How Vonage works

Posts: 105 · Vonage Forum Senior Joined: Nov 19, 2005 Posts: 105

Took the time to do some packet analysis to figure out how the Vonage network works in Canada. It seems those of us on the west coast are getting hosed in the form of larger delay on outgoing since all Canadian bound calls from our Vonage Canada lines go through New York. Cry

Time to start bugging Vonage to do more intelligent routing through LA PSTN gateways for those of us on the west coast.

Still a bit of a work in progress but I hope you find the info useful.
http://powerontech.com/howvonageworks.htm

Posts: 1424 · Posted: Fri Jul 28, 2006 3:59 pm Post subject:

I think you have made a good start, however I wonder if these regional call servers aren't gateways to a private network that is terminated in the CLEC offices rather than actual PSTN gateways. I really would like to know. It is obviously a balancing act between increased network infrastructure and toll call costs.

It would be interesting to document how calls to free European countries are handled as well. Do they go through the NJ center or are they routed over the public Internet to the UK?

Posts: 105 · Vonage Forum Senior Joined: Nov 19, 2005 Posts: 105

Give me a European number and I will make a call and trace it.

I did think about the fact the gateways may go further. I do believe they are PSTN gateways. My incoming PSTN calls trace to a Peer 1 facility in Vancouver. When I checked their website they stated in some detail that they do provide carrier independent PSTN termination for Voip companies.

A separate possibility in my particular case is that they could also have leased TDM T1's (individual phone line trunks) going directly to the telco in my city since I am located in a city that is a long distance call away from Vancouver. In fact it probably is done that way in my case otherwise they would be getting dinged for every local call I make so it's probably cheaper to lease a line for a fixed rate. It does not matter because it is still is part of the telephone network and not the IP network.