Forums > Specific Focus > Technical Mexico

GRANTIVAA

Mar 9, 2005, 3:27 PM

Post #1 of 13 (2623 views)

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VONAGE PROBLEMS

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Starting in the evening of the 7th of this month all of the Vonage users in the Mazatlan area have been experiencing problems. Either we try to dial out and after a long pause get a rapid busy signal, or we connect and cannot be heard by the person we are calling. Vonage has been no help in returning emails, phone calls or posting problems on our account web pages. One person posted on whatsupmaz.com ( our local forum) that they use a different VOIP system but were having the same problem.

The more non-technically challenged here feel that the problem is with the Prodigy send up system. Since rest of Mexico is on the Prodigy system, is anyone else experiencing similar problems?

Alfredo

Brian

Mar 9, 2005, 3:43 PM

Post #2 of 13 (2616 views)

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Re: [GRANTIVAA] VONAGE PROBLEMS

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I am just guessing here but maybe the Prodigy users in your area are experiencing an overall slowdown in throughput. Vonage and other VOIP providers need a minimum of about 128K for passable conversations. Check here to find out how fast your current connection is:

http://promos.mcafee.com/speedometer/

If you are getting the 256 or 512k Prodigy Infinitum for which you are paying, then the problem is with Vonage's network. No problems at this time using cable and Vonage in SMA.

saludos

Brian

johanson / Moderator

Mar 9, 2005, 6:11 PM

Post #3 of 13 (2586 views)

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Re: [GRANTIVAA] VONAGE PROBLEMS

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Brian is very lucky; he has a Cable internet connection and I bet both his upload and download speeds are very high. I have a prodigy infinitum connection as a backup. Its rated at 256 kb/sec down and 128 up. I have often checked the upload and download speeds at http://www.dslreports.com/stest?loc=2

The speeds I normally got were 210 to 211 down but only 60 to 78 up. If people can't hear you well, if you are always breaking up, then it could be that you too have a low upload speed. If you were to go to Prodigy and ask for the next higher speed, you would be offered 512 down by 128 up. You don't need a higher download speed, you need a faster upload speed. And that is not offered here. I believe the next higher and more expensive speed is I meg down and 256 up. What speed are you hooked up at? When you do speed tests what type of results do you get? Report back to us with your upload and download speeds (rated and actual) so that we can better understand you situation.

I'm lucky enough to have a second, faster internet connection with a competitor, I have a wireless internet connection that is rated at 512 kb/sec both up and down. I just did a speed test and got 433 down by 476 up. That's more than I need for a good VoIP connection.

(This post was edited by johanson on Mar 9, 2005, 6:18 PM)

Jerry@Ajijic

Mar 9, 2005, 8:26 PM

Post #4 of 13 (2561 views)

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Re: [johanson] VONAGE PROBLEMS

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We use Vonage and have Prodigy. We just got through talking to our daughter in Calgary for an hour and had no problems.

johanson / Moderator

Mar 9, 2005, 9:03 PM

Post #5 of 13 (2554 views)

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Re: [Jerry@Ajijic] VONAGE PROBLEMS

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Hey Jerry. What type of upload and download speeds do you get when going to http://www.dslreports.com/stest?loc=2 and clicking on the START button toward the bottom of the page?

It would be interesting to hear the speeds persons get when testing near those times they were making successful and for that matter poor quality VoIP calls.

The owner of the local ISP is suggesting that some of the newer compression techniques used in newer Vonage and Packet8 VoIP packages are much more efficient and need much lower bandwidth than what many of you are using today.

GRANTIVAA

Mar 9, 2005, 9:28 PM

Post #6 of 13 (2550 views)

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Re: [johanson] VONAGE PROBLEMS

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Thank you all for the information. There seem to be alternatives. We may need them.

I still have the original question: do other parts of Mexico, that use Prodigy dsl, have problems with their Vonage systems?? Not cable, but dsl. The Vonage forum, coincidently addressed "vonage-forum.com", in all of North America has had numerous problems reported that are the same that we are having in Sinaloa.

If anyone out there is having success or failure, and is using dsl from Prodigy/Telmex please post.

Chumley

Mar 10, 2005, 4:58 AM

Post #7 of 13 (2536 views)

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Re: [GRANTIVAA] VONAGE PROBLEMS

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We have noticed no problems with Vonage in San Miguel, and we use TelMex dsl rated at 512.

Jerry@Ajijic

Mar 10, 2005, 6:14 AM

Post #8 of 13 (2524 views)

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Re: [johanson] VONAGE PROBLEMS

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Pete I tried what you suggested and it started and then gave me a message "you speed is so slow that you will have to come back tomorrow and we will be able to tell you more"

I am only jokeing. It was 419 & 62.

johanson / Moderator

Mar 10, 2005, 7:24 AM

Post #9 of 13 (2514 views)

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Re: [Jerry@Ajijic] VONAGE PROBLEMS

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Thanks Jerry. This is all very confusing to me. I have always read that one needs an upload speed of closer to 100 for good VoIP. You and others around lakeside seem to be getting good results with upload speeds in the 60's and 70's with Vonage and Packet8, and the owner of the local ISP said that packet8's compression techniques are so advanced that he can get good throughput at 30kb/sec.

I sure hope that there is someone out there reading this that can bring us up to speed on VoIP

esperanza

Mar 10, 2005, 6:44 PM

Post #10 of 13 (2471 views)

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Re: [johanson] VONAGE PROBLEMS

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Hmph, I'm running at 449/238. It should be way better than that, since I'm paying for 1mg. I better call the cable company.

Remember that I live in Guadalajara, where we have several cable Internet companies to pick from.

http://www.mexicocooks.typepad.com

johanson / Moderator

Mar 10, 2005, 7:04 PM

Post #11 of 13 (2466 views)

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Re: [esperanza] VONAGE PROBLEMS

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Esperanza: This is only hearsay, but the local ISP owner suggests that Megacable is much better than Telecable for internet in the City.

esperanza

Mar 10, 2005, 7:17 PM

Post #12 of 13 (2463 views)

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Re: [johanson] VONAGE PROBLEMS

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Megacable is exactly who I use, Pete. Thanks for the confirmation.

http://www.mexicocooks.typepad.com

jrice

Mar 12, 2005, 9:26 PM

Post #13 of 13 (2403 views)

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Re: [GRANTIVAA] VONAGE PROBLEMS

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As it happens, I'm in the midst of trying to get a Lingo account to work. I get a dial tone but it always, without fail, rings busy.

I'm in Mexico City with a 256 Prodigy Infinitum account. At least five other friends have the same and have managed to get a Vonage account running well. One had had problems.

Infinitum does have a problem with low upload speeds. They are often 50 to 100. Download generally has been running at 200 or above.

I'm still trying to figure out if I can get this to work under the current service, or if I'll have to ask for a faster line, or what. That does erode the attraction of a low-cost phone service, however.

Some of the rival ADSL services tend to be repackaged Telmex-Prodigy services without the wireless-Sanborns abilities.

Has anybody tried Ego, the regional wireless or the like? I'd thought of that, but their service area is remarkably limited even in Mexico City. I live in Condesa and am just on the outskirts of their service.

I don't get Cablevision -- had some bad experiences with their administrative competence previously (they sent me four or five assured installation dates -- and distributed promotional fliers -- in a region of Mexico City they would not serve for months or years, for example). And I've heard that cable throughput tends to wobble even more than does that of ADSL.