Quick Answer: A typical business VoIP call uses roughly 25 to 80 Kbps in each direction, depending on the codec, packet size and network overhead.
Why Internet Speed Matters for Business VoIP Call Quality
Internet speed for VoIP matters because a Hosted PBX phone system carries every call over your business internet connection.
Speed is only part of the call quality story
Fast internet is widely available in Canada. The CRTC’s Canadian Telecommunications Market Report 2026 found that more than 96% of Canadian dwellings have access to fixed internet service at speeds that meet or exceed the CRTC’s universal service objective of at least 50 Mbps download and 10 Mbps upload.
Speed alone does not guarantee clear calls. The Canadian Internet Registration Authority (CIRA) notes that latency, jitter and packet loss often decide whether a call sounds smooth or choppy, even when speed results look fine.
How Much Bandwidth Does a VoIP Call Use?
Per-call bandwidth and the role of the VoIP codec
A typical business VoIP call uses roughly 25 to 80 Kbps in each direction, depending on the codec, packet size and network overhead.
Voice is light compared with video meetings or cloud backups. On a connection with plenty of speed, poor call quality usually points to how bandwidth is being shared, not how much bandwidth is available.
How to Calculate VoIP Bandwidth for Concurrent Calls
Size for your busiest hour, not your headcount
To calculate VoIP bandwidth, multiply your peak number of simultaneous calls by the per-call bandwidth, in each direction. Then add what your team uses for everything else at that same time. Staff who are not on the phone add nothing to the voice total.
Using 80 Kbps per simultaneous call as the upper end of the typical range, a sales office handling up to 10 calls at once would use about 800 Kbps each way for voice. A customer service team handling 25 calls at once would use about 2 Mbps each way. Video meetings, file transfers and cloud applications sit on top of those figures.
Upload speed matters as much as download speed for VoIP, because every call sends audio in both directions and many internet plans offer far less upload than download.
Latency, Jitter and Packet Loss: The VoIP Quality Metrics Beyond Speed
Why a fast connection can still produce choppy calls
For high-quality VoIP, commonly used network planning targets are one-way latency of no more than 150 ms, jitter below 30 ms and packet loss below 1%.
| Metric | What it means | Target for VoIP |
| Latency | Delay between speaking and being heard | Under 150 ms one way |
| Jitter | Variation in how long voice packets take to arrive | Under 30 ms |
| Packet loss | Share of voice packets that never arrive | Under 1% |
Each problem sounds different. Packet loss causes clipped words and gaps. Jitter makes audio sound garbled or robotic. High latency creates awkward pauses where people talk over each other.
Distance adds delay too, because one-way delay includes the time a signal needs to travel. Intratel works with Canadian data centres and carriers to keep voice infrastructure and routing within Canada where applicable.
How to Run a VoIP Speed Test on Your Business Internet
Testing the metrics that matter for voice
A VoIP speed test should measure latency, jitter and packet loss as well as download and upload speed. Run the test several times, including during your busiest calling period, because performance can shift across the day. Test the way your team actually connects. CIRA recommends wiring directly to your router for more stable results, and notes that high packet loss can come from something as simple as a loose Ethernet cable.
Compare your results with the VoIP targets of under 150 ms latency, under 30 ms jitter and under 1% packet loss. Check measured speeds against your plan as well, since the CRTC reports that slower-than-expected speeds are among the most common internet issues Canadians raise.
How to Improve VoIP Call Quality on Your Existing Connection
Quality of Service, traffic priority and when to upgrade
The most effective way to improve VoIP call quality is to give voice priority with Quality of Service and reduce congestion on your connection. QoS tells your router to send voice first when the connection is busy. It works best on traffic leaving your office, because providers often ignore or remove priority markings once traffic crosses the wider internet.
Schedule large cloud backups and bulk uploads outside peak calling hours. Keep desk phones and heavy softphone users on wired connections where practical. Depending on the devices you choose, the right setup may involve hardware and/or software, and many softphone users need only a good headset.
If peak-hour tests keep missing the VoIP quality targets, the connection itself may be the limit. Intratel offers internet service designed to complement its voice offerings, so your phone system and connection can be planned together. For outage planning, see our guide on what happens to your business phone system if the internet goes down.
Key Takeaways
- Each VoIP call typically uses roughly 25 to 80 Kbps in each direction, depending on the codec, packet size and network overhead.
- Size your connection for peak simultaneous calls, not total headcount.
- Upload speed matters as much as download speed for VoIP.
- Clear calls need latency under 150 ms, jitter under 30 ms and packet loss under 1%.
- Quality of Service and less congestion often improve call quality without a faster plan.
Choosing the Right Business Internet for Hosted PBX
Stable, well-sized connections make clear calls
The right business internet for Hosted PBX is a stable connection sized for your peak call volume, with enough upload capacity and voice given priority. When a fast connection still produces choppy calls, check congestion and stability before paying for more speed. Review your connection again whenever you add locations or expand call handling.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many Mbps do I need for VoIP?
A typical VoIP call uses roughly 25 to 80 Kbps in each direction. Ten simultaneous calls therefore use up to about 800 Kbps each way for voice, while 25 simultaneous calls use up to about 2 Mbps each way, plus bandwidth for your other internet use.
Is upload or download speed more important for VoIP?
Both matter equally, because every VoIP call sends and receives audio at the same time. Upload is often the limit, since many internet plans offer much less upload than download.
What is good latency for VoIP?
Good VoIP latency is under 150 ms one way, with jitter under 30 ms and packet loss under 1%. Calls can still work at higher latency, but conversations start to feel delayed.
Can VoIP work over Wi-Fi?
Yes, VoIP works over Wi-Fi, but a wired connection is usually more stable. Desk phones and staff who spend much of the day on calls benefit most from a wired connection.
Does QoS fix choppy VoIP calls?
Quality of Service helps by giving voice priority over other traffic leaving your office. It cannot control the wider internet, so pair it with less congestion and a connection that meets the VoIP quality targets.
Hear the difference for yourself. Book Your Free Demo Today to see Intratel’s Hosted PBX in action. You can also Try It Risk-Free for 30 Days to test call quality on your own connection, or call Intratel at 1-866-409-VoIP (8647) to request a free consultation.