TL;DR
Uploads fill your uplink. Voice packets wait and your VoIP call quality drops.
Turn on QoS or smart queue, wire key devices, and schedule heavy uploads.
Voyced guides you through this on a short remote session, tunes SIP and Hosted IPPBX, and sets clean fallbacks.
Want this sorted today? Get in touch today.
“As soon as someone uploads…
I can’t get a clear VoIP call.”
Meet Sarah, sales lead at a 9-person firm
09:55. Sarah calls a new client.
09:57. A teammate starts a big Dropbox upload.
09:58. Sarah sounds robotic. The client says, “You are cutting out.”
10:00. They talk over each other.
10:01. The call ends without a follow up.
Have you lived this scene?
What actually broke
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The upload took the whole uplink
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Voice packets queued behind file chunks
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Packets arrived late or out of order
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Jitter rose, then delay, then choppy audio
Pain you recognise
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Choppy or underwater sound
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One way audio when uploads spike
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People speaking at the same time
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Calls that die during backups or photo sync
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Fine at 9am, ruined after lunch
The redo, the very next day
Sarah tries again. We were asked to advise.
We ask three questions:
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Wired or Wi-Fi for the calling device
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QoS or smart queue enabled
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Any heavy uploads during calls
Answers: Wi-Fi. No QoS. Yes, uploads.
We indicated four changes:
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Turn on smart queue and set a fair upload cap
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Prioritise voice packets
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Move Sarah’s laptop to Ethernet
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Shift the large upload to 12:30
They call the same client.
Clear from hello to goodbye.
Why uploads crush VoIP call quality, in plain English
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Upload speed is smaller than download
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Big files fill the pipe and build a queue
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Voice needs tiny, steady packets with low delay
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When the queue grows, your voice arrives late and broken
Do these in the next 10 minutes
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Enable QoS or Smart Queue in the router
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Give voice traffic priority
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Set a fair upload cap so no app hogs the line
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Use Ethernet for your calling device
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If Wi-Fi only, use 5 GHz with strong signal
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Schedule heavy uploads outside call times
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Update router firmware
Which one will you switch on first?
How Voyced can help fix this, fast
You want calls that stay clear while work carries on. We keep it simple and hands-on, all online.
What we do with you
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Quick call-quality check
We review your line (where possible), router model, and calling pattern. -
QoS and smart-queue setup
We advise on fair caps and rules so voice wins without blocking uploads. -
SIP and Hosted IPPBX tuning
Packet timing and jitter buffers matched to your link. -
Wired-first plan
Which devices must be wired, which SSID to use, where to place access points. -
Follow-Me and clean routing
If local Wi-Fi wobbles, calls can still reach you on another endpoint or mobile. -
Simple playbook
Clear notes so anyone on your team can keep it working.
Why this is cost-effective
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Mostly settings, not new hardware
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Works with your current connection
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Quick to roll out, easy to repeat as you grow
A short win from last week
A 12-seat agency. Daily OneDrive sync at 10:00 ruined morning calls.
The sync was capped at an upload of 85 percent, prioritising voice, wired two desks, moved the sync to 12:15, and tuned SIP timers.
Results that day:
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Choppy calls dropped to zero
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First call answer time improved
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Team confidence up on client calls
What would that change do for you?
FAQs
Do we need a new router
Often no. Many models gain QoS through a firmware update.
Will uploads crawl
No. They keep moving. Voice just gets the tiny slice it needs.
Is Wi-Fi always the problem
Not always. Wired is best. Strong 5 GHz can be fine for softphones.
What about lots of inbound calls
We can share inbound load and add smart routing so callers stay connected while your local link stays calm.
Make your calls clear, even during uploads
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Settings that fix the root cause
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Fast remote help
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Plain English, clear outcomes
Book your quick check, call-quality session
Tell us your team size and when uploads usually start.
We will set the rules, tune your SIP and Hosted IPPBX, and test live with you.
Prefer email
Send “help with VoIP call quality during uploads” and your number to get the conversation started and we will help you asap.
