Non-intrusive monitoring of quality levels for voice communications over a packet-based network

A method of determining a quality of service parameter of a packet-based network, comprising:

• receiving incoming streaming data from a first network resource;
• checking the incoming streaming data for activity;
• and
• on determining a period of inactivity in the incoming streaming data, transmitting outgoing streaming data to a second network resource, the outgoing streaming data comprising a test signal.

An article including one or more machine-readable storage media containing instructions for determining a quality level of a packet-based network, the instructions when executed causing a system to:

• receive incoming streaming data over the packet-based network from a first network resource;
• detect if the incoming streaming data comprises a test signal;
• and
• if the incoming streaming data comprises the test signal, determine the quality level by comparing a reference test signal with the test signal.

A data signal embodied in a carrier wave and containing one or more code segments including instructions for determining an objective quality level of a packet-based network, the instructions when executed causing a system to:

• identify one or more remote monitoring devices associated with respective one or more switches;
• create packets containing a test signal;
• and
• send the packets to each of the one or more remote monitoring devices during a call session.