Network Failure feature

Posts: 19 · Posted: Sun Jan 18, 2004 11:13 am Post subject: Network Failure feature

As everyone probably knows, Vonage has the Network Failure feature that will call forward any calls if you lose connection to your ISP. This was the deal-sealer for me so I could get WAF (Wife Acceptance Factor!)

Yesterday, however, I noticed I had lost connectivity to my computer, tried my phone and didn't get a dialtone. I then tried calling my home # using another line and guess what?! - No cutover to my forwarding number.

In a conversation I had yesterday with tech support (which has proven to be unresponsive on callbacks) the supervisor told a CS person (which was relayed to me) that the Network failure feature could take up to 3 hours to kick in. Has anyone heard anything to this effect? I would say this is NOT ACCEPTABLE.

As such, does anyone have a suggestion on how the ATA can be monitored on the network to make sure it is up and running until only after picking up the phone and getting no dialtone? there are NO status lights.

Posts: 106 · Posted: Sun Jan 18, 2004 9:53 pm Post subject:

ive heard 90 minutes. and it has to be 90 mins con. it's basically some weak script that tests to see if it can see your ata.. and if over a 90 minute time period it never sees it then it fwds

Posts: 243 · Vonage Forum Master Joined: Jan 18, 2004 Posts: 243

90 minutes still seems like a long time. Why can't they check in realtime as the call is being delivered?

What happens to the call in that 90 minute window? Does it go to voicemail?

Greg

Posts: 83 · Vonage Forum Senior Joined: Nov 16, 2003 Posts: 83

I've just now tested this on my Vonage line. I unplugged the incoming data line and made a call to my Vonage number (I still have a hardline phone). It forwarded exactly like it is supposed to do.

Posts: 243 · Vonage Forum Master Joined: Jan 18, 2004 Posts: 243

That's strange - I can't test because I don't have my hardware yet....

What I"m curious about is why all these users are having varying experiences with this service? It would seem that it would or should work the same for all users.

I can imagine now why Tech Support takes so long to respond because of the differences in experience for each account. Must be a tech support nightmare.

Greg

Posts: 33 · Vonage Forum Junior Joined: Jan 18, 2004 Posts: 33

I just signed up, and based on their marketing if the forwarding feature isnt instantaneous I will be shipping the ata back.

Posts: 15 · Posted: Mon Jan 19, 2004 1:05 pm Post subject:

During the first few days after I started using Vonage, before I got my configuration stabilized, the Network Availability Forwarding feature worked instantly for me every time it was needed.

I made many test calls during those days, and had numerous family calls, and I did not have a case where the call didn't either ring the local phone, or foward to the Network Availability Number, so I am pretty confident that it is reliable, at least for my installation.

Posts: 13 · Vonage Forum Associate Joined: Jan 13, 2004 Posts: 13

The network failure thing works right away for me when it needs to. As soon at the unit fails for some reason, the calls go to my cell. As soon as it comes back on line, the calls go to the regular phone.

I wonder how the system works? It seems to me that when a call comes in, if it can't get to where it's going, it should be smart enough to find the next place it can go.

Hmmm.

Posted: Wed Jan 21, 2004 11:28 am Post subject:

Does it make a difference whether it's a temporary Vonange phone number ? I mean the Network Availability Feature may not work for the temporary number (while your current number is transferred) ?

Posts: 5 · New Forum Member Joined: Jul 23, 2003 Posts: 5

I have had the network availability feature transfer a call to my cell phone in seconds when I was testing, but the actual failures I have had (cable modem going out, power failure, etc.) all went to voicemail immediately for at least an hour. I have voicemail send an email to my wife's cell phone so she will know if we got a message. That way during that hour or more that she doesn't get incoming calls and they aren't transferred to her cell phone, she will at least know that someone left a message.