Calls dropped, one way calls, and registration issues.

[IT-Engineer]

I have bursts of problems with the service. Calls will go dead or drop. Calls will drop communications outgoing where your customer cannot hear you. Registration will occasionaly have to be reestablished. I have checked my network equipment and verified even during the times of problems that the internet and equipment is working perfectly. I can go for weeks with perfect service and then have ten calls in a row in a day that continue to drop communications. I have verified that some (even calls completed with VOIPo technical people never show up on the call history). This type of service is not tollerable when clients cannot communicate with each other and calls are continuously dropped or one way communications occurs.

The redeeming part about VOIPo service is that the people are all technical and try to work on the problems. Even with good technical people, if the problems remain, the service is not good phone service on a consistent basis. One suggestion by 3rd level technical support is to put the little grandstream in front of high end routers which makes as much sense as putting a Hyundai in front of a Lamborghini. I have repeatedly verified that that the router, cable service, and modem are not the issue especially since the router is using the DMZ with no firewall and all ports open to operated one device (the grandstream).

I wish 3rd level tech support would simply admit they have some very difficult problems and work on the problems while updating the customers. I believe the company has a good structure, but obviously needs to fix some problems.

[IT-Engineer]

In addition to the dropped calls and communications outgoing only, I've also had many phone not ringing after dialing issues and dead air. I have noticed that quite a few other VOIPo customers have experienced the same problems when thier own equipment has been fully tested and elliminated as the source of the problem.

How many other people are seeing these same problems?

Please add to the thread respectfully to help get them resolved quickly.

[redoneusa]

I would try an alternative provider and see if that solves your problems. Run them side by side, sometimes no matter how hard you work at resolving the issues you cannot get to the bottom of it.

[GenM0ntana]

I'm having the exact same issues. Hopefully a Voipo support rep will chime in...

[ymhee_bcex]

I have two accounts (one for me and one for in-laws). We live a mile away, same ISP (time warner); pretty much same everything. My service works for 8 months without any problems (I used supplied adapter for a few months to make sure that the service was good. Once I was comfortable, I switched to BYOD - first old Sipura, and now OBiHai). Never had a need to call support. Wrote a review for DSLR. I was very happy with it and convince my in-laws to switch to VOIPo as well.

My in-laws have constant problems. With BYOD adapter voice quality is just terrible. Once I switched to provided adapter, it is good for a few days, then it's bad. I called support twice; they tweaked something - and the quality improved for a week or two but then it's bad again. I know it's not ISP (even if they weren't able to fix it) - they have another adapter on the network, that they use for international calls (with Call With Us). For troubleshooting, I also set up an IPKall to this adapter. So, whenever voice quality is bad on VOIPo line, first thing I check is to call their other phone - and invariably, it sounds much better there.

Unfortunately, they don't speak English, and in order to troubleshoot with Voipo support I need to be in their house during business hours, which is not always possible. So, often by the time I am ready to call support, the problem goes away. However, the reliability is just not there.

[VOIPoTim]

I have two accounts (one for me and one for in-laws). We live a mile away, same ISP (time warner); pretty much same everything. My service works for 8 months without any problems (I used supplied adapter for a few months to make sure that the service was good. Once I was comfortable, I switched to BYOD - first old Sipura, and now OBiHai). Never had a need to call support. Wrote a review for DSLR. I was very happy with it and convince my in-laws to switch to VOIPo as well.

My in-laws have constant problems. With BYOD adapter voice quality is just terrible. Once I switched to provided adapter, it is good for a few days, then it's bad. I called support twice; they tweaked something - and the quality improved for a week or two but then it's bad again. I know it's not ISP (even if they weren't able to fix it) - they have another adapter on the network, that they use for international calls (with Call With Us). For troubleshooting, I also set up an IPKall to this adapter. So, whenever voice quality is bad on VOIPo line, first thing I check is to call their other phone - and invariably, it sounds much better there.

Unfortunately, they don't speak English, and in order to troubleshoot with Voipo support I need to be in their house during business hours, which is not always possible. So, often by the time I am ready to call support, the problem goes away. However, the reliability is just not there.

Unfortunately that's really just the nature of VoIP in that there are so many variables that one person could have a good experience with a provider and their neighbor could have a bad experience. The variable could be something as simple as the model/firmware of the router the two people use.

Comparing provider to provider doesn't really help in that kind of scenario though since all VoIP networks are completely different and the way they handle things + the carriers on the backend can dramatically affect things. There's not really standardization per say between different providers even if they're both using the SIP protocol.

[ymhee_bcex]

Unfortunately that's really just the nature of VoIP in that there are so many variables that one person could have a good experience with a provider and their neighbor could have a bad experience. The variable could be something as simple as the model/firmware of the router the two people use.

Comparing provider to provider doesn't really help in that kind of scenario though since all VoIP networks are completely different and the way they handle things + the carriers on the backend can dramatically affect things. There's not really standardization per say between different providers even if they're both using the SIP protocol.

Well, your first paragraph contradicts the second one... if it's "as simple as the model/firmware of the router the two people use" then it would be similar experience for both VoIP providers. I agree that today's troubleshooting tools are inadequate; VOIPo tech asked me to run ping; hoping to glean something useful. Several years ago, when troubleshooting with VoicePulse, we were running pingplotter and it gave more useful information.

But from business development perspective saying "nothing can be done" will inevitably push customers to combine ISP and VoIP service from the same provider. This would be the only way to avoid finger-pointing!

[VOIPoTim]

Well, your first paragraph contradicts the second one... if it's "as simple as the model/firmware of the router the two people use" then it would be similar experience for both VoIP providers.

Not sure how this is contradictory? I'm saying the reason one person can have an issue and another not could be as simple as them both having diff router firmwares.

Like I said all VoIP providers have completely different networks so a different router firmware could work well with one VoIP provider and not another. All providers would interact with a different firmware differently since their networks aren't similar.

[ymhee_bcex]

Not sure how this is contradictory? I'm saying the reason one person can have an issue and another not could be as simple as them both having diff router firmwares.

Yes you do. And that would not explain why the same person1 (with the same router1) would have consistent problems with one provider (VSP1), and not have problems with a different provider (VSP2). So, in the second paragraph you are saying that comparing provider to provider doesn't help. In other words, this is unfortunate router1 / ISP / VSP1 combination and - although router2 / VSP1 and router1 / VSP2 combinations work fine - VSP1 (which happens to be VOIPo) has no ability to troubleshoot the problem. It is much more logical to assume that VSP1 has a problem on specific account that is not related to router or ISP. Otherwise, it makes a very difficult sell to less technical users.

Regardless, my bigger concern is that there are no troubleshooting tools that would allow me to pinpoint the problem...

[christcorp]

If it was a VoipO wide problem, you'd hear a lot of people complaining. But the overwhelming majority of VoipO users don't have any significant problems. A couple times a year, I have an issue with incoming or outgoing calls. I have a pretty complicated network. Everything is static IP addresses; QOS; port forwarding (For various devices). If I start to have any voip problems, I usually notice memory leaks either in my modem or router also. I usually reboot my entire network and everything works perfectly again. Basically; I've never had any significant issues with VoipO or ANY voip service I've had. And I've had no less than 3 different internet providers over the years.

Voip is still not as mainstream as many would like to believe it is. It is still dependent on the network it is connected to and the internet connection and ISP. Some day, if we can ever get QOS type service at the ISP/WAN/Internet level, voip will be able to become universally accepted and function better. "Same with video conferencing". But for now, those who know a lot about networking and the internet will have very few problems with voip. Those who don't know as much, or think they do, will still have some problems. If one provider appears to work flawlessly for an individual, that doesn't mean that provider is better. Simply means that service is more compatible with that individual's network, their ISP, and that ISP's routing.

What is going to change this for everyone; for the GOOD; is 4G cellular technology. "Why, pray tell?" Because currently, cellular voice calls are not processed on the same portion of cellular networks as data is. GSM/CDMA, 2G/1Xrtt, 3G, and now 4g/LTE are all different parts of the cellular system. Within the next few years, the cell companies will actually be processing their phone calls over the 4g/LTE data network. Basically, voip calls. Now that they have the bandwidth with 4g/LTE, they will be able to do this. Once they start doing this, the internet will need to be able to handle the CBR type of traffic like voice/video that is required for data that needs to remain constant and packets aligned. Once this is done for the big boys like Verizon and AT&T, other voice traffic like current voip providers, will have their packets processed much smoother.

My only concern is the evolution of cellular providers. With 4g service offering a lot more bandwidth and throughput, and cell providers like Verizon now offering the "Share Everything" plan where they offer unlimited voice and texting, the need for home fixed internet access like DSL and Cable as well as home Voice service will almost become obsolete. The only thing holding the cellular providers like verizon back from putting all home internet companies out of business is the bandwidth need at home for such things like netflix streaming, online gaming, and other high bandwidth. But for the average internet user, an unlimited voice, text, and reasonable data allowance can make the need for home internet and voip/POTS a thing of the past.