Intermittent routing failure (cached LRN?) for inbound callers, post number port

[Bubba947]

Hi,

Some callers can't reach me some of the time. When their calls fail, they hear a 3-tone signal followed by:  "We're sorry your call cannot be completed as dialed.  Or, the number has been disconnected.  Please check the number and dial again." Other times, their calls come through just fine. Failed calls leave no records at Anveo (where I ported to from Google Voice). This is happening to multiple callers. I can't verify whether or not all callers experiencing the failures are using the same provider. Further, I have two numbers (each with their own Obi, one is associated with the main Anveo account and the other as a sub-account). The number associated with the main Anveo account is the one for which some inbound calls are failing. That number receives many times more calls than the number associated with the sub-account, so I can't tell if it is not happening for the sub-account number or not ... so far, I haven't noticed it (meaning no one has informed me and none of my tests have failed). Finally, I have never experienced the problem. If a caller calls my cell and reports having been unable to get through on the main number, my calls immediately thereafter to the main number ring through.

Anveo support suspects it is a problem with the calling parties' phone companies caching LRN data because LRN Dip's (lookups of some sort) cost money, so they cache even though they "are not supposed to."

I know I do not fully understand the complexities of the phone system, especially with regard to porting numbers, but I can imagine a scenario where that doesn't make sense (if it fails, it should always fail), and another where it does make sense (multiple outbound routes in which some do and some do not "dip." But I'm guessing.

Has anyone else had and solved this problem?

[c3c3]

The callers have to contact their providers to update the routing data.  In my experience, calls from VOIP providers have problems, but calls from landline/cellphones don't.  Even for the calls which go through, there may be extremely long delays before the calls are connected.  There are at least two other recent threads related to the same issue.

[Bubba947]

I noticed that the problem reported in this thread:
http://www.obitalk.com/forum/index.php?topic=8126.0

Either spontaneously resolved or maybe Anveo got involved and helped (or, maybe one of each if the poster and responder each were having the issue) and that it took about a week to sort out.

I *just* got it resolved for one calling company, but I had to figure out who managed voice engineering at my employer and explain the issue as I understood it (per Anveo's explanation). They then opened a ticket with phone company that my employer uses, Level3. Ticket open late yesterday. Problem fixed this morning. Level3 confirmed that their LRN Routing data was still pointing to the place my number originated (prior to porting to Google Voice, prior to porting to Anveo). I'm not sure why calls went through while GV had my number ... maybe the original company was able to "refer" calls since it knew where I went and only once I ported a second time did the connection fail ... meaning they continued to refer calls to GV but GV ignored them rather than themselves forwarding them.

Just speculation. Either way, it's a pity that the LRN Routing caching, is so persistent, let alone that it is going on "against the rules" at all. Seems like it would age out after at least a month fer crying out loud!

Anyhow, now my work people can call me.

[Bubba947]

I have now helped another caller (this one with Comcast VOIP) resolve this issue. It took the caller opening a ticket with Comcast support specifying which numbers they could not call. It took a couple of days, but now it is fixed.

And just today, I just learned of another caller who can't get through. Sigh. so frustrating!

I'd love to find a way *I* could fix it. Even if we ported again, the problem would probably just be exacerbated.

That said, I still don't understand why we didn't have this problem when we ported from Comcast => AT&T burn phone => Google Voice. As far as I know, no one ever failed to reach us while we were at GV despite having ported. It has only been since we ported from GV to Anveo that it has lead to problems. I think I mentioned earlier that Level3's cached LRN Routing information had our numbers still at Comcast! What!? Again ... not sure why my co-workers could call me there but not after moving to Anveo when the LRN Routing was wrong after the first port.

[Bubba947]

The caller who worked with Comcast to resolve their inability to call me has now had the problem reoccur. Another caller having problems (also a Comcast customer) could not get Comcast support to help them, even after escalating to the floor lead. They said that it was a problem with my number despite evidence to the contrary (everyone seems to be able to call me if they use a cell phone).

I think I've lost my numbers.