Verizon VoiceWing service stin.... Hello?! Is this thing on?

from JoeUser Forums

I've been well less than impressed with Verizon VoiceWing service so far.

VoiceWing's voice quality sucks compared to Vonage. There's an echo on the line, and static as well, that isn't there on Vonage (the Voice over IP (VOIP) provider that I formerly used).

I left Verizon's traditional phone service (Plain Old Telephone Service or POTS) a long time ago because the old copper lines in my neighborhood were so old and deteroirated that my phone service with those lines was completely pathetic. Once I moved to Vonage, and left behind the older, higher prices of Verizon and gained a full sweet of calling plan options (3 way calling, call waiting, call forwarding, etc.) I was incredibly happy. Vonage's service was inexpensive and outside of a few small hiccups was rock solid.

Unfortunately Vonage was sued by Verizon, Sprint, and later AT&T over various patent infringements. Because of what has looked like the imminent death of Vonage (as they pay out large settlements over these cases), I left Vonage behind and switched to Verizon's VoiceWing service. Since making that change though, as noted, I've been far less than impressed.

VoiceWing apparently doesn't work at all for my DirecTV TiVo based receivers. They try repeatedly to phone home and never connect. So far I've been left to connect my Vonage TA (Telephone Adapter box) back up and connect the phones in the house to it so that the boxes can complete the calls that they are 'required' to make once every so many days (not really required to make, but they'll nag the heck out of you and keep trying to make the calls unless you get the connected up about once every 30 days).

Finally, most irritatingly, Verizon's use of the Message Waiting flag on the line seems incredibly spotty with the lights on my phone always blinking for voicemail that isn't there or never blinking at all when there is a message. Not backwards enough to count on with no rhyme or reason to that at all.

I'd move back to Vonage in a second if I thought that they would be around in the long term, but I'd rather wait through the first quarter or two of next year to see how they are doing business wise. If they hang on, they might yet get me back with me raising a big middle finger to Verizon for their crappy VoiceWing service on the way out.

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7,717 views 3 replies
Reply #1 from JoeUser Forums Top
VOIP does not have an analog signal that Fax Machines, modems, or I gather (since I do not have it) Tivo can recognize. I dont see how Verizon would not provide you with an ATA (analog terminal adapter) with their service!
Reply #2 from JoeUser Forums Top

VOIP does not have an analog signal that Fax Machines, modems, or I gather (since I do not have it) Tivo can recognize. I dont see how Verizon would not provide you with an ATA (analog terminal adapter) with their service!

Surprisingly enough, Vonage's service (which works very similarly to, but I believe works much better than, Verizon's VoiceWing service) actually works for FAX modems and the cheesey and incredibly cheap modem that is built into the TiVo boxes (or should I say DirecTV boxes with TiVo software on them).

It is sort of silly to run VOIP and then convert back into old tech (analog modems), but there's still old tech equipment out there that requires it.  I really don't want to have to switch to POTS since Verizon would basically rip me a new one on costs for same, but I may not have a choice when all is said and done.  The DirecTV boxes with TiVo on them will nag the heck out of you about not having phoned home if they can't call in frequently enough.  Stupid system, especially considering that there are other ways to accomplish the acknowledgements that the service is looking for, but getting other methods working for those 'calls' generally costs more than what it's worth.

In anycase, I find it interesting that Vonage (the new kids on the block) do many things much better than the big boys do.  Verizon's VoiceWing service really does seem to be a bastard child that Verizon isn't putting enough effort into fixing and improving.  I think they'd prefer not to have to offer the service at all, but it's there to compete against the cable companies and against Vonage.  Without that competition, there'd be a $50/month charge for the same service that I can get for approximately $26/month.

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Reply #3 from JoeUser Forums Top

Surprisingly enough, Vonage's service (which works very similarly to, but I believe works much better than, Verizon's VoiceWing service) actually works for FAX modems and the cheesey and incredibly cheap modem that is built into the TiVo boxes (or should I say DirecTV boxes with TiVo software on them).

Yes, and so does Comcast.  You know why?  That extra box is an ATA device.  So that they connect to your cable and then your phone lines are all regular analog lines!

trust me.  We have VOIP at my office and are fighting the idiots at NG over their laxidasical attitude and shoving off of the VOIP to Verizon!  Which based upon cost and effectiveness is no different from the standard Digital/Analog service they offer!  I wonder when people on this side of the border are going to realize that Kaine is an idiot, and Warner was clueless!  After the melt down of the state?  probably.  And you know the irony of it?  The feds are going to be the ones that blow the whistle.

Sorry - tangent and rant time.