Can't Make Calls

Guest

Ok, I just tried calling a bunch of numbers and I got a long pause followed by a fast busy signal on each one. I'm dialing all 11 digits and it was working perfectly for days. The internet connection is up. What should I do? This is the only phone I have so I'm pretty much screwed when it goes down. Now there isn't even a dial tone. I know the Cisco ATA 186 is still feeding my phone the PSTN voltage because the mic on the phone still works. Please help!

Posts: 9 · New Forum Member Joined: Jun 06, 2003 Posts: 9

I am having the same issue. I called the Vonage help desk and as of 3:41Eastern, they are having service issues and are busy rebooting servers. The "unofficial" estimate from the person who took the call was 15-20 minutes, so we'll see.

Bobby19, it's been posted frequently that Vonage customers should look into a backup plan. Whether a cell or land line (our cell is cheaper than a land line), but you need something else in the event of an emergency or situation like this.

On a side note, does anyone know what vonage's infrastructure is? I only hope it's not based on Microsoft solutions, or this may be more frequent than not.

Dave

Guest

Oh ok... at least I know there is something wrong on their end and it's not me. I'm in a 860 area code (Connecticut). Actually I have gotten through a couple of times after many tries. It seems like the problem affects the initial connection but once you get through to someone, it's fine.

Another symptom I've had is that I'll get a regular busy signal (not fast) and then hang up until the light on the cisco ata 186 turns off, then pick up and sometimes the busy signal is still going.

Guest

I too have the same problem of not being able to dial out. This is about the fourth failure that I am aware of. Since I travel a lot and use other phones, there may be other instances I am not aware of.

The phone will ring if a call comes to it, but you cannot pass voice over thecall and it will soon go to a fast busy signal. I can't dial out at all.

As to the comment of whether or not they are using Microsoft for the infrastructure, the more telling clue is that we have to even speculate at all. When was the last time, barring a tornado or other disaster, that you had to ponder what the infrastructure was behind the phone company?

The phone company dialtone is almost as reliable as the sun rising in the east. Loss of service is taken much more seriously than at Vonage, where there has been ample time to design infrastructure. They obviously don't take it seriously because if they did, somebody would be fired over these outages and a proper infrastructure with telephone grade failover would be designed. There would be a tandem system for testing new upgrades and another duplicate system in Dallas or Seattle mirroring everything the main system does so that when the s--- hits the fan, the system keeps going.

I suspect it is too expensive for them to afford the kind of overkill you have to have to reduce downtime to near zero. I also am going to take a wild guess that this was caused by introduction of new software to enable new features. It is typical that these things happen on a weekend for this reason.

If they read this and they want me to review their procedures, I'll be happy to do so.

-BobCov
very satisfied customer

Posts: 9 · New Forum Member Joined: Jun 06, 2003 Posts: 9

"As to the comment of whether or not they are using Microsoft for the infrastructure, the more telling clue is that we have to even speculate at all. When was the last time, barring a tornado or other disaster, that you had to ponder what the infrastructure was behind the phone company?"

According to netcraft, they are using IIS and W2000 for their website, so it's highly possible that the back office is also MS-based. God help us.

As for pondering their infrastructure, they do have a different topology than a traditional phone company and are open to problems the phone company is not typically affected by (ISP outages, etc.). This week was particularly bad for me because earlier in the week, the ISP was out for a night. A backup phone is highly recommended.

"I suspect it is too expensive for them to afford the kind of overkill you have to have to reduce downtime to near zero."

They'll learn that it's not too expensive one way or another...either by installing an efficient, cost-effective system that can be replicated, or by losing their market. The internet does at least provide redundant cabling for them, so the least they could do is ensure their servers are up.

I do believe, though, it's the first time I've called a utility-type service company and the response was "we're rebooting our servers."

Yesterday, during the outage, I was able to get to their web site. I didn't see any indication of a service outage notification. I think they should at least provide some indication of a problem (especially if it's system-wide), rather than requiring people to call them (due to a phone outage) on a cell or backup phone system. Having to pay for a backup phone system to call them in order to find out about an outage in their system is a bit like salt in the wound.

Dave

Posts: 83 · Posted: Mon Jul 14, 2003 8:35 am Post subject:

My service went down completely yesterday as well (860 Connecticut) - no dial tone, completely dead, no TFTP activity, absolutely zilch.

And yes, there was NOTHING on their web site or the Dashboard showing any interruptions or downtime.

That your "utility" dies is one thing; that they don't acknowledge it is another.

That is unacceptable.

Posts: 20 · Vonage Forum Associate Joined: Jul 09, 2003 Posts: 20

Do we have any idea when the system will be back, if not already? I just got my new ATA and hooked it up as I was supposed to. I can't call anything, get the fast busy. But I can call my number no problem. I am in Albany, NY (518)... I have been on hold for about a hour waiting for a tech but getting no place. Is this the same problem everyone was talking about? Are you still having the problem? Thanks

Posts: 20 · Vonage Forum Associate Joined: Jul 09, 2003 Posts: 20

OK My bad. I got in touch with tech support. The guy I had was GREAT, just took really long time to get him on the phone. Turns out I had a hub not a router, which was screwing up my network. I also learned to reboot my cable modem, I need to unplug from the UPS, not the back of the modem.. Interesting.. Anyway it is working great now and I called people and they have no clue it is anything strange.. Thanks everyone here.

spalten wrote:

Do we have any idea when the system will be back, if not already? I just got my new ATA and hooked it up as I was supposed to. I can't call anything, get the fast busy. But I can call my number no problem. I am in Albany, NY (518)... I have been on hold for about a hour waiting for a tech but getting no place. Is this the same problem everyone was talking about? Are you still having the problem? Thanks

Posts: 9 · New Forum Member Joined: Jun 06, 2003 Posts: 9

I have a question...

When I signed up for service, I distinctly remember going into configuring my "alternate" phone number in the event service was lost. This past weekend, during the outage, my calls were not forwarded to my wife's cell.

Upon looking at my configuration, the setting has returned to my Vonage number.

Has anyone else noticed the same?

Dave

Posts: 9 · New Forum Member Joined: Jun 06, 2003 Posts: 9

Re: the outage.
Vonage customer care replied that there was as service announcement on the dashboard last weekend. I don't recall seeing it and some other people have stated they didn't see it either. Did anyone *see* it?

Re: network availability number.
After posting on Wednesday that I again reset the network availability number (again) to a cell phone, this morning it is now back to my Vonage number.