Has Vonage solved its International Calling problems?

Posts: 41 · Full Forum Member Joined: Mar 13, 2005 Posts: 41

I've been trying to call numbers in Sweden, Germany, Denmark and for about 50% of the numbers, I just get a continuous US ring tone.

I've seen about 2 dozen threads related to problems people have calling internationally with Vonage.

Is this a systemic problem, and I was curious if the insiders know if it's a priority issue being worked on?

Thanks.

Posts: 41 · Full Forum Member Joined: Mar 13, 2005 Posts: 41

I'm on the phone with level 2 support right now.

The weary-voiced rep claims that this is a VERY common problem, and that it's a result of Vonage trying to keep calls "cheap" and using "inferior routing."

He asked for the number and said he'll try to call it 10 times to check on it.

First-level support for Vonage was really bad. She was chewing gum the whole time, so I could barely understand her. Then she tried to get me to DISABLE international calling via the web panel. When I informed her that my international calling setting was ENABLED and DISABLING would naturally DISABLE what I was trying to accomplish, she seemed stunned, confused and put me on hold.

Then she came back, said "wait," thumbed through a book (I heard the book being flipped), then sent me over to level 2 support.

Man, my confidence in this service for business use is badly shaken.

Posts: 41 · Full Forum Member Joined: Mar 13, 2005 Posts: 41

Talked to the Level 2 support guy again.

He tried a number in Germany (which works fine on a regular phone) 10 times himself, and failed to connect all 10 times.

He again stated that this problem was caused "cheap and inferior routing" used by Vonage. He also stated that he has gotten many many other people calling with the same problem.

To conclude, he said "there's nothing I else I can do; it's just not working" and said Vonage just cannot call certain countries with very good reliability at this time.

Shouldn't they put this down as a disclaimer when they advertise those international rates? Sounds like borderline false advertising to me.

I'm not terribly upset, since I liked the service more or less. But if I had to make a lot of international calls, then this would be unusable.

Posts: 318 · Posted: Fri Apr 29, 2005 4:50 pm Post subject:

I made 2 phone calls to Poland the other day. Though I don't often need to call overseas, both calls went through quickly, perfectly, and the sound quality was almost as good as calling within the US.

I was so extremely impressed. And the rate (6 cents) was awesome!

I called between 11am-1pm eastern time (about 5-7pm in Poland).

Posts: 1179 · Member of the Week Joined: Feb 28, 2005 Posts: 1179

mingthemerciful,

it appears to be sporadic/country specific failure. I have only tried calling Thailand and everytime the call went through on the first time and the quality was excellent.

Posts: 41 · Full Forum Member Joined: Mar 13, 2005 Posts: 41

I think you guys are right. It just seems to be CERTAIN number within countries (e.g. Germany) that just simply don't work whatsoever with Vonage. It's 100% failure with these numbers.

But I've also had numbers that did work for me consistently.

Seems odd, and something you would think management would care about.

Posts: 30 · Posted: Sun May 01, 2005 1:11 pm Post subject:

mingthemerciful wrote:

and that it's a result of Vonage trying to keep calls "cheap" and using "inferior routing."

That is more likely to be the real answer. I use international calling to the Europe and the mid-east quite frequently and I sometimes have problems calling a Syrian landline. If it connects the quality is often poor.
Calls to Lebanon (the country) landline is great, mobile is often too compressed.
Calling to France is not bad, connects from the first time but the quality is so so.

Posts: 8 · New Forum Member Joined: Jul 23, 2005 Posts: 8

I've been with Vonage for one day now. I was raving about the service, because I plugged it in, and started calling. That easy.

But then my wife tried calling her mom in Ukraine, about 20 times, and thats where the problems began. 5 calls to Vonage tech support, I was disconnected twice, and routed to a middle eastern speaking person once who couldnt hear me, and then had the call escalated twice, and still no resolution.

When we call Ukraine, it just rings indefinately. It sounds like an american ring though, not the usual "beeeep" style ring we usually hear when calling Ukraine. I will cancel my account with Vonage if they don't fix this issue very quickly.