Phone audio delay makes Zoom phone unusable for us

[KKlabunde]

On nearly 100% of our calls via Zoom Phone, the audio delay is so bad that it leads parties to talk over each other and is nearly unusable for phone communication. We've been on Zoom Phone for about two years, and it's been this way the whole time. I can't imagine it's this way for everyone, and Zoom video meetings don't suffer from this problem, so I'm hoping there is a fix for us to get Zoom Phone working. ???

[NickS]

Hi @KKlabunde , Sometimes, these types of issues occur when a device in the network path is inspecting Zoom Phone real-time traffic thereby adding overhead and delay.  It might be worth validating that Zoom phone traffic is exempted from this type of application layer inspection on your edge devices. 

[lmartini]

Hi @KKlabunde , does it happen anywhere ? Independent on where the user is located (office, home, etc). Does it happen when using the App on the computer and also on the mobile phone ? The same network ? It could be woth some testing on different environments/setups in order to try to isolate the root cause. 

[williampeasley]

Same issue with us. We've tried different networks, different internet providers, desktop vs. phone app, mobile network vs. fixed-line. Nothing makes a difference. Tried multiple laptops and phones. It's a great platform and we'll continue to use it, but we really need the delay issue fixed as we end up speaking over the top of our customers. Mind you, this doesn't happen when we're making calls internally between extensions.

@KKlabunde, I'm starting to think that zoom phone uses different servers to video, and there is either a configuration issue on Zoom's end or potentially it's just the distance between us and the nearest Zoom server. We're talking 400ms+ latency roundtrip, so it's not great.

[lmartini]

@williampeasley Are you running BYOC, with your own SBC's or are you using Zoom's carriers to go outside of the network? Are users under VPN or something ? Where are you located ? 
The audio path is the same for Extension to extension calls and for PSTN calls, the only difference is that there is a gateway somewhere that can be adding delays. 
What address are you pinging to give the 400 ms delay ? 
Can you check on the statistics tab on your Zoom client, under phone and see what is the register Server IP address ? 

[jmattison]

Did you ever find a resoution for this?  We've been with Zoom for a few years now, but i'm thinking about switching due to this exact issue.  Users are getting very frustrated with it.  I've had other migrations going on, but now i have time to finally address this issue.  Unfortunately, its just as easy to switch providers.  Let me know if anyone figured out how to resolve this.  As someone else mentioned, this issue does not happen from extension to extension.  Only external calls.

[Eliot]

hi @jmattison 

I suggest reviewing the zoom phone qos dashboard.  How are your outgoing and incoming calls rated, etc.

Viewing the Zoom Phone quality of service dashboard

To get some insight into your connection to zoom servers, I suggest using zoom’s network tester.

Using the Zoom Network Connectivity Tool

https://support.zoom.com/hc/en/article?id=zm_kb&sysparm_article=KB0058114

do the stats meet zoom network requirements?

May be a network issue such as firewall issue, switch issue, and or quality of service issue.

Does your firewall have zoom required ports open?

Zoom network firewall or proxy server settings

I suggest running a speed test from a network location where your zoom phone - desk phone or workplace client is running.  Review your ISP bill or contract to see what speeds up and down you are paying for and compare to what your speed test indicates.  If you are not getting what you should, I suggest contacting your ISP.

Speedtest by Ookla - The Global Broadband Speed Test

Web proxy server support for Zoom Phone

How are your desk phones connected to your isp gateway via your router, firewall, and switches? 

Do any of your team not experience audio delays? Is there a difference in how they are connected? 

Do you have any remote workers not experiencing audio delays.

You might try taking a zoom phone desk phone home and connect it to your home router.  Do you still experience delays?

Sometimes quality of service has not been implemented and browsing and file downloads are hogging available bandwidth.  If that is the case, consider implementing qos.

Implementing Quality of Service for Zoom Phone

Check where you are connecting to Zoom Phone servers.  Are you connecting to the nearest SIP zone location?

Change site-level settings

Check to see how you are connecting  from your company all the way to zoom servers. 

Does your ISP peer with Zoom?

Take a look at hurricane electric network tools to see how your ISP uses peering to connect to zoom video communications servers.

Hurricane Electric BGP Toolkit

Where are you located and what ISP are you using?

Did my response answer your question? If so, please don't forget to mark the reply as an accepted solution.

thanks,  eliot

[jmattison]

 I was waiting for this cookie cutter response.  Let me fill you in, since ALL of these have already been addressed.   It's amazing to me that Zoom consistently points the finger to everything else other than your own product.

- We are NOT blocking ports. 

- We had this issue at 100M dedicated fiber, and still have it at 500M dedicated fiber business line. 

- Utilization is less than 50%.  We had this issue with previous firewall, and we have it with the new firewall.  

- Had this issue with previous switches, and still have it with the brand new Unifi bank of switches.

- Desk phones are connected to switches, and all phones are connected the same.

-QOS is not applicable, as we do not have over utilization.

- We do not have remote workers using these phones.

- Phones are Yealink provided by Zoom

- Zoom selected the SIP location.

- ISP is Spectrum

- Upstate NY - East of Rochester

[KKlabunde]

Hi, @jmattison 

I smiled at your anticipation of the cookie cutter "it's your network, not us" response from Zoom and Zoom Partners. Classic SAS software ensh*tification. I need a new degree just to navigate the Zoom personal/admin dashboard. 

We haven't had the phone audio delay for a while now, so it appears Zoom did figure out something on their end, at least for our account.

Maybe some day they'll figure out how to get SMS working on our account too.

[Eliot]

hi @jmattison 

you should not experience audio delays.  i suggest you open a support ticket with zoom.

do you experience any delay using a zoom workplace client? 

to rule out something on your network, i suggest taking one of your yealink phones to your house and plug it in to your gateway/router/switch.  if not a poe port, you will need a power supply.  you should not experience any audio delays.  

i would be helpful to see a screen shot of your qos dashboard and a screen shot of your zoom network connectivity tool.

thanks,  eliot

[KKlabunde]

Hi, @jmattison 

I smiled at your anticipation of the cookie cutter "it's your network, not us" response from Zoom and Zoom Partners. I need a new degree just to navigate the Zoom personal/admin dashboard. 

We haven't had the phone audio delay for a while now, so it appears Zoom did figure out something on their end, at least for our account.

Maybe some day they'll figure out how to get SMS working on our account too.

[jmattison1]

What is even more frustrating is that i can't get to said dashboard that they keep referring me to because they don't have us on a business account.  Only today did i just learn of this!  I have 40+ phones on this plan, yet no way to troubleshoot.  This is very very frustrating.   I spent many years in telecom, so VOIP is not new to me.  This issue is definitely on Zoom's end.