Problem with DTMF using touch tone menus

Posts: 2 · New Forum Member Joined: Apr 26, 2005 Posts: 2

I am new to Vonage and I am using my virtual phone # while waiting for my number to be transfered. I have searched for a resolution to this problem but have found no answers, only others stating they have similar problems.
When I place a call to an automated answering system, such as my voicemail at work, I notice when using my Vonage line that it takes about 7-8 seconds to finally connect and ring. When the system finally picks up and prompts for my mailbox number and PIN, my touch tone commands are not always understood. The system will respond with "That is not a valid mailbox number" or something like that. When I use my land-line it works fine.
I am using a Linksys RT31P2 as my MTA/router. I am connecting to the internet at about 3Mbs, so it's not a bandwith problem.

If anyone has a solution to this problem ..PLEASE.. let me know what it is.

Posts: 33 · Vonage Forum Junior Joined: Apr 25, 2005 Posts: 33

TMaud wrote:

I am new to Vonage and I am using my virtual phone # while waiting for my number to be transfered. I have searched for a resolution to this problem but have found no answers, only others stating they have similar problems.
When I place a call to an automated answering system, such as my voicemail at work, I notice when using my Vonage line that it takes about 7-8 seconds to finally connect and ring. When the system finally picks up and prompts for my mailbox number and PIN, my touch tone commands are not always understood. The system will respond with "That is not a valid mailbox number" or something like that. When I use my land-line it works fine.
I am using a Linksys RT31P2 as my MTA/router. I am connecting to the internet at about 3Mbs, so it's not a bandwith problem.

If anyone has a solution to this problem ..PLEASE.. let me know what it is.

As much as you're likely to not like ths olution, call Vonage, wait through the interminable hold time, and explain your problem to the tech. I just called about this on Monday and the tech did make a change to something related to the DTMF settings on my account. So far so good, but unfortunately, this problem was intermittent for me, so it's too early to tell whether or not it's been fixed.

If you can reproduce it consistently, I'd recommend calling Vonage support from a different phone so that once they make the changes to your Vonage account, you can keep the tech on the phone (on your non-Vonage phone) while you use the updated Vonage phone to try a previously problematic phone menu system. That way you still have the tech on the phone if the problem has not been resolved.

Posts: 134 · Vonage Representative Joined: Apr 15, 2005 Posts: 134

Im looking for issues like this, respond with your full network setup please, we can take it from there.

Posts: 1 · Posted: Mon May 02, 2005 1:31 pm Post subject:

I have same problem
Network:
Motorola Surfboard > Linksys BEFW11S4 > PAP2 > Home Wiring

Touch Tone Handsets:
Corded business phone, 2.4GHz Cordless, 5.8GHz Cordless

Issue #1: Touch tone menus for work vmail do not recognize my entries. Says "Invalid" mail box. Cell phone access to same vmail works fine.

Issue #2: ~1-2 hour blackout period EVERY day for the last 3 weeks or so. Incoming calls do not get thru. Apparently just keep ringing to the caller. My Vonage vmail is disabled, and network availability number is set to my cellphone, but that never rings.
Outgoing calls result in no connection and just get a series of quick beeps. The "blackout" period seems to occur mostly in the early afternoon. Mornings and nights everything's fine!

PLEASE HELP. Or my wife will make me go back to copper.

Posts: 1 · New Forum Member Joined: Apr 29, 2005 Posts: 1

I had a terrible time setting up my voicemail. It kept saying invalid pin over and over again. I finally discovered that I had to hold each button on my phone down just a little longer than a quick press and release. I have a Uniden 2.4 GHz cordless with 4 handsets. It works fine now that I know what to do.

Hope this helps.

Posts: 2 · New Forum Member Joined: Apr 26, 2005 Posts: 2

I did get my problem resolved through Vonage. (Unfortunately it took a while on hold, talking to several different techs. Some of whom would be better off serving donuts, others actually knew what they were doing). The fix was to increase my RTP packet size from 10 to 30. With a setting of 30 however I had trouble receiving faxes on the same line. They then reduced my RTP packets down to 20 and it appears to all be working now. More testing needs to be done since my number has not been transfered.
FYI ..if the tech tells you to "Hold on" while he checks something, that should be translated as " I'm going to play some bad background music for you while I have my dinner, hit the can, and have a siesta. I won't actually be talking to you again" BEWARE!!

Posts: 1 · New Forum Member Joined: Jul 26, 2005 Posts: 1

Consistently I can not access VM when my VM has called my Vonage number and was forwarded to another phone - POTS or cell. I have complained to Vonage via email and phone, several times each, and they have taken no action. This does not involve any onsite Vonage equipment or routers on this side as the problem is not passing thru my equipment at the time. This created a big problem when I was out of town one weekend and my VM called every 2 minutes from 8:30 AM until well after midnight and I was powerless to stop it. Due to a Vonage s/w fault, I couldn't even turn off forwarding! No tech I've talked to seems to have a clue that this is happening and seems never to have heard of such a problem on their system. I've tried holding the DTMF button down for an extended period of time with no results.

Posts: 1715

TMaud wrote:

I am new to Vonage and I am using my virtual phone # while waiting for my number to be transfered. I have searched for a resolution to this problem but have found no answers, only others stating they have similar problems.
When I place a call to an automated answering system, such as my voicemail at work, I notice when using my Vonage line that it takes about 7-8 seconds to finally connect and ring. When the system finally picks up and prompts for my mailbox number and PIN, my touch tone commands are not always understood. The system will respond with "That is not a valid mailbox number" or something like that. When I use my land-line it works fine.
I am using a Linksys RT31P2 as my MTA/router. I am connecting to the internet at about 3Mbs, so it's not a bandwith problem.

If anyone has a solution to this problem ..PLEASE.. let me know what it is.

Your mailbox # is actually the phone # (area code & 7 digits) that you're trying to transfer. When you sign up & are bringing a number with you, they enter that as your primary then assign you a temporary virtual #, so that when the transfer finally goes through, they don't have to change anything in their system other than dropping the virtual #.

Posts: 216 · Posted: Tue Jul 26, 2005 6:49 am Post subject:

I think the OP was having issues calling into his work voicemail system, not his Vonage voicemail system. Also, I think your mailbox # is the 11 digit phone number that you requested to be transferred (1 + area code + 7 digit phone number).

Posts: 1 · New Forum Member Joined: Feb 07, 2004 Posts: 1

I have the same issue. I called Vonage three times to finally get a tech who knew the problem. The first one told me Vongae does not support menus and he can't help me. I told him that this even happens when I forward to a POTS line and am dialing into the Vonage number which then forwards to a POTS number. It appears as though it doesn't do a clean re-direct to POTS and is still going through Voip to get there. Seems to me this should be done at the switch and should not even hit the Vonage network, let alone dial through it.

But, in any case the third guys made some changes and it doesn't seem to make a difference. Is there a definitive answer on what needs to be done to fix this? Are certain TAs better than others? Is the Motorola better for this or perhaps the Cisco?