horrendous technical support

Posts: 12 · Vonage Forum Associate Joined: Jun 20, 2006 Posts: 12

I have been a advocate of Vonage since Oct 2004. I have had no problems over the years, and have got more then five people to sign up over the years.

I will try the sticky link above when I go home. But just to tell you (before I found this forum through a web search), this is my experience with technical support.

Since Thursday I have had very loud static on my phone. Yesterday I was on the phone with tech support for more then two hours! When I get someone they go through this entire procedure...

-rebooting
-changing phones
-changing RJ11 cables
-change from port one to port two or back
-then they say they need to transfer me to someone else
(they try and sell me a second line at this point)
-wait 10 minutes

They then transfer me to someone else with broken English and I go through the procedure again. I have done this four times, been hung up on three times. NO ONE HAS HELPED ME. Very horrendous support. I am making one last try later today.

Posts: 91 · Vonage Forum Senior Joined: Mar 08, 2005 Posts: 91

I found the BEST TECH SERVICE HERE.

If you want to have ma Bell service, go to them, This century, you get what you pay for.

However, if you are nice, and do not rant, then you will find someone here to get the data you need.

Hope you get what you need.

Posts: 12 · Vonage Forum Associate Joined: Jun 20, 2006 Posts: 12

I will give it a try again when I go home tonight. thanks.

The problem is Static (You can barley hear the other party and vice versa). I am fairly competent in this arena as VIOP is one of my primary jobs for the last few years. I am almost certain that its a router going bad, a simple RMA will fix it.

Posts: 2257 · Posted: Tue Jun 20, 2006 12:09 pm Post subject:

Producer wrote:

I will give it a try again when I go home tonight. thanks.

The problem is Static (You can barley hear the other party and vice versa). I am fairly competent in this arena as VIOP is one of my primary jobs for the last few years. I am almost certain that its a router going bad, a simple RMA will fix it.

I assume you've eliminated environmental factors, such as interference in a cordless phone, a bad handset, bad power, etc?

You could very well be getting an adapter that is dying. Just to isolate it to the adapter, try:

1. Plugging in a single handset using a single patch cable directly to the Vonage adapter (no home wiring, no splices or splitters) Try this with at least two phone handsets and two patch cables to be sure one of them is not bad (assuming you have two handsets available). Try not to use cordless handsets for this, and only hook up one handset to the Vonage adapter at a time.

2. If you have a multimeter, test the voltage coming out of the power brick

3. Check the Vonage adapter for heat. Make sure nothing is sitting on top of it, and put your hand on it. If you cannot leave your hand on it for some time, then it is getting too hot - aim a fan at it and see if it helps (still may be a defective if it's getting too hot, but at least you have isolated the problem).

4. Try picking up and dialing a single number on the Vonage handset (say, "3"). Do not complete a call. Just dial a number to break dial tone. Do you hear quiet dead air or static?

Posts: 12 · Vonage Forum Associate Joined: Jun 20, 2006 Posts: 12

NateHoy wrote:

Producer wrote:

I will give it a try again when I go home tonight. thanks.

The problem is Static (You can barley hear the other party and vice versa). I am fairly competent in this arena as VIOP is one of my primary jobs for the last few years. I am almost certain that its a router going bad, a simple RMA will fix it.

I assume you've eliminated environmental factors, such as interference in a cordless phone, a bad handset, bad power, etc?

You could very well be getting an adapter that is dying. Just to isolate it to the adapter, try:

1. Plugging in a single handset using a single patch cable directly to the Vonage adapter (no home wiring, no splices or splitters) Try this with at least two phone handsets and two patch cables to be sure one of them is not bad (assuming you have two handsets available). Try not to use cordless handsets for this, and only hook up one handset to the Vonage adapter at a time.

2. If you have a multimeter, test the voltage coming out of the power brick

3. Check the Vonage adapter for heat. Make sure nothing is sitting on top of it, and put your hand on it. If you cannot leave your hand on it for some time, then it is getting too hot - aim a fan at it and see if it helps (still may be a defective if it's getting too hot, but at least you have isolated the problem).

4. Try picking up and dialing a single number on the Vonage handset (say, "3"). Do not complete a call. Just dial a number to break dial tone. Do you hear quiet dead air or static?

I get static right when I pick up the phone, even when I dial. I did try the single handet (used an old rotary phone). I did leave it unplugged for the night (in case of heat). I have not tried a voltmeter, I will around 4 today. thanks for the tips.

Posts: 2257 · Posted: Tue Jun 20, 2006 12:29 pm Post subject:

If you're getting static from the moment you pick up, then you've eliminated any Internet connection issues, of course.

Although it is unlikely, don't rule out power-induced static. Try different wall sockets, just in case. Or if you have a UPS, try using that (unplugged so you are running off clean battery power, if possible).

I do agree that you probably have a bad Vonage adapter, but it's worth isolating everything else first, sounds like you've already done most of that.

Posts: 12 · Vonage Forum Associate Joined: Jun 20, 2006 Posts: 12

NateHoy wrote:

If you're getting static from the moment you pick up, then you've eliminated any Internet connection issues, of course.

Although it is unlikely, don't rule out power-induced static. Try different wall sockets, just in case. Or if you have a UPS, try using that (unplugged so you are running off clean battery power, if possible).

I do agree that you probably have a bad Vonage adapter, but it's worth isolating everything else first, sounds like you've already done most of that.

Hey, you freaking hit the nail on the head! Bad power adapter, thanks!

I still count this as a major strike against Vonage.

Posts: 2257 · Posted: Tue Jun 20, 2006 9:16 pm Post subject:

From the fact that their support blows chunks? Yes, I'd have to agree.

Fortunately, anything that can provide (assuming yours is the same as mine) 12V at 1A or more with the correct polarity and the correct plug size can feed the adapter all the juice it can drink. Check the voltage and polarity on the current power adapter carefully of course. Mistakes in this area can be very real and very warranty-ending.

2 hours on the line with Vonage, only to end up with a badly-accented support person who doesn't have "replace power adapter" on his script thingy, or $10-20 at Radio Shack or Wally World? Things that make you go hmmmmm.... Wink

Either way, best of luck.

Posts: 12 · Vonage Forum Associate Joined: Jun 20, 2006 Posts: 12

Well I have a ton on linksys routers. Some that I have killed with Linux. I power supply I can afford. But Vonage should of covered the cost of a new one.

Posts: 4777 · Vonage Forum **MVM** Joined: Aug 30, 2005 Posts: 4777

Go on line and request a credit. Who knows? Stranger things have happened.