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provider recommendation

Started by jimates, April 25, 2012, 01:45:35 AM

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jimates

I want to recommend the Obi for reducing or eliminating current monthly costs. Google voice is no problem with plenty of phone numbers available in our area, but with e911 and porting issues I want to be able to recommend other services also.

just give a name and I will compile a list with costs and check for usage in our area.

Stewart

#1
Here is a list of providers that are IMO good values for home phone service in US / Canada (for needs matching their offerings).  When I get some time, I'll provide more details about each.

Full service (can supply preconfigured device, include "unlimited" inbound and outbound domestic calling):
VOIPo
Phonepower

BYOD (bring your own device), pay-per-minute for outgoing calls:
Callcentric
Anveo
VoIP.ms

Others (have a shortcoming that limits their appeal, e.g. no 911 or no porting, but good for many applicatons:
CallWithUs
Future-Nine
Localphone

"Wholesale" providers (that don't have steep minimums), useful as a secondary provider for heavy users:
Voxbeam
FlowRoute
AlcazarNetworks
Bandwidth.com

Lowest cost international calling:
Betamax

Useful for receiving calls from abroad and other tricks:
Rebtel
SIPBroker
iNum.net



jimates

I just looked at Anveo and am initially impressed. On the free account < $10 a year for e911. And the possibility of occasional online fax.

pc44

I don't know what you guys think of Vitelity, but I thought I would add their name to the list.  Any good or bad experiences with them?  They probably cannot compete with Anveo when it comes to pricing, but other than that, I think they are one of several reasonable providers.

pc44

jimates

#4
I don't know why one of these voip providers can't set up a 911 service based strictly on CID so we wouldn't have to set up a SIP configuration just for 911. This would give users the ability to set up 2 google voice services and still have 911 available.

I don't remember what info was needed when I set up my nettalk 911. I gave my address, is that how they know what call center to route the call to?

They could use incoming CID, from my verified google voice number, to route the call based on account information. The same as they would do when they receive the 911 request from my sip configured phone.

I press 911 from my ATA phone port
My ATA dials an alternate number provided by Anveo
Anveo sees the caller id of my Google Voice number (can be verified)
Anveo does the same thing it normally does if I dial 911 from a SIP configured service (pass my google CID to the call center, which already has the info I provided to Anveo)
911 call center will see my google voice number (for accurate call back) and my info on record in my Anveo account was already provided to them.

Felix

I will quibble with the following statement:

QuoteLowest cost international calling:
Betamax

If you use a lot of minutes to free destinations, and you have a Euro account - it might be true. However, for me CallWithUs turned out to be a better choice. Not to mention that CWU has support. I am not using it much, but it's nice to know that if you send an email you will actually get a response from a human - often as quickly as within an hour.

My last straw was when VoipDiscount (one of Betamax companies) stopped taking credit cards or PayPal - just Money Bookers, UKash, and some other weird methods that I've never heard of. Granted, they reversed this policy since.

(I am not affiliated with either Betamax or with Call With Us)

Felix

Quote from: jimates on April 25, 2012, 10:03:01 PM
I don't know why one of these voip providers can't set up a 911 service based strictly on CID so we wouldn't have to set up a SIP configuration just for 911.

I remember somebody explained that if you provide 911 service, you fall into a different category of VSP and have to collect taxes that you otherwise wouldn't. The regulation is ridiculous and by now it is obsolete - but it's still on the books. So, Google and others may not want to set up a 911 service.

On a related note, this whole CID-based 911 service is bone-headed and obsolete. Voip providers should send IP address of the caller, not the telephone number. And emergency responders should have a system integration with ISPs that have exact location of that IP endpoint. Phone number is irrelevant to the location and Voip providers need not be in 911 path at all. Outbound calls may have 0, 1, or many phone numbers - but 1 and only 1 IP address...

jimates

I don't want google to provide 911 service. I want one of the many voip providers that already provide the service (and collect the fees) to process it in a different way.

I agree the way it is done now may be antiquated, but it still "works" for the most part. I want exactly what is happening now to remain, just deliver the call from a different initiating process. The local infrastructures are so far behind that is a shame. Most that are currently pumping millions into so called upgrades are just upgrading the antiquated system they already have in place.

But I don't know how you would get any results without the provider being in the 911 path. Either the voip provider or the ISP. The main IP address can be used to pinpoint a service location, not the location of the originating request on a network.

I can obtain 911 service from a provider, and all information that is on file is based on information provided by me. Currently if I dial 911 the call is routed (by my provider) to my local call center. The same thing can be accomplished by my dialing 999, 876 or 1234567890; as long as the call is sent to the proper provider, and they process the call and route it to my local call center with the correct CID that is part of my account.

The advantage is that I can place that call using any device or service I desire without having to have that exact service providers service configured on my device. The burden of the initial call getting to the provider will be (and is now) the responsibility of the person configuring the calling device.

Felix

Quote from: jimates on April 29, 2012, 07:25:53 PM
I don't want google to provide 911 service. I want one of the many voip providers that already provide the service (and collect the fees) to process it in a different way.
I agree with you here - in fact, I agree with most of what you are saying about 911 as well. In my vision, Voice provider (VSP) delivers the call to 911 (just like they deliver a call to any other number), and 911 call center infrastructure gets IP address, and instead of looking up address by CID, look it up by IP.

I would also want to make it easy for any VSP to not provide 911 service - like GV or Skype. I remember reading on DSL Reports that the rule is that if VSP provides an adapter, they need to provide E911. Well, I am making GV calls via adapter, and I am making Voipo calls through softphone... so the distinction is now without difference. Unfortunately, regulations only get more onerous - never less.

On this high philosophical note I realized that this is my 100th post... far cry from Ron, but a good reason to have a drink!

jimates


RayJacobsen

Any recommendations on Service Provider who is good with T.38 faxing?

I'm assuming on the OBi202 can Service Provider 1 be Google Voice and Service Provider 2 be T.38 Fax provider, can this be done?

Ostracus

Callcentric, and I believe another poster succeeded with Voip.ms. And yes it can be done.

k21689

I don't understand this 911 business about.

It is required by LAW at least in California that
The Copper line, land line, POTS...
MUST provide 911 service

Yes, there is no dial tone, but if you dial 911 and it will work.
Please DO NOT test it, unless you need 911 service.

This is why post paid services are so expensive, because we are subsidize all the expensive 911 service copper lines.

This is also why you DO NOT convert your copper line to fiber.
You can add fiber, but MUST keep the copper line for 911.

Years ago, I read some articles that some phone companies even put gel wall phone jacks in all the flood possible areas. So people can still make 911 calls under water.

My point is copper/land line is still the best/last option for 911 service.

dircom

not sure what you mean by if you add fiber you must keep copper.
If you get fios from Verizon, your POTS line is dead, not hooked up to anything.

k21689

google "add fios and keep land line"

Don't forget to keep those cheap old phones plug in.

Quote from: dircom on June 10, 2013, 12:59:54 PM
not sure what you mean by if you add fiber you must keep copper.
If you get fios from Verizon, your POTS line is dead, not hooked up to anything.

dircom

#15
This is one post
"i can tell you it'd be an uphill battle, but not impossible. others will chime in on their suggestions to have it done."

I have installed fios, and I can tell you the copper drop is disconnected, you are not going to get dial tone from it
ymmv

apparently the ability to call 911 on a disconnected copper line varies from state to state also

k21689

Yes, I spoke hastley according to my dated experience.
Nowaday, it changed and varied places by places even in the same state.
Since it is not reliable any more, I would not count my life on it.

A cheap backup plan I now have is;
Lycamobile(GSM) + BLU cell(Newegg) with recorded info
Upfront cost is about $20($10 Blu + $10 credit)
You need to make a call($0.02/min) every 120 days.
Or just Google calendar txt your BLU every 120 days($0.04/txt).



Quote from: dircom on June 11, 2013, 02:26:19 PM


apparently the ability to call 911 on a disconnected copper line varies from state to state also

Tuan

Which one would be recommended for business?

I see these have business plans
ObiPlus
Anveo