Ability to programatically change settings.

Posts: 4 · New Forum Member Joined: Feb 04, 2005 Posts: 4

Hello -

Does Vonage have a Web service or similar that we can use to programatically change settings on my account?

Thx

Posts: 2251

egould wrote:

Hello -

Does Vonage have a Web service or similar that we can use to programatically change settings on my account?

Thx

Yes, it is known as Dashboard.
https://secure.vonage.com/vonage-web/public/login.htm

Posts: 4 · New Forum Member Joined: Feb 04, 2005 Posts: 4

Unless I'm missing something, I don' think this is what I'm after. I want to programatically change settings. I GUESS I could go to the dashboard and manipulate the pages porgramatically. A API of some sort would be much cleaner. Does this exist?

Posts: 2251 · Posted: Sat Feb 05, 2005 6:23 pm Post subject:

egould wrote:

Unless I'm missing something, I don' think this is what I'm after. I want to programatically change settings. I GUESS I could go to the dashboard and manipulate the pages porgramatically. A API of some sort would be much cleaner. Does this exist?

It can be done. I do it, but can not share the code. You would just need to write the program.

Posts: 3 · New Forum Member Joined: Feb 10, 2005 Posts: 3

You would think that with a "cutting-edge" company like Vonage, they would provide an API or web services to at least check your messages (if not checking minutes, account info, etc). However, I've dug thru all the forum posts that I could find and came up empty. I even submitted a question via the Dashboard over a week ago and still have heard nothing. Sadly, I'm afraid that the "rants" about customer service are turning out to be true.

I can only hope that someone will actually read these forum posts and pass them on to whomever needs to see them to get something done. If Vonage wants to stay the leader in this niche, I think that they need to get with the program and offer some of these types of services. I, for one, would be willing (and able since it's my day job Smile

) to discuss what could be done in this area. I guess I'll just have to wait and see...

Posts: 3 · New Forum Member Joined: Feb 10, 2005 Posts: 3

Well, I finally got my reply - sort of....

The first response from customer service was a reference to the EULA and a thinly-veiled threat that I would be liable if I attempted to "interface or change" the firmware on my device. *Huh?*

I figured that they just misunderstood me and what I was asking. So I rephrased the question to make it clear that I just wanted to "check my voicemail" or possibly "change some settings", etc not alter the firmware on my hardware and I wanted to do it WITHOUT using the Dashboard or the phone number. Sounds fairly clear right?

Upon reading the enigmatic email reply that followed, I realized that they have NO IDEA what I'm talking about and have promptly given up hope of communicating my question. The email explained to me that if I wanted to do these things, I should use the Dashboard or the Voicemail access number (I specifically said that I wanted to use something else so basically, I understand that as a "NO" response). Ok, I can accept that. However, they went on to "clarify" (read: make things less clear) by stating , "Since messages are sitting in our servers we cannot give you access to it at all, that's strictly forbidden." Uh, I didn't ask to VPN to your servers or anything, I just wanted to know about an API or web service.

All in all, I would have to say that, no, they do not have anything in place (and possibly don't even have any plans for anything) to allow for third-party developed apps. Sadly, I'll just have to find another way and I'll be happy to do it, just as long as I don't have to try and communicate with CS again... Rolling Eyes

Posts: 4 · New Forum Member Joined: Feb 04, 2005 Posts: 4

Thanks for trying though! I'm sure it is very frustrating trying to talk technical with the CS folks. I have no problem getting the data from the UI that they provide - it shouldn't be that hard. I just have to get off my butt and do it.

Care to share what you are planning? I"m going to write a module in C# that I can use in a web page and/or stand alone app that will do the dirty work for me. My main goal is to be able to do 2 things. Download and clear my VM - set all calls to go to VM directly (Basically Do-not-disturb mode) Both of these things will be accessed through my Media Center PC - via the "10 foot" experiance. It should be fun. Again, thanks for trying!