| Going back to Vonage Well folks, it's been about six weeks since I left Vonage and grabbed Packet8. The new pricing scheme and the fact that they had a local area code made it very attractive. But our P8 service has been very problematic, and as helpful as the technicians at P8 seem, they haven't been able to help us out.
Problem number 1: nobody with an AT&T Wireless phone can call my P8 number. It just so happens that practically everybody in my family uses AT&T Wireless.
Problem number 2: about one in every three calls will not ring through. It actually does ring on the other end, but we can't hear it. Also, some people have reported calling us and being able to hear us on the other end, but we couldn't hear them.
Problem number 3: P8 has some serious delay and echo as opposed to Vonage. We're in Utah, so it's difficult to say which coast has lower latency to us - I'd be inclined to say West, but that's where P8 is, and the delay is very bad. The echo is so distracting sometimes that it's difficult to concentrate on the conversation. When my wife calls me at work, I always know it's her because it takes her a good half to 3/4 second to answer me after I say hello. It's a lot like those telemarketers. You know you can safely hang up when they haven't come on the line for almost a second.
It's unfortunate that our experience hasn't been stellar with P8. I know some people have had few to no problems at all with the service. For us, though, for the past six weeks we've felt like true VoIP pioneers - in the sense that we were putting up with terrible voice quality, long delays, and a nasty echo all to save a few bucks on our phone service. Looks like we'll be going back to Vonage now. I'll just grab an 800 number and give that to the locals.
Later,
Dustin |
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 GorkOu812ic
join:2001-10-06
Bountiful, UT | What part of UT are you in? I'm sure this is a silly question, but you are aware Vonage has a presence in both the 801 and 435 area codes, right? |
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| reply to dustinlovell
I went back to Vonage too.
Used Vonage for 4 months. Was very happy. Went to P8 to save the money. It was OK for a basic service, but not as good voice quality as Vonage. Went back to Vonage. Now wife is happy. Voice quality better then POTS.
Good luck |
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 acadielPress fire to beginPremium
join:2002-06-22
Bloomington, IL
kudos:1 | I have my own issues with P8 as well...
1) Sometimes when I pick up, I can't hear the person, but they can hear me. I tell them to call back, and then we can hear each other.
2) Bad echo sometimes - much more so than Vonage
3) Last night, I kept getting a "All Circuits are busy" message to the P8 prefix. Incidentally, the P8 prefix is the same one that Earthlink, AOL, etc use in my area (a Level 3 number). Everyone must have been tying up the Level3 lines and left no room for a call to go through to my P8 number.
4) Every now and then, I find a provider (landline or cell phone) that doesn't have the Level3 prefix in their switch as a dialable number. I then have to call the provider and explain to their first tier folks (who have no clue what I'm talking about) - and an hour later, finally get to the "real" technical support people.
5) That darn caller ID problem!
Anyways, there's my rants... I've never had these problems with Vonage. |
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wigwam
join:2001-12-12
Minneapolis, MN | I have a packet 8 line which for the most part I am very pleased with how it works. Just a short while ago I tested it again. I made a call across the country and then started a download of several files to my computer. I could hear clearly the other person, no echos, no drops, nothing.
I have done this several times. The quality of your voip connection is due in part to the isp you have and what is out there on the internet and not necessarily the voip provider.
The caller id is a bit annoying. The voice mail system sounds 'odd' but is functional. I am sure all the voip providers will continue to improve their functionality.
I believe this is a bargain for around 20 bucks a month. |
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 The BeerI Love It When A Plan Comes TogetherPremium
join:2001-07-24
Atlantic, IA | I have to say I HATE the callerID problem, it kinda bothers me that I read it would be fixed on the 25th, then again it was 2nd hand.
I personally see no difference between P8 and Vonage with voice quality, I am smack dab in the middle of both of them as far as distance.
I do not use the P8 voicemail anymore, the notification never works and it's a pain to get into.
Otherwise $20/mo it rocks and is my only phone line. |
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 linxer
join:2000-05-20
Campbellsville, KY | reply to wigwam
Its not necassarily the dl that causes problem, it would mainly be what you upload. just a point... |
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wigwam
join:2001-12-12
Minneapolis, MN
| said by linxer:
Its not necassarily the dl that causes problem, it would mainly be what you upload. just a point...
That would be correct... Though most users on here I believe are using adsl from their provider. The isp would have the greatest impact on the voip experience.
[text was edited by author 2003-08-28 20:41:04] |
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 ross96VIP
join:2000-11-02
Huntersville, NC
 ·AT&T Yahoo
| Well I have to agree with the other packet8 users who are not happy. I ordered the service and was going to replace my vonage service. Vonage voice quality blows packet8 away. I'll just pay the 25.99 a month for Vonage and return the packet8 dta. I can't stand the delay and echo that is too noticeable as well as anyone I talk too asking me "what, I can't hear you." So far as the argument blaming the isp, i don't buy it. Now if packet8 started using a codec that used more bandwidth like vonage then maybe i'll try it again.
[text was edited by author 2003-08-28 20:53:15]
[text was edited by author 2003-08-28 20:55:38] |
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| You can set the codec for G.711 in the DTA-310.
I don't "feel" G.723.1 as being worse in P8, but I guess is a matter of "ear-calibration" 
I'm not sure what side effects you would have with teh codec change to G.711, but I expect the delay to be less (algorithm). I'm not sure if you can play around with the sampling times, but if 10ms/G.711 is ok in terms of bandwidth to you (should be around the 90Kbps vonage is using by default I guess). |
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| I've only been using Packet8 for a week but so far it's been worth it. I live in California, and have a cable modem (Comcast ISP). Yes there are minor problems that seem to pop up here and there but NOTHING compared to the crap I put up with on my cell phone service (AT&T plus SprintPCS).
When I compare phone service in my head I think Packet8 at twenty bucks a month - the hassles are worth the savings. |
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 digiblurGot Sipura?Premium
join:2002-06-03
Louisiana | reply to dustinlovell
said by dustinlovell:
Well folks, it's been about six weeks since I left Vonage and grabbed Packet8. The new pricing scheme and the fact that they had a local area code made it very attractive. But our P8 service has been very problematic, and as helpful as the technicians at P8 seem, they haven't been able to help us out.
Problem number 1: nobody with an AT&T Wireless phone can call my P8 number. It just so happens that practically everybody in my family uses AT&T Wireless.
Dustin
That's AT&T Wireless's problem, not Packet8. Have AT&T get off of there tails and add it to their system. Threaten to cancel because you can't dial the number with a phone that you pay money for. AT&T will fix it. |
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digiblurGot Sipura?Premium
join:2002-06-03
Louisiana | reply to The Beer
said by The Beer:
I have to say I HATE the callerID problem, it kinda bothers me that I read it would be fixed on the 25th, then again it was 2nd hand.
I personally see no difference between P8 and Vonage with voice quality, I am smack dab in the middle of both of them as far as distance.
I do not use the P8 voicemail anymore, the notification never works and it's a pain to get into.
Otherwise $20/mo it rocks and is my only phone line.
Ditto here.. it rocks! I loved seeing my last and final bill from BellSouth for only $5! Its nice to grab my home phone and dial long distance and talk for an hour with no worries. The nicest thing is when I move soon I won't have to deal with installation fees of the phone line either. Big savings! I haven't had any problems with the voicemail, yet, indicator works fine.
The only problem I've had since I had my rate center changed to a local number is, the outgoing caller ID is now the same as the incoming. It shows 1-xxx-xxx-xxx on cell phones I call, and no caller ID on land lines. But the technical support staff has been working with me to get this resolved. I would recommend Packet8 to anyone! |
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jarruda
join:2002-08-25
Pompano Beach, FL | reply to digiblur
said by digiblur:
said by dustinlovell:
Well folks, it's been about six weeks since I left Vonage and grabbed Packet8. The new pricing scheme and the fact that they had a local area code made it very attractive. But our P8 service has been very problematic, and as helpful as the technicians at P8 seem, they haven't been able to help us out.
Problem number 1: nobody with an AT&T Wireless phone can call my P8 number. It just so happens that practically everybody in my family uses AT&T Wireless.
Dustin
That's AT&T Wireless's problem, not Packet8. Have AT&T get off of there tails and add it to their system. Threaten to cancel because you can't dial the number with a phone that you pay money for. AT&T will fix it.
That would be my bet also..
I'm not a DMS person (or MTX ?), but have then (AT&T W) fix their "T-R-A-N-S-L-A-T-I-O-N-S"...or you will "C-A-N-C-E-L"
What is weird is that is not like AT&T W is having any benefit of not fixing it, so I can't think of this as being "bad-faith" on their side.. |
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andcrs
join:2003-05-06
Coastal TX
| L-A-Z-Y.
It took months of calls to AT&T Wireless before one of their customer's number would register on both my Vonage And Sprint PCS caller IDs.
Either AT&T 'fixed' something or Vonage AND Sprint made corrections at the SAME time...
[text was edited by author 2003-08-29 10:25:35] |
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| reply to Gork
said by Gork:
What part of UT are you in? I'm sure this is a silly question, but you are aware Vonage has a presence in both the 801 and 435 area codes, right?
Yeah, I live in Logan, way up north. It's in the 435 area code, but they don't have a local rate center. We've got stellar Internet service (AT&T Broadband AKA Comcast) so VoIP works well. Maybe eventually Vonage will get a local rate center. In any case, a toll-free number from Telcan is only 2 bucks a month plus 6.5 cents a minute. That'll be a good alternative, until Vonage has a few more toll-free numbers available, or until they get Logan numbers.
Vonage has shipped my (second ) ATA - should be here on Friday. I'll let everyone know how well it works.
Later,
Dustin |
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GorkOu812ic
join:2001-10-06
Bountiful, UT | Ahh... Logasm. The place up north that marks where things begin to get very small. My sister used to live there and I've had friends who went to school there. How obnoxious Vonage didn't include Logan!
So, you have a Telcan toll free number? That's a good solution. I've done the same thing 'cuz my family's still in SLC but I live in Alaska. But, I went ahead with a Vonage toll free number. |
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| said by Gork:
But, I went ahead with a Vonage toll free number.
One cool benefit of getting a toll-free number is that you can also be reached by anyone who has access to Free World Dialup. |
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 ropeguruPremium
join:2001-01-25
Mechanicsville, VA | reply to Gork
Gork,
This is WAY off topic. But you live in a lovely area up there. My fiance works for Norwegian Cruise Lines and I was able to get up there for a cruise about three weeks ago. I am ready to come back again. We did a lot of walking on some trails in a little park there by a river. Trail almost looked like it could have been a small railroad at one time. |
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| reply to Gork
said by Gork:
The place up north that marks where things begin to get very small.
I didn't think things started to get *really* small until somewhere in northwestern Canada, maybe a little closer to Juneau.
[text was edited by author 2003-09-01 00:28:21] |
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