No dial tone - Not a new customer

Posts: 13 · Vonage Forum Associate Joined: Aug 14, 2007 Posts: 13

All,

I have no dial tone and customer service seems to be unable to help me. I'll start by posting the info requested in the sticky, then I'll go over what has been done to date:

- I am located in a northern suburb of Indianapolis, IN.
- I have cable service from BrightHouse Networks and RoadRunner/TimeWarner.
- I have 2Meg upload speed and 5Meg download speed, as advertised by BrightHouse/RoadRunner. Real speed is about 1.5/4.5.
- Modem is a scientific american Webstar.
- ATA is a reconditioned motorola VT1005
- My network is Cable Modem -> ATA -> Hub -> 3 computers. The dial tone issue still exists if I remove the hub and reboot connected to one computer, so the hub isn't the problem.
- Issue is no dial tone. Telephone gets electricity.

Voip Test Results:
Speed test statistics
---------------------
Download speed: 4855344 bps
Upload speed: 1497600 bps
Quality of service: 99 %
Download test type: socket
Upload test type: socket
Maximum download pause: 34 ms
Average download pause: 6 ms
Minimum round trip time to server: 40 ms
Average round trip time to server: 40 ms

Voip test statistics
--------------------
Jitter: you --> server: 2.9 ms
Jitter: server --> you: 8.4 ms
Packet loss: you --> server: 0.0 %
Packet loss: server --> you: 0.0 %
Packet discards: 0.0 %
Packets out of order: 0.0 %
Number of supported Voip lines: 25
Estimated MOS score: 3.9

---
Okay, now what has been done to date.
-
I have been a Vonage customer since 2003. I've moved across country and changed ISPs three times without issue.

Then, I switched ISP service from AT&T to BrightHouse cable.

After I hooked up bright house cable, my ATA broke (service call #12402503) and was replaced because customer support thought the PC jack was faulty.

Since then, two replacement ATAs have been unable to give me a dial tone. I have tried the following:
- Replacing the ATA
- Changing the network configuration. Router ahead of ATA, router behind ATA, no router, no hub, no computer. Nothing changes.
- Rebooting the network many times.
- Changing the LINE port and registering the change with Vonage.
- Checking my network speed.
- Three service calls (12402503, 13410815, 13378334)
- Verifying that I get a solid green status light
- Changing telephones and telephone cords
- Changing network cables

Next, I was going to try a new ATA (again). I have recently purchased a used ATA on ebay, a Linksys RT31P2, hoping a different device would resolve the issues (and I haven't had much luck with the VT1005 as of late). I haven't yet received the Linksys device.

Any advice on how to fix the issue or get the call escalated with Vonage? My phone has been forwarding to cell for two months, and it's starting to get annoying.

Thank you,
-->Adam

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

The fact that calls are forwarding to your cell, assuming that this is an automatic "network outage" forwarding, confirms that your telephone and phone wiring is not the issue. The fact that you get internet service eliminates cabling to the modem, assuming that you're getting internet service through the VT1005.

If both of these assumptions are true, and given that you've already replaced the adapter once, I would conclude that this is an issue that needs to be fixed at the Vonage end. Naturally, you should still try the second new adapter when it arrives. Your next call should not be to Vonage technical support but to the business folk. Tell them that you're going to cancel unless they get it working.

By the way, did it ever work with the current ISP? Whether it did or not, if you have a friend with broadband service, one other thing to try would be to take the adapter to his/her place and see if it works on that service.

Posts: 13 · Vonage Forum Associate Joined: Aug 14, 2007 Posts: 13

Thank you very much - yes, both of those statements are true, and I will try the business folk.

Unfortunately, my cancel stick is rather short - just before this issue happened, I threatened to cancel to negotiate a big credit - right now, my account says they owe me $50.00. So, I don't know how they will respond to me threatening to cancel again...

-->Adam

Posts: 414 · Posted: Tue Aug 14, 2007 8:06 pm Post subject:

By "business folk" do you mean regular customer service reps? If that is the case, you are not going to get anything out of them especially with a multi-month credit on your account already. Even if you speak to the account cancellation department all they are going to do is put you through to tech support. Customer service and the cancellation reps don't know how to fix problems and as soon as you say you have one they will pass you over to tech support.

You would be better off calling tech support directly and not having to wait on hold for the wrong department first, then once they transfer you on hold again for the right department. My only advice would be that if your level one tech support person doesn't know what they are doing immediately ask for Advanced Technical Support. They are the group in NJ and besides actually speaking English they can normally resolve most problems.

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

Hard to say, but if you haven't had service for 2 months, you don't have much to lose. Maybe a modified approach, like "I really want to stay, but what's the point if it never works? Maybe you business guys can get results, because I've given the techs plenty of chances and...".

Posts: 13 · Vonage Forum Associate Joined: Aug 14, 2007 Posts: 13

Thanks all,

Mysteriously, it fixed itself at the same moment the Weekly World News announced that it will no longer be publishing newspapers. No explanation was given by Vonage. Coincidence? I think not.

-->Adam

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

You've lost me.

Posts: 13 · Vonage Forum Associate Joined: Aug 14, 2007 Posts: 13

Sorry, bad joke.

The Weekly World News is a newspaper that specializes in the news noone else dares print. Bat-boy. Bigfoot. Alien backs clinton. Conspiracies.

You know, the real investigative journalism. The paper was featured in Men In Black.

-->Adam