Unable to call Kuwait

Posts: 4 · New Forum Member Joined: Jul 04, 2008 Posts: 4

My father recently went back to Kuwait for work. Since I have Vonage I figured I could make cheap calls to him. The only problem is every time I have tried to call him in the last couple weeks I can't get through. Sometimes I'll call and get the US style ring for several rings before it switches to the foreign ringer. Other times it will have the US ring once then click over to the foreign ringer. Either it will just keep ringing or sometimes I had someone pick up (not the intended recipient) who seemed to not be able to hear me at all. I have no problems making other calls on the Vonage phone. I read about Kuwait blocking internet phone services previously, but I didn't think that would apply to incoming calls. What could the problem be?

So to summarize:
I can't get through at all to a Kuwait number (dialing 011-965-403-####).
Sometimes I get some random person on the line who can't hear me.
If I call the same number on my cell phone I get through immediately.
My wife calls to Thailand on the Vonage phone with no problem.
I was on the Residential Premium Unlimited plan with Call Asia but switched it to Enhanced World...didn't work on either.

Posts: 4 · New Forum Member Joined: Jul 04, 2008 Posts: 4

I've just tried it on my USB V-Phone in a different state on a different ISP and it's still not working. My adapter at home is a VT2142 if it matters.

Posts: 1225 · Vonage Forum **MVM** Joined: Nov 08, 2006 Posts: 1225

They block out going VOIP, but I don't think they block in coming calls to the country. I think the only way it won't work is if the person you are calling is using Vonage there.

Posts: 4 · New Forum Member Joined: Jul 04, 2008 Posts: 4

Ok, that's what I thought. They're not using VoIP there. I believe it's a cell phone.

Posts: 1225 · Vonage Forum **MVM** Joined: Nov 08, 2006 Posts: 1225

You must be able to call because Vonage has the cost of a call in their rates.

Posts: 1147 · Member of the Week Joined: Feb 28, 2005 Posts: 1147

this is probably not an issue we can manage. you will need to call vonage support and escalate it as quickly as possible to tier 3. have them call themselves and if they can't get through, they know it's a routing issue only the engineers can take care of.

Posts: 4 · New Forum Member Joined: Jul 04, 2008 Posts: 4

I just wanted to put some more info in here. I don't think it's a Vonage problem at this point. My mom is now having problems calling. She can't call my dad from her Sprint cell phone or her Time Warner digital telephone. I also can't call my dad from my work phone (I work in NATO, very robust telephone system and the telephone guys tried 2 different carriers.) Seems to be a problem with the cell network in Kuwait I guess.