FOOD FOR THOUGHT SIP over cell data

[Mark D. Montgomery II]

For those of you using cell data plans (especially those cheap unlimited plans we're seeing now), what has been your experience with using a SIP client over the various cell networks (2G/3G/etc)?

I'm considering getting one of the cheap plans so I don't have to rely on having WiFi connections (which eats battery life as we all know), but want to find out if it would be reliable/good quality for the SIP connection.

Thanks.

Mark II

 

[Chris Sweeney]

1.) over LTE everything works Great, however over 3G you really need to be using g729 and it's okay depending on your provider. ATT and T-Mobile even on 4G have higher latency YMMV.
2.) Wifi uses less battery than a 3G/4G connection especially in phones with two or more radios.

 

[Mark D. Montgomery II]

Ok. So if I went that route I guess it would be better to use cell only as a backup for when there's no WiFi rather than the default (I was thinking of turning off WiFi and having data keep alive, but if that would just drain battery even faster...), especially considering that ATT doesn't even have 4G in this area yet (they didn't have 3G here until quite a while after the first 3G iPhone was released, which I always found amusing considering all the signs at the store proclaiming the device), so likely neither would the other GSM providers.

 

[Porch]

Do what I did. Setup a IVR with a long 1hr dance mix. Then use the sip client on the phone to listen to the music as you drive around.
In my case, I found that unless I had at least 3 bars of 4G, then the quality was not really good enough.
I use SIP on wifi only, but have PIAF do a follow me to my cell number if I am out on the road.

 

[Mark D. Montgomery II]

Yeah, I'm currently doing the follow-me. I was just thinking of doing pure cell data connection if it would be reliable and save battery, but I guess it wouldn't so I'll just stick with what I'm doing now I guess.

 

[w1ve]

Unless you are in a small, metro-coverage area, I think SIP-over-LTE sucks. I live in NH, which has fairly decent 4G-LTE footprint. Over my 53-mile commute, I cannot keep a 700MHz LTE SIP conversation up for more than a couple
of minutes. However, contrast that with 2G voice over the same path, and it is rock solid with only a couple of second drops. The only way I can carry on a business-grade SIP-based conversation over a 4G LTE circuit is to be sitting still
in my car.

So, I have two alternatives to save money (when calling out of US) -- the 2c/min LycaMobile-over-T-Mobile PAYG, or, my preference, LocalPhone's App, where you dial anywhere in the world for VoiP rates, but call is to a US Number (free 2G on plan) and then very cheap VoIP for rest of call.