Poor quality of local Skype calls in NZ

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Gadgettm

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#8371 24-Jun-2006 14:41

Has anybody have explanation why my calls to landlinephones here in New Zealand are poorer quality than those landline calls I make to Finland. I guess the calls are routed via Europe when using Skype for local calls?
Or is it because of the technology I am using? Telecom Wireless Data Card, Aircard 580 on my laptop using perhaps overloaded network so connection speed is slower?

nzbnw

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#39519 24-Jun-2006 15:30

I am not sure of the reason but VOIP applications such as Skype as not supported on either Telecom's CDMA Mobile Broadband Network or Vodafone’s Mobile Data Network by the operators Terms and Conditions. For the 1GB promo offer VOIP is excluded. In short, Telecom in your case will not support this application.

Telecom New Zealand · Service: Mobile Broadband and our nationwide mobile data network are not designed to support real-time applications such as voice over IP or two-way video applications. Telecom reserves the right to charge an additional fee for such services

Cheers

Gadgettm

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#39523 24-Jun-2006 15:57

Are you saying that if I was connected using WiFi other than Telecom/Starbucks service on my laptop, I would get a better quality Skype calls? I am going to try this next time I connect using wireless hotspot.

sbiddle

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#39532 24-Jun-2006 16:50

While VoIP over both Telecom & Vodafone's mobile networks are prohibited in the T&C's in my limited testing VoIP is rock solid over EV-DO and offers better quality calls than using most ADSL connections. VoIP over most UBS connections can be very poor and vary a lot between ISP's. Jetstream connections seem to be both good and bad and there doesn't seem to be any real factor of determining this without testing.

The problem with VoIP using a public hotspot is the lack of any QoS particularly if the hotspot is being used by multiple users and the fact that most Telecom hotspots use ADSL as a backhaul which takes you back to the problem above.

freitasm

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#39542 24-Jun-2006 20:45

Also because there are delays that are intentionally introduced in random packets, causing VoIP applications to break (Rumour [TM]). This is not the same on TelstraClear network, where Skype calls have perfect quality when compared with calls over ADSL in this country.

tonyhughes

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#39551 25-Jun-2006 00:16

Today I had a Skype to Telecom landline incoming call (using call forwarding on my end), and it was REALLY good...

Better than a Skype to Skype call with the same person a few minutes earlier...

bbman

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#40528 5-Jul-2006 19:56

skype calls over CDMA 1xrtt and EVDO are fine, especially when standing still. Video calls can also be made with some clip whilst in 1xrtt coverage but usually clean and clear on EVDO.

Works a treat, i have used the sierra wireless aircard 580 and the new Mini max, the mini max has better coverage and seems to get better throughput and data speed,

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inane

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#40580 6-Jul-2006 10:27

I have seen some pretty damning evidence that supports the "rumour" that Freitasm pointed out.

from a business perspective it makes sense, especially with telecoms plans for the future.

however if they were really smart they would partner with skype, prioritise the traffic, then offer various
Syxtra plans or something, and take a cut,

but that would be giving Xtra value to the customer, something they dont seem keen on.

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sbiddle

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#40597 6-Jul-2006 16:57

inane: I have seen some pretty damning evidence that supports the "rumour" that Freitasm pointed out.

from a business perspective it makes sense, especially with telecoms plans for the future.

however if they were really smart they would partner with skype, prioritise the traffic, then offer various
Syxtra plans or something, and take a cut,

but that would be giving Xtra value to the customer, something they dont seem keen on.

VoIP is the future, there is no disputing that.

What the telcos have the power to do however is force you to their managed VoIP services by crippling your attempt to user a non managed service. Woosh have done this in a way by setting their QoS so that their own phone service (which is SIP based) is usable but trying to use your own SIP device results is poor quality.

The future of every phone in NZ is VoIP once Telecom move to their NGN. The problem all incumbent telcos around the world are facing is how to retain the lost revenue stream when customers move from a physical PSTN phone to a VoIP phone. Here in NZ you can get an iTalk phone with a physical phone number in various cities nationwide for $9.95 per month and pay dirt cheap prices for calls. How would Telecom really cope losing $42 per month from hundreds of thousands of customers once naked DSL comes along and they are no longer forced to have a landline to get broadband and can get a phone service for $10 per month?

sbiddle

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#40601 6-Jul-2006 21:11

Reading the nznog mailing list today there was also a link posted to this article:

http://www.consumer.org.nz/newsitem.asp?docid=2624&category=News&topic=ISPs%20able%20to%20slow%20down%20VoIP%20services

I found this snippit rather amusing

"Telecom says its mobile data network is "not designed to support real-time applications such as VoIP".

Yeah right.. Telecom's network is the bomb when it comes to supporting real-time applications! Telecom spend all their time telling us how great their network is and now their PR people are trying to tell us that really it's crap! :-)

juha

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#40615 7-Jul-2006 08:33

sbiddle: Here in NZ you can get an iTalk phone with a physical phone number in various cities nationwide for $9.95 per month and pay dirt cheap prices for calls. How would Telecom really cope losing $42 per month from hundreds of thousands of customers once naked DSL comes along and they are no longer forced to have a landline to get broadband and can get a phone service for $10 per month?

I think it's well over a million customers - Telecom has something like 1.3 million residential landline customers. That's a good chunk'o'change. No wonder that Telecom hurriedly put up the line rental this year to make as much money it could before competition stems the revenue flow.

Italk now offers local numbers in the main calling areas... I've been using the service for quite a while now, and I'm more than happy with it. It does work over Telecom's crippled DSL too, but I'm lucky enough to have Wired Country with a better upstream and no artificially introduced jitter.

Juha

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#40616 7-Jul-2006 08:52

juha:
I think it's well over a million customers - Telecom has something like 1.3 million residential landline customers. That's a good chunk'o'change. No wonder that Telecom hurriedly put up the line rental this year to make as much money it could before competition stems the revenue flow.

But there will always be a lot of people who will stay with Telecom & Xtra so the potential loss would be a lot less. Telecom's problem is that the internet has created an inflated revenue stream for them since people paid for a phone & internet. With the switch to a 100% IP based network then your phone and internet become one so effecticaly you're effectively going back 15 years before the internet and replacing that line rental with an internet connection charge. This should be giving households a fee of around $40-$50 per month for internet and phone service which is on par with Telecom's revenue per user from 15 years ago allowing for inflation.

juha:
Italk now offers local numbers in the main calling areas... I've been using the service for quite a while now, and I'm more than happy with it. It does work over Telecom's crippled DSL too, but I'm lucky enough to have Wired Country with a better upstream and no artificially introduced jitter.

I've finally got an 04 number now which is great since I don't have a phone at home (advantage of TCL cable!).

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#40617 7-Jul-2006 09:02

sbiddle: But there will always be a lot of people who will stay with Telecom & Xtra so the potential loss would be a lot less. Telecom's problem is that the internet has created an inflated revenue stream for them since people paid for a phone & internet. With the switch to a 100% IP based network then your phone and internet become one so effecticaly you're effectively going back 15 years before the internet and replacing that line rental with an internet connection charge. This should be giving households a fee of around $40-$50 per month for internet and phone service which is on par with Telecom's revenue per user from 15 years ago allowing for inflation.

Yep, agreed. Telecom will no doubt try to recoup some of the lost revenue by slapping on other services on top like VoD and the buzzwordy converged calling thing, but it nevertheless looks like the golden days of having a sweated asset are gone.

Juha

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#40625 7-Jul-2006 12:21

Interesting to see AAPT trying to capitalise on VoIP

http://www.zdnet.com.au/news/communications/soa/AAPT_turns_to_VoIP_for_SME_cash/0,2000061791,39262408,00.htm

Telecom NZ are in a pretty unique position in that we are going to have one of the most advanced networks within a year. While other countries are still trying to decide whether they should deploy a NGN Telecom are now almost there.