VoIP Calling

VoIP calls are phone calls that are placed over the internet. VoIP calling offers a more seamless experience when using Dialer (no more calls to intermediate phone numbers)! Users may also notice a new call interface that includes the ability to start a Dialer Video call from a phone call. 

Article contents

What's New

How to enable and disable VoIP

VoIP FAQ

Troubleshooting

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What's New:

Before VoIP Calling: call bridge line, no easy way to switch from voice to video call

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Now with VoIP Calling: no bridge line, seamless interface to connect to a video call. Tap the ‘switch to video’ button from the call interface to send the video link via text message without interrupting the voice call. Once the patient has tapped on the link in the text message and enabled camera and microphone access, the voice call will end and the video call will start.

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How to enable and disable VoIP

Navigate to the Dialer tab in the Doximity app. If you would like to disable or enable VoIP, follow these steps:

iOS

  1. Tap on the 'Menu Icon' in the upper right-hand corner
  2. Tap on 'Voice Calls'
  3. Tap the toggle button next to 'Use Internet to Place Calls' to turn it on or off

Android

  1. Tap on the 'Settings' icon in the upper right-hand corner
  2. Tap on 'Voice settings'
  3. Tap the toggle button next to 'Use Internet to Place Callsto turn it on or off

If the toggle is blue, VoIP is turned on. If it is gray, it is turned off. VoIP can be turned on or off at any time.
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With Use Internet to Place calls off, calls will go through the bridge line, you will not be able to convert your voice call to a video call, and only the first person you dial will see your selected caller ID (any additional participants will see your personal cell phone number).

 

FAQ

Will this affect my patients?

No, your patients will not experience any changes. Patients will continue to receive a phone call from your chosen caller ID.

What can I do to ensure I have the highest call quality? 

We recommend the following to make sure your calls are clear and uninterrupted:

  • Make sure you’re on a strong WiFi network connection
  • If you’re not on WiFi, check that you have a strong cellular connection
  • Using headphones may help call quality by reducing noise

Will my calls use cellular data?

Yes. If you are not connected to a WiFi network, your call will use cellular data. This differs from the previous call experience which used your cell phone plan’s minutes. If you have concerns about using cellular data, please ensure you’re connected to WiFi before placing a call. We’ve seen that the average 5-minute call uses around 6 MB of cellular data. For the average cellular plan with a 2GB data limit, this represents 0.3% of your data plan.

What if I want to turn off the feature?

See How to enable and disable VoIP above.

Will this affect my video calls?

No, VoIP is only used for Dialer audio calls. The VoIP call interface does allow you to seamlessly switch from a voice call to a video call.

What version of the Doximity app do I need? 

This feature is supported on Doximity app mobile versions of:
iOS: 15.2.0 and above
Android: 8.1 and above
Operating System version requirements:
iOS versions 17.0 or later
Android versions 7.1 and above

How do I check which version I’m on?

From the News tab:

iOS

  1. Tap on your profile picture or initials in the upper right-hand corner
  2. Tap on 'Settings' from the drop-down menu
  3. Scroll to the bottom to see what app version you have

Android

  1. Tap on your profile picture or initials in the upper right-hand corner.
  2. Tap on 'Profile' from the drop-down menu.
  3. Tap on the 'Settings' icon in the upper right-hand corner.
  4. Tap on the 'Help & Feedback'.
  5. You should now see what app version you have under Doximity.

Does it matter if I’m on data or WiFi?

We recommend using WiFi when placing calls using VoIP-based calling.


Troubleshooting for Doctors

If you are having issues with your Microphone:

iOS

  • Navigate to your device 'Settings'
  • For users on iOS 18.0 or higher, scroll down and tap on 'Apps'
  • Scroll down and tap on 'Doximity'
  • Turn on the microphone permissions

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Android

  • Navigate to your device 'Settings'
  • Tap on 'Apps & Notifications'
  • Tap on 'App permissions'
  • Tap on 'Microphone'
  • Turn on the microphone permissions

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Test out the call again to ensure your microphone is working correctly.

How to fix a bad internet connection:

  1. We highly recommend using Doximity calling on a good WiFi connection. See What can I do to ensure I have the highest call quality? 
  2. If you do not have strong WiFi or cell service and are experiencing issues with VoIP, you can disable the feature temporarily. See Enabling and disabling VoIP

Other potential issues

 

Troubleshooting for IT professionals

Please see How to Prepare Your Network for Doximity Dialer Video (for IT Professionals)

Other suggestions for IT:

  • If your network’s NAT supports it, you should utilize its QoS feature (Quality of Service) to prioritize VoIP audio packets.
  • Contact your ISP. Some service providers may prioritize your traffic over others and/or improve the contention ratio. Ask if they are shaping or throttling your connection specifically for VoIP traffic. Ask them if they can prioritize VoIP traffic and/or offer a contract that is unshaped and unthrottled.
  • You may be experiencing packet loss or congestion. Forcing an alternative route, via a DNS proxy or similar mechanism may improve transport reliability.
  • Using VPN adds latency to the network and may cause network switching, whereby audio packets are sent along more than one route to the destination. This increases the occurrence of jitter, as packets are no longer traveling in a predictable, sequential path, and may arrive out of order. Disable your VPNs specifically for VoIP calls.
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