How to improve call quality in Microsoft Teams

Regardless of your platform, you will use the VoIP (voice over internet protocol) to transmit (and receive) voices to other devices. In short, the quality of your online calls relies on your router’s upload and download rates: a low download and upload rate results in lower quality calls. If you’re experiencing call quality issues with Teams, you may want to read more.

Online call quality positively correlates with your internet speed and connectivity; an inadequate internet connection may result in choppy or otherwise broken audio. Ensure your router prioritizes VoIP— A wired (ethernet) connection may also help.

You can access your router online— just enter 192.168.1.1 into your browser’s address bar.

Navigating the internet can be a tiring endeavor— especially without aid. Fortunately for you, dear friend, that’s where I come in. I’ll be discussing how you can improve your internet connection, why your ‘would be’ good internet is failing, and where you can go to analyze your Teams call quality.

You can use the following links to access relevant content quickly:

  1. How do I improve my internet connection
  2. Why “good” internet fails in Teams calls
  3. Where to find call quality stats for Teams
  4. Blog post recap

How do I improve my internet connection fro better call quality

VoIP, or the Voice over Internet Protocol, is responsible for transmitting your voice across the internet. For this to work, VoIP must break down captured input audio into several packets; the resulting packets are distributed to your recipient’s device— where they will be reconstructed to recreate your voice. Understanding this process allows us to deduce that transmitting and receiving a voice requires adequate downloading and uploading capabilities.

Some routers can be configured to prioritize connections utilizing the VoIP protocol. Contact your internet service provider and query them on the matter; if your router supports the configuration, seek aid enabling it.

Prioritize faster network speeds

When you attempt to purchase internet, you’ll notice network speeds are measured in megabits (not megabytes). Many consumers mistake the stated megabit (Mb) value for a megabyte (MB) value; thus, they’re prone to unknowingly purchasing slow internet. Take the following offers, for instance:

Price (USD)Download rate (Mb/s)Upload rate (Mb/s)Download rate (MB/s)Upload rate (MB/s)
41.851452718.133.38
32.691081013.501.25
48.383623645.254.50
ISP’s broadband offers

In case you’re wondering, the best value-for-money offer above is, in fact, the $48.38 option.

Notice how the values may appear less appealing when presented as megabytes instead of megabits? If you don’t have the greatest affinity for computers, you could easily fail to distinguish Mb (megabits) from MB (megabytes). Download speeds and file sizes are commonly measured in bytes among clients and consumers. Bits are favored for marketing because a larger number subconsciously justifies a more significant price to consumers.

If you’d like to get a better idea about the network speeds you’re buying, try converting the Mb/s to MB/s: you need to divide the value by eight.

What is my current network speed

Although you paid for a specific speed, that won’t always be what you receive. This statement is especially true for wireless internet connections because wireless connections are more susceptible to interference. As a result, your devices may struggle to communicate with your router wirelessly. Similarly, a wired connection only ensures fast data transfers between your device and the router; your router must still connect to external servers and devices wirelessly.

If you’d like a more accurate demonstration of your internet speed, use an online speed-check tool: speed-check tools request a packet of data from your device and relay the information gathered from the exchange. A speed test will usually tell you your ping (network reaction speed), download speed (in Mb/s), and upload speed (in Mb/s).

Our speed-check results

If you’d like to test your network speed, consider the following speed-check tools:

Why “good” internet fails in Teams calls

Several factors affect your internet performance: a higher network speed does not equate to guaranteed standard performance. As I mentioned earlier, your connection is susceptible to interference. Interference refers to anything that disrupts or blocks transmitted signals.

What’s interfering with my WiFi

Below you will find a table illustrating several common sources of signal interference:

NetworksBluetoothRadiosMicrowavesObstructions
Networks in your household and surrounding households can disrupt each other; try switching to a different channel or frequency band.Bluetooth devices cycle through several frequency bands. On occasion, a Bluetooth device may match the frequency of a WiFi device and disrupt its communication.Radio devices (including baby monitors) utilize the same frequency as older WiFi networks— this can cause disruptions if you do not use a different network band.Microwaves and old WiFi networks utilize 2.4Ghz electromagnetic fields— this causes them to counter one another. Avoid keeping WiFi devices near your microwave; your router and connected devices will be affected in the same way.Physical obstructions such as walls, objects, and even people can disrupt your network’s emitted electromagnetic waves. Denser materials will cause more significant interference.
Know network interferences

Where to find call quality stats for Teams

Perhaps you’ve made some network changes, improved your internet, and cleared some space for your router— or maybe you think the problem is your recipient. Either way, troubleshooting your call’s quality will be helpful. Albeit, you ought to work out where to do so first.

There is no feasible desktop guide available at present. You will need to use a browser such as Chrome, Firefox, Safari, or Edge to follow this guide. You will additionally require a global user admin account.

Step 1 — Enter the Microsoft 365 Admin Portal

To start, open Office and head to the app launcher— it resembles nine dots forming a square. Click into the app launcher and find “Admin” amongst the apps; you need to click the icon to access the Microsoft 365 Admin Portal.

Step 2 — Access the Microsoft Teams Admin center.

The Microsoft 365 Admin Portal conceals several Admin centers; revealing the portal’s admin centers is relatively easy. Look for the “Show all” button; clicking it will unveil each admin center. After finding the admin centers, select “Teams” to access the Microsoft Teams Admin center.

Step 3 — Open the call quality dashboard

The Microsoft Teams Admin center features an extensive sidebar that allows you to navigate the center; you’ll need to use the sidebar to traverse the site quickly. Find and click “Call quality dashboard” under the sidebar’s “Analytics & reports” category.

Step 4 — Sign in to your Microsoft 365 account

Despite signing into Office, you must also sign into the Microsoft Call Quality Dashboard. You will find the “Sign In” prompt in the top right of the window.

Step 5 — View your accumulated data

Signing in to an authorized account will lead to a dashboard populated with several charts and metrics. If you do not see anything, try switching tabs or taking a call in Teams.

Blog post recap

Low call quality in Teams is often attributed to a bad internet connection; thus, improving your internet connection will, in turn, improve your Teams call quality.

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Jack Mitchell

Jack Mitchell has been the Operations manager at telecoms and MSP Optionbox for more than 4 years. He has played a crucial role in the company, from marketing to helpdesk, and ensures that the IT requirements of over 300 clients are continuously met. With his innate passion for technology and troubleshooting and a particular interest in Apple products, Jack now delivers the most comprehensive tech guides to make your life easier. You can connect with Jack on LinkedIn.

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