hkvalet
Specialist
join:2004-10-18
Las Vegas, NV
| [BroadVoice] Calls to Hong Kong are down
I am not able to make any call to Hong Kong.
I receive either busy signal or this error message:
"Your call cannot be completed at this time. Please hang up and try again later."
Just called the technical support and they said they will report it to the engineering......
Is there any other provider have good quality when call Internationally / Hong Kong?
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**Students are the CUSTOMERS of teachers** »RateMyProfessors.com |
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slicemaster
join:2001-12-14
Newbury Park, CA
 ·callwithus
| I don’t know of any other provider that can beat BV’s unlimited to Hong Kong but I know many VoIP subscribers like to keep a prepaid outgoing only service as a back up. I know that many people at the Voxilla forums have an iConnectHere pre-paid account just in case (I have one but have never needed to use it). To be exact most the people I know that use VoIP have a pre-paid provider for redundancy just incase. Just look around and see who has the best rates but like I say, I have heard good things about iConnectHere. Anyways, I am a happy BroadVoice customer too and I am sorry you are experiencing problems to Hong Kong. I cant confirm the problems to Hong Kong because I don’t call there but if it is any consolation I have been calling Europe with out issue (Sweden and Estonia) so it must be isolated to Hong Kong, could be a call routing problem with BroadVoice or maybe problems the provider who terminates the calls in Hong Kong for BroadVoice, could be any number of things. Basically, I hope the issue gets fixed soon, keep us posted.
Slice |
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hkvalet
Specialist
join:2004-10-18
Las Vegas, NV
| Thanks for your reply!!!
I use BroadVoice to call Hong Kong since Nov 2004. The service is not reliable, sometime it works, but sometime it doesn't.
I'm thinking of switching to other providers, but I think it is too difficult to find a realable Voip service in this current market, especially when I use it to call international.
Any suggestion from experienced users???
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**Students are the CUSTOMERS of teachers** »RateMyProfessors.com |
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slicemaster
join:2001-12-14
Newbury Park, CA
·callwithus
3 edits |  said by hkvalet  :Any suggestion from experienced users??? Number one, I am an experienced user (been in the computer business fifteen years and have been using various advanced VoIP solutions for some time now). Number two, I gave you the same advice any other seasoned VoIP user would give (aka get a redundant pre-pay provider just incase). If you are unsatisfied with my advice or with BV’s service in general then switch to another provider, it is as easy as that. However, like I said in my last post, you will be hard pressed to find a provider that offers unlimited calling to Hong Kong.
I hope you find a solution that works for you whether it means changing service providers or getting a pre-paid outgoing back-up service like I recommended.
Slice |
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fortissimo
join:2003-10-17
Richmond, BC
| reply to hkvalet
Does calling to Hong Kong include mobile (cellular) phone numbers in the World or the World Plus plans? I thought they didn't include them, or I am wrong about that?
I haven't used it to call Hong Kong so far, except a brief test.
Interesting, too bad I can't test it for you right now. |
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benjamin
All propositions are of equal value
join:2000-12-20
New York, NY
clubs:
·BroadVoice
 ·RCN CABLE
| said by fortissimo :Does calling to Hong Kong include mobile (cellular) phone numbers in the World or the World Plus plans? I thought they didn't include them, or I am wrong about that? You are correct. Calls to mobile phones are not included to any country. |
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im_chandave
join:2005-07-28
Cleveland, OH
| For those of you that call Hong Kong on a regular basis, why not just subscribe to Hong Kong Broadband's softphone?
It's a standard SIP-based VoIP system. It costs $48 HKD/month ($6.15 USD). You get an Hong Kong DID with unlimited incoming and outgoing minutes. Additionally, since it's a Hong Kong phone number, there isn't a difference in price for landline or mobile (cellular).
If signing up is a problem (the online registration is in Chinese and you need a Hong Kong residential address), then you can get the Hong Kong person you normally call to sign you up.
More info about Hong Kong Broadband's softphone service is available at:
»www.voip-info.org/tiki-index.php···roadband
See ya...
d.c. |
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hkvalet
Specialist
join:2004-10-18
Las Vegas, NV
| said by im_chandave :It's a standard SIP-based VoIP system. It costs $48 HKD/month ($6.15 USD). You get an Hong Kong DID with unlimited incoming and outgoing minutes. Additionally, since it's a Hong Kong phone number, there isn't a difference in price for landline or mobile (cellular). Thanks for your great info. So are you using it right now? I am interested about this service, but I have some questions for you:
1. Can I use my own device? I'm using SPA-2000.
2. How's the sound quality if I use in the U.S.?
3. Their proxy is in Hong Kong, so I think there will be a long delay for all calls if I call from the U.S., right?
Thanks for your time.
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**Students are the CUSTOMERS of teachers** »RateMyProfessors.com |
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im_chandave
join:2005-07-28
Cleveland, OH
| said by hkvalet :said by im_chandave :It's a standard SIP-based VoIP system. It costs $48 HKD/month ($6.15 USD). You get an Hong Kong DID with unlimited incoming and outgoing minutes. Additionally, since it's a Hong Kong phone number, there isn't a difference in price for landline or mobile (cellular). Thanks for your great info. So are you using it right now? I am interested about this service, but I have some questions for you: 1. Can I use my own device? I'm using SPA-2000. 2. How's the sound quality if I use in the U.S.? 3. Their proxy is in Hong Kong, so I think there will be a long delay for all calls if I call from the U.S., right? Thanks for your time. Yes, I'm using it right now. I have 2 accounts. One for personal use (hosted in HK) and one for testing (hosted in the US). Both are on Asterisk boxes.
•You can use your own device. I've had success with a SPA-3000 from the US to HKBN. Unfortunately, I didn't keep the configuration. But, it should be easy to do. I've written information about how to configure an Asterisk box for HKBN. You should be able to adapt it to the SPA. Just remember to turn on STUN/VIA/RPORT support on the SPA if you are behind a NAT/Firewall.
•Sound quality is fine. They support G.711a so you are using 80kbps (each way) for audio. Also, their Nortel Voice Packet Gateway is hooked into a decent backend infrastructure. They are not running a SIP Express Router, an Asterisk box, and a few PRI cards (like some VoIP companies in the US).
•Average RTT are around 220-250ms for a IP packet. There is some latency but not so much that conversations are undecipherable. I've had no problems with US calling a HK landline. You will notice slightly more latency when calling to a mobile phone (especially when that person is on the KCR entering and exiting Lion Rock tunnel).
And for those that are wondering...no I don't work for HKBN. I just happen to be a satisfied customer.
Oh. One more thing...if you sign up for the softphone and want to BYOD, don't expect any support from HKBN's tech support. They will not provide any support for any softphone/hardphone/ATA except their Nortel IAD and their Nortel Multimedia PC Client. I had to reverse everything by watching the SIP conversations between the PC client and HKBN.
See ya...
d.c. |
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fortissimo
join:2003-10-17
Richmond, BC
| reply to hkvalet
Learn something new everyday. I knew of this service, but a friend who is also "in the scene" said he got a friend who took the IAD back from HK to the USA, and it didn't work while in the USA. So we thought that their server checked the IP it's connected from, and only allow connection within HK IP range. But apparantly the few of you get it to work outside of HK!
In Canada, the Citi Telecom sells (but not many people know, somehow they don't want the regulatory body to notice them, a friend said.) the VoIP phone service with HK DID, but at a higher cost. No softphone either, only the Nortel IAD. You can read and check the pricing here:
»www.ctinets.bc.ca/vbbphone.shtml
4 of my friends are using it as we speak, and they said it's working good. (curiously enough, one said that if the other end is in the MTR (subway train, i.e.) on a mobile phone, then the other side could cut off or hang up the line! (I can't explain why.)
If this works, the cost on the unlimited plan is 4x the cost of the same in HK! (not even counting the extra cost for Caller ID etc). There is a very large immigrant population in Canada, and there is a market for this service, especially to those from Hong Kong.
I checked out the site, and wonder about 2 things. If you have a friend to register on your behalf, would the payment be tied to your friend as well? I just hate to burden friend for such things, especially for payment etc. Would there be a way to pay via a credit card issued here by you?
I also intend to put it on an Asterisk or a Sipura too, and $48. HKD is very hard to beat! So this is a breakthrough indeed! (But more for fun than anything as I hardly call Hong Kong).
Sorry that we are getting out of topic here, I guess a new thread is in order. |
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nc22
join:2004-04-16
Everett, WA | reply to im_chandave
HKBN is good and cheap, however, I want to get more from it by using my sipura 2000, however, it was not successful, and anyone can post a full working config for sipura 2000? (it keeps failed to register)
Thanks. |
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im_chandave
join:2005-07-28
Cleveland, OH
| I just helped out another fellow bbr member get his SPA-1001 working with HKBN. Here are the settings I suggested:
Line 1 > Proxy and Registration
Proxy: s2hkbntel.net
Use Outbound Proxy: yes
Outbound Proxy: s21.hkbntel.net
Use OB Proxy In Dialog: yes
Register Expires: 120
Use DNS SRV: no
Line 1 > Subscriber Information
User ID: HKBN phone number
Password: Your softphone/Web password
One thing that might be a problem is that s2hkbntel.net does not resolve to a real domain so I'm not sure what the SPA will do. We resolve it by setting up a DNS server to service that domainname. We then pointed the SPA to use that DNS server for the Primary DNS Server.
Additionally, if you are behind a NAT/Firewall, turn on STUN support, VIA header support, and most of all, "Send Resp To Src Port" = "yes".
If you noticed that you cannot SIP REGISTER, then the problem is that your previous SIP REGISTER is blocking you from re-REGISTERing. HKBN's "2b" SIP Registrar does not support multiple simultaneous registrations of different devices. You will need to go to your Personal Assistance website »pa.2b.com.hk and "2b Reset" your SIP registration.
If you register successfully but get "486 Busy Here" messages when you try calling into your HKBN phone number, then the problem might be anonymous blocking is enabled on your SPA. We tried turnning off the Anonymous Block server on the SPA but it still would not allow the call into the SPA. Still trying to resolve this problem.
Anonymous Calls will occur when someone in HK dials your phone number with a "133" prefix. It can also happen for an incoming International Direct Dial call (i.e. someone from outside of HK calling your phone number).
See ya...
d.c. |
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nc22
join:2004-04-16
Everett, WA
| Thanks a lot ChanDave, your info was so useful, I can register now after I logout manually on hkbn web page,
however, after I set it up, I could only call somebody, if someone called this sip, my phone was ringing too but when I answered the call, the call dropped and was cut off, and the caller at another side never heard my phone picked up. What's the setting problem, why I can call out but can not answer the phone? Do I need to enter a stun server? |
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nc22
join:2004-04-16
Everett, WA | reply to im_chandave
also you mentioned many times we should use msc1.hkbntel.net, why sipura need s2hkbntel.net instead? |
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hkvalet
Specialist
join:2004-10-18
Las Vegas, NV
| said by nc22 :also you mentioned many times we should use msc1.hkbntel.net, why sipura need s2hkbntel.net instead? If you signed up at www.2b.com.hk, you will need s2hkbntel.net (Proxy) & s21.hkbntel.net (Outbound Proxy).
If you signed up at www.hkbntel.net, you will need mcs1.hkbn.net for both Proxy.
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**Students are the CUSTOMERS of teachers** »RateMyProfessors.com |
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nc22
join:2004-04-16
Everett, WA
| Thanks a lot experts ChanDave and HKVALET, if anyone could solve the call-in calls dropping problem, please let every of us know, I tried many combinations in my SPA, and still can answer any calls (Call somebody is fine using ChanDave's suggestion) |
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im_chandave
join:2005-07-28
Cleveland, OH
| reply to nc22
said by nc22 :Do I need to enter a stun server? Turning on all the VIA supports will help you register and get and initiate calls through HKBN. Adding STUN will allow the audio channels to get past your firewall/NAT system that's between your ATA and HKBN. Yes, you need to fill in the STUN server input box if you plan on using STUN. You can find a list of public STUN servers at »www.voip-info.org/wiki/view/STUN.
In order for STUN to work, you need to enable "Gaming Mode" on your firewall/router/NAT. I'm not sure the exact terminology used by your firewall/router/NAT vendor. Also, from what I gather from another post, your "Gaming Mode" might be triggered by enabling UPnP (strange....).
See ya...
d.c. |
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gkong
join:2001-10-06
Edmond, OK
·Cox HSI
| reply to im_chandave
im_chandave: I tried using somebody phone with Caller ID and the SPA still sends a 486 Busy Here signal. Maybe with so many of us are having problem, the solution is not available until Sipura/Linksys fix some SIP handling problem with Nortel MCS server in their new firmware, Thanks for helping us out! |
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im_chandave
join:2005-07-28
Cleveland, OH | If you remember, I could successfully call you. I will have to play around with my PAP2 when I get it.
See ya...
d.c. |
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nc22
join:2004-04-16
Everett, WA
| reply to im_chandave
Thanks ChanDave, I turned everything on without a stun server, and working for calling somebody, however, I could not receive any calls and I could not add a stun server (could not registered once stun server was added). You have the same problem too? |
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