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Review by dlarkin_dc See Profile

  • Location: Alexandria, Fairfax, VA, USA
  • Cost: $9 per month (12 month contract)
  • Install: about 5 days
Responsive customer service, great price, great features.
Occasional issues (see review)
Amazing value, great support, but could be more reliable.
Web-site:
Ease of Installation:
Call Quality:
Reliability:
Tech Support:
Value for money:

Update 1/24/15

Last fall I ran into the VOIPo adapter call quality degrading when streaming some shows on Netflix 8.3mbps HD data rate after recently upgrading my internet streaming player.

The solution to this issue (high data rate streaming breaking phone audio quality) was to move the adapter behind the router, where I also maximized the priority for the adapters port on the router. This was suggest by VOIPo tech despite trouble shooting issue over the years VOIPo had told me the best place to install the phone adapter is immediately after the modem, before the router to eliminate router-caused issues from the VOIPo service.

So, it appears... with Netflix HD and UHD streaming, the Grandstream HT-502 adapter provided by VOIPo needs to be behind the router. This brings up the tired issue of reliability versus performance.

I have another ticket open currently for call waiting not working correctly.

While I wouldn't have these issues with a landline, at 1/15th the cost I can't complain to much. I did drop the reliability rating one point.

Update 3/23/14

I know it's been available for a while but I've just started using the newly user control panel for VOIPo. The control panel, or VPanel, in VOIPo-speak allows you to log in online and manage the features and review your account. A feature rich service like VOIPo's makes for complex account management! The revised VPanel is huge improvement, simple to find what you're looking for and with plain English description of options and features when needed. Nice one VOIPo!

Otherwise...
No glitches or hiccups in the service since the last review and the call quality is always great.
I did contact support with one technical question (an ugly hardcore low-level puzzler) and they got back to me quick and with the correct info.

These guys'n'gals are clearly knocking the ball out of the park for VOIP service.

Update 10/6/2013

It's been a year? No way!

Well I have no update to report. No issues. Working fine without a hitch for a year now.

I'm still get great responses (timely and intelligent, techie/nerdy as needed) when I ask for a clarification on a services/features.

I realize now that VOIPo have changed how I see telephone service since I dropped Verizon years ago. Despite the bumps along the way.

The ratings have been upped to reflect the reliable service and solid support.

Update 12/2013

Woah! Sorry, an update is so overdue!

A serious tech issues came back in November 2012, sometimes incoming calls were immediately directed to voicemail. VOIPo worked with me and in late November updated the firmware. Since then there's been no instance of anything not working correctly.

I've update the ratings to reflect the new reliability and the support.

Update 9/21/2012

Ahhh, I'm getting so burned out on these technical issues!

Since the update to the FW I've been getting partial breakdowns every few weeks. What happens is the VOIPo servers loose the registration of my internet/phone adapter. I'm left with a dial tone and can dial out but all incoming calls go straight to VOIPo voicemail.

VOIPo have asked me to take the adapter off UPS in case dirty UPS power is causing the problem. I have plugged it into the outlet direct but the issue reccurs. My UPS logs show the power has been clean and my modem shows the ISP connection has been stable during these "events."

On their part VOIPo have been responsive to support tickets, though the responses are getting more and more terse. In response to the current issue they have changed a value in the adapter firmware that will make the adapter more tolerant of server connectivity fluctuations. Time will tell if that resolves this latest issue.

With so many good reviews of VOIPo I suspect some of these problems are ISP related, so it's not a wholely bad reflection on VOIPo... but it's just one issue after another!

Another update coming in a month, or sooner.

Update 8/9/2012

After raising another support ticket for one-sided calls (even with modem before router) VOIPo support flashed a new firmware in my phone adapter. Since then, a few weeks ago, it's been working flawlessly.

Let's hope this sticks.

Update 7/3/2012

Well , not much has changed. We're still getting one-sided calls happening. Sometimes the rate of this peaks to well over over half the calls, but usually stays lower, about 1/4th of all calls. I've also had disconnects if I'm using the mute on my phone.

Despite the perfect pricing plan that VOIPo has for my usage pattern, the service just hasn't been reliable enough to keep. I can't tell if the issue is with Cox (my ISP) or the ATA hardware, or VOIPo's service/servers but I do know VOIPo service, as responsive as it is, hasn't resolved or pin-pointed the problem.

VOIPo has fantastic plans, pricing, and features, but it just ain't reliable enough. I am shopping around now for alternatives.

Updated 1/17/12

Sorry, this is so overdue!

Been having some issues, like others in these reviews, about calls not connecting and one sided calls. This has been going on for months.

VOIPo support has been responsive to every ticket. I've been put on different VOIPo servers, had two ATA devices, ran diagnostic internet performance tests, moved devices on my LAN, setup porting/routing on my router, had call routes provisioned, traffic switched to just VOIPo servers...

But, I'm still getting call connection issues.

This may not be VOIPo's fault, there is still my Surfboard, Cox Communications ISP, and the Internet at large in the mix.

I will update again... soon.

_______________________________________________________

Had VOIPo for a year now, just renewed for another year.

Well, there's not much to say really. It works, it's reliable if your ISP, modem and router are reliable. (I'll qualify that later.)

They provide a telephone adapter, it goes after the modem/router and you plug the phone line right in, standard phone jack... and off you go.

The package I find suits me best is the 1year, it includes 60mins/month international landline calls, never any charge to any number in the US.

The fax line was additional $25/year, it works using document upload/e-mail and it works great.

Voice mail can be received in e-mail as well as accessed via the phone handset.

The online account management is great, easy to use and all the features are there. And there are tons of features there.

The support is mind-bendingly fast, informative and humane. The best I have ever, ever, experienced.

I have had infrequent trouble with my router that caused the VOIPo service to be unstable,... BUT it was 100% all in my router, not VOIPo.

Porting my old POTS number was messy because Verizon & MCI were pointing fingers at each other. Once I got them sorted out VOIPo porting was fast and easy.

If I had more then two thumbs they'd all be, "Way up!" for VOIPo.

member for 14.5 years, 250 visits, last login: 1 day ago
updated 9.1 years ago


N9MD
Too busy to chat
Premium Member
join:2005-10-08
Boca Raton, FL

N9MD

Premium Member

Fax Line is NOT $25/month

"The fax line was additional $25/month..." ... NOT!

Did you mean to type year.

dlarkin_dc
join:2009-08-24
Alexandria, VA

1 edit

dlarkin_dc

Member

Yep my mistake...

The fax number should have been $25/year. I corrected the review.

djrobx
Premium Member
join:2000-05-31
Reno, NV

djrobx

Premium Member

I'm having one sided call problems with VOIPo too

I'm pretty certain my equipment isn't at fault (I've changed ISPs/routers and the problem followed). I created a support ticket, they supposedly switched networks that I'm on, but no difference.

It's so hit and miss. At least if it were consistent I'd be more easily able to get tech support to fix it. Some days I can make lots of calls without any trouble, other days I have to resort to my cell phone.
rnikischer
join:2002-12-28
Ottawa, IL

rnikischer

Member

Having Difficulties Also

I'm really disappointed with the service. It has become unreliable. I experience the same trouble as everyone else. I have no complaints with tech support. They are responsive. I have followed their instructions for port forwarding but the intermittent problems still exist. Problems started to surface about 6 months ago. Some days I may only get 50% of the incoming calls, the rest of the time the callers - as well as on my end, will get dead air after picking up the phone when it rings. The other regular problem is calls routing to the failover number for no apparent reason. We can't all be crazy. It has to be their service. Prior to Voipo I was with Vonage and had maybe 3 service issues in 4 years. I am running out my 2 year pre-paid plan and if there is no improvement I will regrettably go elsewhere.
ke4pym
Premium Member
join:2004-07-24
Charlotte, NC

ke4pym

Premium Member

Your firewall

is the problem.

I had this problem too and had to spend quite some time getting my FW and NAT rules correct. You've got to port forward most of the UDP ports directly to your adapter.

Want to really rule out your FW? Put the adapter directly on your cable modem for a few hours and see how it goes.

Once my logs were showing clean on no port blocking the one sided calling thing went away on non-in-network calls.

In-network calls were another story.

dlarkin_dc
join:2009-08-24
Alexandria, VA

dlarkin_dc

Member

Re: Your firewall

Yep, tried all those. Different routers, port forwarding and putting the ATA after modem-before router. No difference. Plus, VOIPo have put me on different servers, updated my ATA firmware and swapped out ATAs. Still no difference.

Apart from Cox as my ISP with a SB6120 modem everything has been changed up and tried!

But tell me...
What logs are you referring to that showed no port blocking? Where was your port blocking occuring?
What is the other story about In-network calls?

TIA!
maugott
join:2006-01-27
Sunnyvale, CA

maugott

Member

port forwarding did not solve no-ring problem

when outgoing no-ring became a problem, VOIPo support talked me through port forwarding for my 2wire router/modem. It took under 10 minutes. Now, a few weeks later, the problem is back. Also, dialing my VM gets me a busy signal [VM emails arrive, though].

power cycling the Voipo adapter usually makes things work, but not for long. My AT&T uverse internet connection seems solid when I browse the web.

I sent another email to support after hours today.

Ultimately, reliability is more important than saving $$.
AT&T uverse voice was overpriced but reliable
maugott

maugott

Member

Re: port forwarding did not solve no-ring problem

As usual a VOIPo technician responded promptly to my email and said "I have changed the command ports your adapter is using along with updating the server your adapter connects to in order to fix the busy signal issues. Please power cycle the adapter for these changes to take affect."

I power cycled and VM now works fine.

dlarkin_dc
join:2009-08-24
Alexandria, VA

dlarkin_dc

Member

Re: port forwarding did not solve no-ring problem

That's a laugh! (and I did)

The same old routine... it gets tired after a couple of years.

Hope it sticks this time!
maugott
join:2006-01-27
Sunnyvale, CA

maugott

Member

Re: port forwarding did not solve no-ring problem

It's been 3 weeks since the fix and all works well.

linicx
Caveat Emptor
Premium Member
join:2002-12-03
United State

linicx

Premium Member

The biggest problem

I biggest problem I ever had with a VOIP phone is the uplink.
1 Mbps is barely enough to support it most of the time. 2 Mbps is much better.

I firmly believe the VOIP phones work much better in large cities than it does in rural America where the Internet is not nearly as dependable.

A engineer friend in Dallas had a 3 year pre paid contract with VoipO.When it started the same problems you talk about he disconnected. Now he is using Straight Talk for home. There are some volume issue but it works.

I had Vonage. It was okay until their equipment failed 9 months into the contract. For 90 days I had a wannabe phone. It wasn't until I quit they offered to replace it. I gave them a scathing review that is now missing. .

dlarkin_dc
join:2009-08-24
Alexandria, VA

dlarkin_dc

Member

Re: The biggest problem

1 MBPS could be enough, but if it's not stable then, yeah there's nothing you can do. The location of these service providers servers can be critical, and can directly affect stable connection speeds. I have used VOIPo's east and central servers and never had a bandwidth or jitter problem with either.

The issues I got have always been some systemic technical glitch that got fixed, eventually.

linicx
Caveat Emptor
Premium Member
join:2002-12-03
United State

linicx

Premium Member

Re: The biggest problem

The only time my provider cares is when I mention my Commerce Commission. Otherwise they hope I will die or blow away.