Your experience on Bilateral Base will be optimal when all participants have a stable internet connection and an up-to-date computer or mobile device. If you experience low-quality video or dropped connections, it is typically due to one or more of these requirements not being met.
In a world of increasingly fast internet connections and powerful devices, the vast majority of online sessions on Bilateral Base are completed successfully, with high-quality video, audio, and responsive EMDR tools. However, if you ever encounter issues like poor video/audio quality or call disconnections, we understand how disruptive this can be. We want to assure you that we do everything we can to make the platform reliable through server redundancy, resilient to network congestion and compatible with slow or older devices.
Identifying the Source #
If you experience a quality or stability issue with a call, both therapists and clients can access the ‘Session Summary’ to identify where the connection issue likely occurred and possible ways to address this.
There are two ways to access the ‘Session Summary’:
End-of-Call Summary (Therapist Access Only) #
When the therapist clicks the ‘End Session’ button, the next screen will show the session summary and highlight any disconnection or network congestion warnings.
Session Summary Lookup (Therapist & Client Access) #
Both therapists and clients can view a session summary by visiting https://www.bilateralbase.com/issues-with-a-session/. Use this report to identify which side of the call the issue may lie and follow the recommended solutions.
Improving Your Internet Speed and Video Call Quality #
Testing Your Internet Speed: #
Check your internet speed by searching for a speed test utility. A minimum speed of 5Mbps for both upload and download is recommended for video calls. If your connection is slower and you expect it to be faster, work through the following steps and rerun the speed test after each one to see if there’s any improvement.
Steps to Optimise Your Internet Connection: #
Here are steps you can take to optimise your internet speed and improve the quality of your video calls:
Restart Your Computer: #
If your device hasn’t been restarted recently, it may be running low on memory or experiencing software glitches. Restarting can also allow your device to install updates, improving performance and security.
Restart Your Internet Connection: #
If you have access to your internet router, turning it off and on can improve speed. If using a mobile data connection, try switching to Wi-Fi. Connecting your device to your router via an Ethernet cable can also ensure the best speed and reliability.
Use the Recommended Browser: #
In general we have found that the following browser perform best in delivering quality and reliability with video calls so it’s worth trying if you are experience an issue when using another browser.
- PC: Use Chrome or Edge (Firefox is also supported)
- Mac: Use Chrome (Safari & Firefox are also supported)
- iPhone/iPad: Use Safari or Chrome
- Android Tablet/Phone: Use Chrome
Close Other Programs: #
Video conferencing requires significant processing power. Closing unnecessary programs or browser tabs can free up resources. Ensure other video conferencing programs are closed to prevent conflicts.
Check for Other Users on Your Network: #
Ensure others are not engaging in data-heavy activities (e.g., streaming video) on the same connection, as this can reduce your available bandwidth.
Reduce Distance to Wi-Fi: #
Wi-Fi signals rapidly weaken as they travel through walls or floors. Ideally, be in the same room as your Wi-Fi hub, or with only 1-2 walls between your device and the hub. This is one of the most common reasons for quality and connection issues.
Contact Your Internet Provider: #
If issues persist, ask your provider to check your connection speed.
Other Factors That Can Impact Call Quality #
Public Backbone Network Congestion: #
If call quality issues arise with a client who you have historically had good connection quality with, there may be a temporary issue with the Public Backbone Network (the network of big servers that make up the internet). This is rare but if there is a failure by a major internet service provider (ISP), this can cause temporary internet slowdowns. Unfortunately, there’s little to do in this case except wait for the service to normalise.
Bilateral Base Server Issues: #
While our video conferencing provider offers high reliability, no system is perfect. It is possible we may experience an issue. You can check the status of our video conferencing service at https://bilateralbase.com/service-status.
Your Video Call Issues Only Occur on Bilateral Base #
Occasionally, therapists report call quality issues on Bilateral Base but not on other platforms like Zoom or Teams. This can happen if the other platform’s nearest server is closer to your location or is using a less congested internet route. If you’ve tried the troubleshooting steps above and the issue persists, you can use Bilateral Base’s EMDR tools alongside another video conferencing provider. For more information, visit the Using External Video section.
Contact Support #
If, after working through this guide, you still cannot run sessions without disconnections or low-quality video, you may have a rare issue not covered by the steps above. Please contact our support team, and we’ll be happy to assist.
