More Voicestick Problems

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This is very disappointing news to those neutral or 'white hat,' Asterisk/trixbox fans.

I currently have Voicestick and their MG-3 ATA (quite the bargain and not locked-down either).

I planned to set-up trixbox with my Voicestick DID number for incoming calls.
(after reading this thread, I will hold-off with these particular plans)

I understand Voicestick needs to do (what they need to do) for the greater good of their customer base
and to not have their infrastructure brought to its knees.
(Funny, I had actually saved, printed-out and reviewed the Voicestick TOS right before I signed-up,
as I had nothing really to go on at the time other than the praise for Voicestick
within the Voxilla Forum threads by 'Ben77.')

For purposes of incoming DID use,
what is to stop a Voicestick user from doing the following:

taking a Voicestick 'approved' MG-3 ATA...
connect its RJ11 analog (FXS) jack to another FXO port (within a trixbox PC)...

or
taking a Voicestick 'approved' MG-3 ATA...
connect its RJ11 analog (FXS) jack to another MG-3's RJ11 'PSTN/FXO' jack and then on to a trixbox PC?

They cannot dictate (or even scan for) what may be connected to
the analog RJ11 (FXS) jack on 'Voicestick approved' hardware, right?

_______________________

It reminds me of the time I was trying to make a small, cash deposit into my relative's bank account.
I already had my relative's account number and we both 'banked' with the same bank, as well.

When I asked the bank teller for a blank, checking deposit slip, I was asked for I.D.
(this was pre 9/11 for those keeping score at home).

After providing proper I.D. and filling-out the blank checking deposit slip,
I was told that the account number I had written on the slip did not match what was on file for myself -
No kidding! I'm depositing monies into my relative's account..
hello? Is this thing on? The teller apologized and would not let me make the deposit.

Once I returned home, I called the bank's 800# to complain and to also point-out
(to the Supervisor I was speaking with) that had I gotten to the bank before 3pm
and obtained a checking deposit slip from the lobby on my own (and not a via the 'walk-up' teller)
this inconvenience would have been avoided and their silly rules completely circumvented!

I later found-out that such silly rules were a lame attempt by this bank
to thwart a technique allegedly favored by organized crime...

This was truly a case of 'rules/TOS' that were created with good intent,
but were, in the end, ineffective & only partially enforceable...
and merely a thorn-in-the-side of the law-abiding customer...
but I digress.


-TriRyche

[Bruce_Nicklin]

The Asterisk problem is one where we just need to limit the system to consumer type boxes. We need to do some upgrading before we can allow Asterisk back on.

We would LOVE to be able to offer some calling programs that would allow Asterisk and maybe bring in some $$ for the company.

It is not in the budget at this point, so we must toss everyone off. SORRY !

On another note, I could use some help.

I want to start a BYOD program and could sure use some of the things you folks have found out.

I don't have the manpower or buget to buy and try every consumer type of device.

Anyone want to post some info here and maybe email me too?

Bruce Nicklin VP I2telecom (Voicestick.com) NO_Spam_bnicklin@i2telecom.com (Yeah remove the NO_Spam_ )

[DRNewcomb]

Originally Posted by TriRyche

It reminds me of the time I was trying to make a small, cash deposit into my relative's bank account.
I already had my relative's account number and we both 'banked' with the same bank, as well.

Once upon a time, long, long ago, I took a check into a bank and went to the teller. She asked if I had an account at that bank, to which I replied, "No." She then told me that she couldn't cash the check because I didn't have an account. I replied that I wasn't attempting to cash the check, to which she responded with a surprised look. Then I told her I was presenting for payment. After a monent of slience during which I could see the gears turning, she said, "Oh, could I see some ID, please?" She had either not noticed or not considered that the check drawn on that bank and that a check could actually be presented for payment in this way. I guess no one ever did it before.

[Bruce_Nicklin]

Yeah, don't get me started on bank problems or Charter cable.....

Here at Voicestick we are a VERY small company of 8 people. Somebody contacts us, and we figure out a fix (if there is one). But these giants out there seem to only give the CSR reps the permission to say NO.

If any of you have a problem with Voicestick, drop me a line at nospamspamnotBnicklin@i2telecom.com

Yes I am spam abhorent!

Bruce Nicklin VP Marketing

[MATHA531]

I will add I have always found Bruce to be very helpful and concerned and I appreciate it...but Bruce, have you guys managed to fix the problem of people getting charged for 5 minutes when a call to a foreign sim goes into voice mail and a 30 second message is left? I really do want to use your service but worry about my credit running out when calls are forwarded to my UK sims.

[Bossman]

Bruce has a response to that here. BTW, it's not only foreign sim. It's just any number that has voice mail activated. I called my US mobile, hit my VM , and the same thing happened. I used it in coordinaton with my last trip. I deactivated VM on the sim and had no problems at ll.

http://www.prepaidgsm.net/forum/inde...showtopic=1537

Originally Posted by MATHA531

Bruce, have you guys managed to fix the problem of people getting charged for 5 minutes when a call to a foreign sim goes into voice mail and a 30 second message is left? I really do want to use your service but worry about my credit running out when calls are forwarded to my UK sims.

[Bruce_Nicklin]

Originally Posted by VladS

One of the difficult issues VoSP's face is detection of far end disconnect.

It's quite likely their system requires a near end disconnect to properly terminate billing on a call, and in the case of call forwarding you have two far ends and no near end.

vs

Vlad, we are going to do a major rework of the entire SIP billing platform. We think there might be a fix if we move all billing and forwarding functions directly to the Class 5 switch and not between the proxy server and the switch.

Bruce Nicklin VP Marketing i2telecom