Note to frustrated users...

Posts: 2 · New Forum Member Joined: Jan 20, 2004 Posts: 2

This forum seems to be a gathering place for gripes and problems and not a whole lot feedback in the form of successes (beyond those who are gloating). Anyway, for the frustrated, a quick list of notes from my first month or two with two different Vonage accounts (one DSL, the other cable):

0) The folks on tech support are really helpful. It may take a few minutes to get through to them, but once you do, they're invaluable. A note to those who have complained about the wait times: they're hiring as fast as they can and Vonage seems to be growing at a quick pace. So try and cut 'em some slack. Smile

They haven't outsourced their call center functions and it takes time to ramp up a customer service dept to match demand, esp when the demand seems pretty out of control.

1) If you're having problems with no dial tone when you pick up or calls aren't ringing through, call tech support and get the latest firm ware. Rev 14 has been flawless for both the cable modem and DSL accounts.

2) ... there is no #2, see #1. Upgrade your firmware. Once stable, don't touch anything until Vonage rolls out a new version and automatically deploys it, but I think they've hit things on the head with rev 14.

3) On one of the upgrades from rev 12 to rev 13 we lost the ability to receive inbound calls from a different exchanges (the other account had no probs). Call tech support and have 'em move you to a different server and the problem should go away.

4) Comcast, as **** of an ISP as they may be, is functional enough (along with rev 14 of the firmware) of an ISP to allow Voip to be usable! This actually surprised me. Comcast now **** a little less than I'd originally thought.

5) DSL does provide a better quality of service, but is a bit more expensive. I wish the RBOCs weren't so stupid with their database design and allowed dedicated ADSL circuits without the need of a land line. I know the rationale on their part is greed and that there is no technical reason for this needing a phone number for each circuit. If you have any pull at the FCC, someone needs to whap Powell upside the head with a clue bat and get some regulation oversight in place so that DSL + Voip will be as price competative as cable + Voip. DSL, as I've said, is a much better technology than cable (and generally DSL companies have vastly supperior networks and network engineers than at cable networks).

6) Virtual numbers can save friends/family mega bucks if the friends/family are located on the other side of the nation or even in a different area code.

... this weekend I'm rewiring both houses so that the Voip line is going to plug into the NID outside and all of my phones will be Voip circuits (POTS MUST DIE!!!!). Enjoy.

Posts: 51 · Posted: Tue Mar 09, 2004 8:34 am Post subject:

I agree with you seanc, but it is alway easier to **** than praise. That being said, my MAJOR gripe is with LNP as has been well documented in previous threads. Otherwise I LOVE:

1.) Tech Support: Always helpful and knowledgeable. You may have to wait a while, but this is not news to anyone who has called a tech support line in the past.

2.) Voice Clarity: My Vonage service over Optimum Online is actually CLEARER than my POTS with Verizon.

3.) Interface: The Vonage website is the easiest and most comprehensive tool I have ever used. It is soooo easy to view your account any time and make whatever changes you may need.

Most issues that people have with Vonage seem to be technical in nature, bugs to be ironed out in a growing technology. But that is to be expected when you are an early adopter. LNP is another story, I hate those bastards. But overall the good far outweighs the bad.

Posts: 9 · Posted: Tue Mar 09, 2004 11:37 am Post subject:

I agree with almost everything stated... except slamming Comcast. Same issue here as you usually only hear negative comments about ISPs because happy users don't have much to "voice up" about. I have been using ATTBI and now Comcast for a couple years and 99% of the time have had NO problems. Vonage has also been good around 80% of the time, and the negative 20% was due to server problems on their end right after I connected all the equipment. I couldn't tell what was happening, and it looked as if either my new drops and runs were causing a problem, or the equipment was bad. It was Vonage's problem, it was fixed, and I have been trouble free for a few weeks.

Posts: 2 · New Forum Member Joined: Mar 09, 2004 Posts: 2

Quote:

5) DSL does provide a better quality of service, but is a bit more expensive. I wish the RBOCs weren't so stupid with their database design and allowed dedicated ADSL circuits without the need of a land line. I know the rationale on their part is greed and that there is no technical reason for this needing a phone number for each circuit. If you have any pull at the FCC, someone needs to whap Powell upside the head with a clue bat and get some regulation oversight in place so that DSL + Voip will be as price competative as cable + Voip. DSL, as I've said, is a much better technology than cable (and generally DSL companies have vastly supperior networks and network engineers than at cable networks).

For those lucky enough to be in the Qwest footprint you can now get DSL whether or not you have phone service with Qwest.

DENVER, February 25, 2004 – Qwest Communications International Inc. (NYSE: Q) today announced that it will begin offering a DSL service on February 28 that allows customers to purchase Qwest DSL regardless of whether they have a voice phone line with Qwest or not. Qwest is the first major telecommunications company to make this service available to customers.

Posts: 47 · Posted: Thu Mar 11, 2004 9:03 am Post subject: Gripe vs Praise

What I have found is if things are working properly, why post? This forum is a great place for problem solving.

Posts: 110 · Vonage Forum Senior Joined: Mar 06, 2004 Posts: 110

I agree with the sentiments of seanc, and was thinking this morning that I should post a positive comment. I got my VT100 adapter last night and was very quickly up and running.

I've been faxing, uploading while talking, and everything else with no glitches so far really (except for an issue with DHCP on my router, that was my own stupid fault).

I was a little afraid while browsing over the past three days waiting for my hardware (especially about fax reliability), but I guess that was all just because the people for whom it works fine just never post!!!

As soon as my local number ports, I'll be distributing Voip throughout my house as well!

My Setup:
Cablevision Optimum Online Cable Modem (3Com CMX)
Linksys BEFSR41 Router
Motorola VT100 Adapter (behind router)
HP3100 Fax
VTech VT2461 Multi-handset single-line Cordless Phone

Posts: 37 · Vonage Forum Junior Joined: Feb 12, 2004 Posts: 37

seanc wrote:

DSL, as I've said, is a much better technology than cable (and generally DSL companies have vastly supperior networks and network engineers than at cable networks).

What do you base this comment on? DSL uses a twisted pair copper wire with serious bandwidth constraints. If you are too far from a central office, it won't even work. DSL speeds are generally a fraction of cable modem speeds. I have Optimum Online and consistently get 8Mb/sec down and 1Mb/sec up. The service has been PERFECTLY reliable for the year I've had it.

I tried to get DSL first, because I heard it was better. Verizon tried for over a month to hook me up, but then they told me they could not do it. They had converted most customers here to fiber and there were not enough copper pairs left for all the DSL customers.