Unreachable 1-800 numbers

Posts: 508 · Posted: Sat Oct 08, 2005 10:01 pm Post subject:

ok, I just tried that Sun number, I got through to it no problem, but when i dialed the 888 number for CIC it rang 3 times and I got a recrded msg from Allstream Communications sayingthe number I was dialing was a long distance call Confused

and to dial 1 plus the area code..

so I'd say it won't work.. thanks anyways, i was excited when i heard the first ring.. lol

Posts: 33 · Vonage Forum Junior Joined: Aug 17, 2005 Posts: 33

dabones wrote:

ok, I just tried that Sun number, I got through to it no problem, but when i dialed the 888 number for CIC it rang 3 times and I got a recrded msg from Allstream Communications sayingthe number I was dialing was a long distance call Confused

and to dial 1 plus the area code..

so I'd say it won't work.. thanks anyways, i was excited when i heard the first ring.. lol

I tried the Sun number as well. When they said I should dial a ten digit number I tried an 888 and a 1 888 number. Neither worked.

Posts: 15 · Vonage Representative Joined: Oct 04, 2005 Posts: 15

How are you and Happy Thanks Giving!

We realize the importance of accessing toll free numbers. This issue is considered top priority within our organization and the future of Voip. We appreciate any feedbacks and ideas.

As you know majority of toll free numbers belongs to major carriers. We need permission from them to have access to their numbers. Telecom companies as you can imagine are slowly processing our requests due to high demand.

Please use the method provided above, provide us the following: Toll Free Number, Organization, City and Province. We are doing our best to move forward.

Thank you for your patience in this matter.

Truly

Oscar W.

quote="tschultz"]I have been a happy user of Vonage since February, but I had understood that the whole 800 number issue was supposed to be resolved by the end of the summer. I would have expected to see something by now.

I don't call very many 800 numbers but have encountered a few, one of which has no non-800 number for access. I used my cell phone to call this, but then I encountered air-time issues through the day when I needed to call it. Hardly what I would expect for a home phone service.

I realize that Voip is relatively new and it does take time to get things in place, but I would think by now there must be quite a few Canadian Vonage customers. I realize the number is certainly lower than US, but it is issues like this that I know prevent some people from even trying it.

Why does Vonage not want to resolve this problem and setup a Canadian access point into the POTS network?[/quote]

Posts: 18 · Vonage Forum Associate Joined: Aug 31, 2005 Posts: 18

Oscar, I gotta give you points for your honnesty and presence in this thread. Thumbs up! Smile

Posts: 15 · Vonage Representative Joined: Oct 04, 2005 Posts: 15

old saying, "honesty is the best policy", always works.
HTG Day
Oscar

MarcP wrote:

Oscar, I gotta give you points for your honnesty and presence in this thread. Thumbs up! Smile

Posts: 13 · Vonage Forum Associate Joined: Oct 10, 2005 Posts: 13

Any idea on how to get around the CIC # or is it working now?

Its one of my frquently called numbers

Posts: 508 · Posted: Sun Oct 16, 2005 10:23 am Post subject:

CIC# still not working.. I doubt it ever will.. Immigration ppl are a pain in the @$$, they prolly won't allow Vonage access to their number..
I just tried to dial teh 3 'local' numbers i have for CIC, Vancouver# says "you have reached a non-working number of the Gov't of Canada, please check yoru directory listing" Toronto# says "thank you for calling CIC, the number has been changed to 1-888-242-2100" and Montreal says 'lines are currently busy, please call again" but I know it wont' work either.. i bet CIC discontinued the use of these lines because they dont' want ppl outside of Canada calling them, even tho the person calling woul dbe paying the bill, they don't want to feild the outside calls.. Evil or Very Mad

for now you'll have to use a cell phone..

Posts: 12 · Vonage Forum Associate Joined: Oct 14, 2005 Posts: 12

What bothers me is that there is not a consistent answer. We hear that we have to send in an email and it will be sorted out. Then we hear that it could take quite a long time as they are at the mercy of other carriers.

When I actually go to send in an email with a number request, I hear back that it isn't possible at this time and isn't expected to be in the near future.

All I want, regardless of what the truth actually might be, is for the company to go on record as to what the problem is, what they are doing to fix it, and an estimated time for that to happen - not just what customer service agents happen to pull out of a hat.

I would be much happier to hear "it will not happen soon - could be a year or more" than to be told different things by every representative of the company that I talk to.

Posts: 33 · Vonage Forum Junior Joined: Aug 17, 2005 Posts: 33

This 800 number problem is a major source of annoyance. I am surprised how many times I need to call these numbers. We need a definitive answer on the problem, the solution, and the schedule for the solution. Until that happens we have to hang on to a Bell line or a cell.

Posts: 33 · Vonage Forum Junior Joined: Aug 17, 2005 Posts: 33

I notice the following post on the main community, by "Vonage Evangelist"

"800 numbers see your ANI, not your CID.. all of us have the same ANI which is in New Jersey.. thats why we can't call regional 800 numbers, or Canada-only numbers..

there is nothing Vonage can do, or will do.. sorry.."

So the US has a similar but probably less pervasive problem. Perhaps we need to begin a search for local numbers equivalent to the Canadian 800 numbers.

For example if you want to contact Immigration in the Government of Canada, just put a French name in the search page at http://direct.srv.gc.ca/cgi-bin/direct500/BEou%3dIRB-CISR%2co%3dGC%2cc%3dCA. I tried Landry, checked on approximate and got:

Josée Landriault

Corporate Human Resources Advisor

Immigration and Refugee Board
HR Policy, Planning and Systems Division

344 Slater Street, 15th Floor

Ottawa,
Canada

K1A 0K1

Telephone:
(613) 944-4141

I know it hurts their efficiency to redirect calls but I suppose someone can take an efficiency hit.

Another approach was popular in the last century. Look it up in the blue pages of the phone book. For example in Toronto under Citizen and Immigration there is a recorded message at 416 327 5525. They give 4 digit numbers to dial for various departments.

Maybe the solution to the problem is going to have to be along these lines if Vonage can't patch us through Mississauga.