Comcast vs. Vonage

Posts: 8 · New Forum Member Joined: Apr 08, 2006 Posts: 8

suban wrote:

I live in Sandy Springs, GA. Are there any customers in this area having the same issue that everyone else is having? What is going on!!!

Dude I'm about 10 miles north of you here in Alpharetta...a big set of *Vonage* problems were resolved in Atlanta yesterday.

I know I'm new here but I'm astounded that there is so much discussion here with so very little systematic technical analysis .. OK I know we all just want our VOIP to work but I'm afraid that when on the bleeding edge WE have to become our own technicians if we actually want problems fixed. If all you want to do is **** about problem then just keep right on posting to this thread...if you want to actually FIX problem you might want to read:

vonage-forum.com/ftopic13039.html" target="_blank">http://www.vonage-forum.com/ftopic13039.html

Posts: 2 · New Forum Member Joined: Apr 11, 2006 Posts: 2

ok, thank you CyberCSI for ur link. It seems you're very knowledgeable about networking and were able to figure out a issue Vonage wasn't aware of. As for me, our cable man connected a line directly to our comcast tab outside and the issue persisted. So he suggested that it was a major problem with the lines outside. Today the Comcast truck came and did their jobs on the pole lines. At the moment I'm connecting at 6MB download and 360 Kbps upload. All of this with Linksys BEFCMU10 docsis 2.0 modem and the WRTP54G wireless router. I think we can stop with the vonage vs. comcast. Again, thanks for the link.

Posts: 21

CyberCSI wrote:

suban wrote:

I live in Sandy Springs, GA. Are there any customers in this area having the same issue that everyone else is having? What is going on!!!

Dude I'm about 10 miles north of you here in Alpharetta...a big set of *Vonage* problems were resolved in Atlanta yesterday.

I know I'm new here but I'm astounded that there is so much discussion here with so very little systematic technical analysis .. OK I know we all just want our VOIP to work but I'm afraid that when on the bleeding edge WE have to become our own technicians if we actually want problems fixed. If all you want to do is **** about problem then just keep right on posting to this thread...if you want to actually FIX problem you might want to read:

vonage-forum.com/ftopic13039.html" target="_blank">http://www.vonage-forum.com/ftopic13039.html

That brings up an interesting point. Personally, while some less expensive, less mass market voip services may well be considered "bleeding edge", Vonage is selling a mass market product to consumers of all technical ability under the auspices of being "idiot proof". And, they're doing it at $25/mo. This is hardly "bleeding edge" (much less even "cutting edge") anymore, and it should not be up to us to troubleshoot this product. Having said that, there's nothing wrong with working out solutions here, but there is something wrong with getting no support from the provider.

That's my two cents.

Posts: 2 · New Forum Member Joined: Aug 18, 2005 Posts: 2

I have not read all 36 pages of this post, but I do want to just report that from september of 2005 till around the end of january / early february, my Vonage phone worked great. I had no problems at all, and my calls were clear at full quality. Comcast did some 'work/maintenence' and ever since then, my quality ****. I cannot surf the web or do anything online while im on the phone. I have to stop all network traffic in order to recieve a clear call. I think comcast is definately doing something to its vonage customers.

Posts: 26

Okay, here is the official comcast resolution that the filed with the Michigan Attorney General over the complaints filed

quote

he Comcast Executive Customer Relations Department is in receipt of the Complaint filed with your organization by the above customer March 31, 2006
Complaint: Group complaint about calling services and features for Vonage service.
Case Information: Upon receipt of this appeal on March 31, 2006, Comcast IPSSC Supervisor began immediate review of the concerns with Comcast/Vonage.

Resolution: Comcast provides an internet connection through broadband signal. We do offer Comcast Digital Voice services that do provide emergency services as inquired in the complaints. However, Vonage is a third party service that offers phone features when subscribing to an outside high speed internet service provider. Phone features and benefits for Vonage subscribers are provided through Vonage and not the broadband internet service provider.

Unquote

The official statement from vonage

I have reviewed the complaint and the notes on time account. We recently had experienced issues
with customers in XXX's area who had been using Comcast as their ISP Our engineers and
technicians have contacted the COMCAST NOC address the problem and the issues have been
resolved. We cannot claim that the issues were the result of intentional acts. We can oniy say that
there was an issue with our customers who used Comcast in the area specified

I apologize to XXX for any inconvenience and I hope this information has been helpful, 1
believe that this matter can he considered closed at this time.

so comcast still insists that there was a problem with the comcast system, and comcast is still trying to sell us phone service.

Definitely not proof of the conspiracy theory, but Definitely not proof that the theory wrong. It would go a long way if comcast admitted there was a problem and apologized, but if the problem was intentional (which nobody can prove), they defiantly could not admit it and apologize.

Posts: 4 · New Forum Member Joined: Apr 26, 2006 Posts: 4

Hi,

I have been having trouble with my Comcast/Vonage combo (in Little Rock, AR) similar to what is described in the early portions of this thread for a couple of weeks now, and they are getting progressively worse.

I am using a Linksys cable modem, with a Linksys WRT54GS router. The Cisco ATA (which I've had since December of 2002) is plugged directly into the WRT54GS. Line 1 on the ATA is plugged directly into a panasonic 2-line cordless phone system. Line 2 on the Cisco ATA is a number that I ported from SBC, and I have a cable from the ATA to a splitter, and the split line goes into the panasonic 2-line system and into a wall jack, and the house wiring is disconnected from the Telco network (I've been disconnected from SBC since october of 2005).

I personally don't use the phone very much, but my wife does. She has been complaining of choppy voice quality for a couple of weeks, and more recently she has had dropped calls. Occasionally the party on the other end reports that her voice will disappear for a few seconds, then get "caught up" as if it were a tape being played at an increased speed.

Calls to comcast have been unhelpful so far. I have not escalated the case yet. Past dealings with Comcast have led me to try to solve issues myself first, since they will try to place blame on anything they see as non-standard (the WRT54GS, or the vonage equipment, etc).

I have Sveasoft Talisman firmware on my WRT54GS, and have implemented QOS on that box, giving the vonage ATA highest priority, above everything else on the network. This does not seem to have any effect. Generally when my wife is using the phone there is little other activity on the local network.

What I'm really looking for is a summary of this thread, with the latest info and most effective troubleshooting tools and techniques, and any other helpful info. It's very hard to slog through 36 pages to find the good stuff and weed out all of the information that has been outdated or replaced with better info.

Posts: 2257 · Posted: Wed Apr 26, 2006 2:53 pm Post subject:

pvn -

I'd recommend starting a new thread, and posting all the information from the "what to post when you are having technical trouble with Vonage" sticky thread.

Posts: 1 · New Forum Member Joined: Apr 06, 2006 Posts: 1

Just to play devils advocate, I got vonage in an area where comcast had been for many years and had many service issues, I recently moved into a new development, with new cable infrastructure, a new modem, and a new adapter, Motorola surfboard and vt1005. I had some glitches with vonage at the old location and chalked it up to comcast, and since I have moved the service has been flawless knock, knock (That's me knocking on wood). Saying this, I think comcasts infrastructure is a large problem, and not them trying to screw with the service as much. During my comcast install I spoke to the tech that said there were constant service issues in my old area due to old cables, and that was probably my problem, and I shouldn't experience them any more, well for two months he;'s been right, so hopefully its not a conspiracy as much as its comcast not upgrading infrastructure that is outdated.