The sound quality of answering machine announcements with Voice-over-IP cannot be increased at will - it is limited by the transmission standard used.

Why is the sound quality of my answering machine message limited?

To ensure that all callers can hear the announcement regardless of the end device, VoIP telephony relies on a common denominator: the G.711 codec. This standard works with a sampling rate of 8 kHz, which is sufficient for voice transmission and ensures maximum compatibility.

Even if you record the announcement in higher quality (e.g. 44.1 kHz), this is of no advantage as the file is converted to the specified 8 kHz before playback anyway.

Tips for the best possible quality

  • Use a good microphone and record in a quiet environment.
  • Speak clearly and at an appropriate volume.
  • Avoid background noise and reverberation.
  • Test the file before uploading to ensure volume and intelligibility.

Pro tip: Record announcements on the computer

You can use any connected telephone in which the number is registered to record the announcement. However, you will achieve the best quality if you record the announcement with a computer program.

We recommend the free tool Audacity (Windows, macOS, Linux).

Recording parameters:

  • Format: WAV (uncompressed, cross-platform compatible)
  • Sampling rate: 8 kHz
  • Channels: Mono
  • Bit depth: 16-bit PCM
Back

Created on: 22. October 2025