The VoIP Saga Continues..
My VoIP service got provisioned overnight. I awoke at 5AM this morning to a green light on the gateway.
However, I couldn't access the desktop interface. So, ironically, the first call I made on the VoIP service was to technical support.
Seems that the DI was screwed up, and undergoing maintenace. Duh.
Okay, so later in the morning and into the afternoon I continue to try to register and access the DI from work...still no go.
Eventually, it works, I register, login, and play around. Neat stuff.
I get home in the early afternoon from work (Why again did I decide to work a weekend again for the first time in many years?) and start calling long distance friends to test it out.
Then my internet goes down. Argh! I 20 minute call to technical support again restores the DSL service, and the VoIP service comes back as well.
It works great for an hour or so afterwards. However, when I call a friend in Vancouver, after talking for about 20 minutes, it starts to die a slow death once again (distortion and such), and eventually after I hangup (suggesting I call back) the modem drops offline again. Argh again!
So, a call to tech support once again, and I get someone in Bangladesh who is challenged to read what it says he should be doing on his computer, nevermind actually relate it back to me in any sort of understandable fashion.
After he blindly follows all of the "initial" troubleshooting tactics, he gives up. Yes, my phone line is not a problem - it's the same one my DSL modem has been connected to for 5 years. No, I don't have any splitters. No, there are no other new phones in the house. No, my DSL modem isn't on fire, missing, or unplugged.
Sheesh. Hellooooo - something is wrong on YOUR END. Just admit it for Christs sake! A failure of this sort is *not* automatically the customers fault.
He offers to send me a new DSL modem, apparently oblivious of the fact that I currently own my own..and I'm convinced there really is *nothing* wrong with it.
Anyhow, since I'm moving to a new DSL provider in a week or so, I have no interest in having a new modem sent to me that I will need to return in a week.
So, frustrated, I bid techsupport-guy adieu, and end the call.
I immediately redial and get another tech support guy that actually seems to be in touch with the world. I explain the situation again, assure him that nothing has changed on my end, nor do I beleive that there is any reason to think that my DSL modem is dying.
He clicks a few keystrokes on his end, has me reset my DSL modem, and the service is back within a minute.
Finally, someone who knows what's actually going on..
So, for the rest of the day, the service works perfectly, and me and my wife have enjoyed calling friends and familly all over North America this evening at absolutely no cost via VoIP.
The quality is amazing, equal to, and probably better then regular landline telephone service. The calling features are stellar, and the $29.99 a month price for completely unlimited service (including long distance) simply can't be beat.
So, initial troubles aside, it's been a mostly positive experience so far.....
However, I couldn't access the desktop interface. So, ironically, the first call I made on the VoIP service was to technical support.
Seems that the DI was screwed up, and undergoing maintenace. Duh.
Okay, so later in the morning and into the afternoon I continue to try to register and access the DI from work...still no go.
Eventually, it works, I register, login, and play around. Neat stuff.
I get home in the early afternoon from work (Why again did I decide to work a weekend again for the first time in many years?) and start calling long distance friends to test it out.
Then my internet goes down. Argh! I 20 minute call to technical support again restores the DSL service, and the VoIP service comes back as well.
It works great for an hour or so afterwards. However, when I call a friend in Vancouver, after talking for about 20 minutes, it starts to die a slow death once again (distortion and such), and eventually after I hangup (suggesting I call back) the modem drops offline again. Argh again!
So, a call to tech support once again, and I get someone in Bangladesh who is challenged to read what it says he should be doing on his computer, nevermind actually relate it back to me in any sort of understandable fashion.
After he blindly follows all of the "initial" troubleshooting tactics, he gives up. Yes, my phone line is not a problem - it's the same one my DSL modem has been connected to for 5 years. No, I don't have any splitters. No, there are no other new phones in the house. No, my DSL modem isn't on fire, missing, or unplugged.
Sheesh. Hellooooo - something is wrong on YOUR END. Just admit it for Christs sake! A failure of this sort is *not* automatically the customers fault.
He offers to send me a new DSL modem, apparently oblivious of the fact that I currently own my own..and I'm convinced there really is *nothing* wrong with it.
Anyhow, since I'm moving to a new DSL provider in a week or so, I have no interest in having a new modem sent to me that I will need to return in a week.
So, frustrated, I bid techsupport-guy adieu, and end the call.
I immediately redial and get another tech support guy that actually seems to be in touch with the world. I explain the situation again, assure him that nothing has changed on my end, nor do I beleive that there is any reason to think that my DSL modem is dying.
He clicks a few keystrokes on his end, has me reset my DSL modem, and the service is back within a minute.
Finally, someone who knows what's actually going on..
So, for the rest of the day, the service works perfectly, and me and my wife have enjoyed calling friends and familly all over North America this evening at absolutely no cost via VoIP.
The quality is amazing, equal to, and probably better then regular landline telephone service. The calling features are stellar, and the $29.99 a month price for completely unlimited service (including long distance) simply can't be beat.
So, initial troubles aside, it's been a mostly positive experience so far.....
posted by Oshawapilot at Saturday, June 11, 2005
2 Comments:
My wife and I have been considering VoIP, because our cable company (whom we already get broadband internet and cable TV from) have a deal where you can get broadband internet, cable TV and VoIP for just a few bucks more than we're currently paying. But I'm not sure I'd want it instead of my regular house phone. During the big blackout (was that two years ago?), our cable modem didn't work of course, and my cell phone couldn't get a signal, and none of the cordless phones worked, but we have one ordinary "plug it into the jack" type phone, and it kept working. I'd hate to be without that lifeline if I needed to call 911 or something.
Hi Paul!
I'm keenly aware of the possibilities of failure for Voip. We too went through the blackout as well, and yes, technically if we were on VoIP at the time would have been without phone service as well.
However, I have every intention of getting a UPS system to keep the DSL modem and VoIP gateway up and running.
I also have a 12Volt to 120Volt power inverter that can run off of our vehicles in the driveway as another level of backup.
During the blackout, actually, I used said inverter to power a good portion of our living room. Once the sun set on that fatefull day, I just ran an extension cord in from the inverter plugged into my truck, and then plugged a power bar onto the end of the extension. I then plugged in our living room lights, the TV and satellite box, and the laptop and DSL modem. Within minutes we were watching satellite TV in a nicely lit living room, and the DSL worked perfectly and I was surfing the net.
It was kind of nice for an hour or so, untill the car battery went dead and I had to boost it from our other vehicle to get it running again.. :-)
Regardless, a proper UPS system is definately on the wish list now if I do go to "full" VoIP, and get rid of our POTS line, as I suspect we will.
If you want to "hear" how it sounds, drop me your phone number in email and I'll give you a call on the VoIP line - my long distance is all free now, afterall. (Grin)
oshawapilot at gmail dot com
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