Loss of connectivity and digital phone quality issues: 1 problem or 2?

Hello Tech Support Guy(s),

I am Tech Support Impaired.

My issue:

I have had a digital phone for a couple of months now and am having continuing issues. One problem that I don't think I am going to be able to change is that my server, Suddenlink, keeps losing connectivity. After it is out for a brief period of time the modem resets the IP address. Then I have to initialize my router and the digital phone for it to work again.

I have run diagnostics on my computer and that was fine.

The second problem with the phone (Citynet) is the quality of the sound. Sometimes it cuts out so much that I cannot continue a conversation and other times it is fine.

I have talked to Tech Support until I am blue in the face. Phone Tech says it's a server issue. ISP Tech Support says it's probably a router issue. Router Tech Support reconfigured the Linksys router over the net for me but no improvement.

Anyway I am pretty ticked that I keep losing connectivity. Sometimes for a couple of minutes sometimes a couple of hours. Today ISP Tech Support said I had connectivity 98.6% of the time. So okay I will pay 98.6% of my bill. Which is a pretty big bill IMO. $91/month for high speed.

So am I expecting too much to have connectivity >98.6% of the time? Unfortunately I am rural and my only other option is DSL and god knows how much connectivity I would lose with storms.

And your suggestion for the digital phone cutting out? It is the same with corded and cordless phones.