Types of Echo
- Kelli Higdon
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What Causes Echo?
There are many different causes of echo. If you experience echo, the way it presents itself is a great indicator of the root cause. Check the matrix or guide below and find which type of echo is best matched with what you are experiencing.
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Echo Identification WizardÂ
Type of Echo | Â Echo is present when... | Â Echo description is... | Solution |
Network Echo | ...making a call from a SIP phone out an analog or T1/E1 trunk. | ...the caller on the SIPÂ phone hears the remote parties voice echoing. | |
Acoustic Echo | ...making extension to extension or external calls but only from a certain phone or phones. | ...the echo occurs on some phones but not others, most prevalent on speakerphone. | Acoustic echo largely depends on the physical space you use to conduct business. Try moving to a room with better sound absorption or upgrading to a conference phone. |
 Side-tone Echo |  ...using certain model Aastra phones. | ...you can hear your own voice echoing back to you. |  Follow the steps in Why do I hear myself in the receiver? |
 Local Area Network Echo (LAN Echo) |  ...on inter-office calls to another extension. |  ...you hear your own voice as well as the other party's voice echoing | Consult your system administrator to check your router's Access Control Lists, Buffers, and any other security policies running on ports used by your PBXtra |
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Echo Troubleshooting Guide
A human readable guide containing the information in the table above.
Network Echo - the echo present when making a call using the PSTN (TDMÂ Connections).Â
How to check: Do you hear the other person's voice echoing when you are making a call outside of your office? You probably have Network Echo - Please read How do I eliminate echo?
Acoustic Echo - the echo you hear when your voice is reflected off of a flat surface (think Grand Canyon)
How to check: Does your office or conference room have high ceilings and many flat surfaces? Do you experience this echo mostly when using the speaker phone? You probably have Acoustic Echo - Acoustic is environmental. There is not much Fonality can do to eliminate this echo - it depends largely on the physical space you use to conduct business.
Side-tone Echo - the echo injected by a phone's speaker into the receiver as an indication that the call is 'active'. Historically this is only found on Aastra phones.
How to check: Do you have an Aastra phone? Do you hear your own voice in your ear? You probably have Side-tone echo. Please read Why do I hear myself in the receiver?
Local Area Network Echo (LAN Echo) - the echo caused by significant packet-delivery delays within the customers LAN
How to check: Do you experience echo on inter-office calls to another extension? Do you hear your own voice as well as the other party's voice echoing? You probably have LAN Echo - you must consult your system administrator to check your router's Access Control Lists, Buffers, and any other security policies running on ports used by your PBXtra
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