an entire phone system. It’s best to have 100kpbs of bandwidth per phone, which business ISPs provide. Printers, fax machines, computers, and credit card machines would take up your bandwidth. 

Latency 

Latency is a delay between when one person says something and the other individual hearing it. If you find that you and the other caller are out-talking one another and you still hear your voice, this could be because of latency or VoIP delay. 

You can solve and prevent latency by prioritizing VoIP traffic through:

  • Bandwidth preservation 
  • Policy-based network management 
  • Multi-Protocol Label Switching (MPLS)

These methods prevent jitter and latency. 

An Inadequate Router

You could have an inadequate router if you have a properly-configured network and sufficient bandwidth. Your router should be quick, compatible with your software, and capable of prioritizing VoIP traffic. Customized VoIP routers are a cost-effective way to avoid poor call quality. 

Packet prioritization and your router should be in sync. For example, if one employee is watching a webinar or downloading a large file while the other is on a call with a client, the call quality could suffer. 

Network Interference 

Do you run your VoIP service concurrently with a data network over the same hardware? If so, you might encounter bandwidth limitations. The data network and voice network might be competing for resources. As a result, sound might cut in and out over the phone. 

You could configure the network into separate VLANS to prioritize the date from the voice network over the data network. You could also utilize a Quality of Service (QOS) feature in your business-class network to prioritize voice data. Either way, you’ll experience stable, quality calls each time. 

The proper communication methods are essential to keep your business credible and successful. Contact Delta Intellicom today if you need PBX system monitoring and maintenance services. 

Small Business Network Solutions from Delta Intellicom

Want to learn more about the ways we can help improve your business? Delta Intellicom can satisfy all of your telecommunication needs, whether you need help with your new VoIP system or just want to streamline your existing office phone network. We have served the Maryland, Washington, D.C, Northern Virginia, and Pennsylvania areas for over 20 years and offer an unparalleled customer experience. We have the expertise and products to fulfill all of your phone service and data needs. For more information, contact us online or give us a call at 1-800-946-3358. For more tips, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest.