[WXC/VFX] WorldxChange VFX VoIP service

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#49951 27-Oct-2006 09:59

maverick: However saying this we will be looking to support a more flexible service offering at a later stage that does not run on the MYVFX service, it will allow people like yourselves to connect your own devices as a straight SIP connection so you run your device how you want ,

Would be good if your tech support were aware of this more flexible option going to be available in the future (hope its not too far away). I can live with being locked out of my ATA in the sort term knowing that there will be more flexibility later on. One of the big advantages with VOIP is its portable nature, i.e. can make / receive a local phone call virtually anywhere that you're connected to the net. E.G. Drinking coffee in a London cafe with your WIFI phone.
Look forward to seeing this progress.

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#49964 27-Oct-2006 11:51

sbiddle: Can you tell me what area codes are now actually avalable for the service and secondly a rough timeframe for being able to use our own devices (primarily Asterisk) with the service?

Hi yes I can, as for support for Asterisk...hard question but we are hoping for early to mid next year

Auckland	Auckland	Active
Great Barrier Island	Auckland	Active
Helensville	Auckland	Active
Hibiscus Coast	Auckland	Active
Pukekohe	Auckland	Active
Akaroa	Christchurch	Active
Amberley	Christchurch	Active
Ashburton	Christchurch	Active
Cheviot	Christchurch	Active
Christchurch	Christchurch	Active
Culverden	Christchurch	Active
Darfield	Christchurch	Active
Kaikoura	Christchurch	Active
Rangiora	Christchurch	Active
Waitangi	Christchurch	Active
Balclutha	Dunedin	Active
Dunedin	Dunedin	Active
Kurow	Dunedin	Active
Lawrence	Dunedin	Active
Milton	Dunedin	Active
Oamaru	Dunedin	Active
Palmerston	Dunedin	Active
Twizel	Dunedin	Active
Edendale	Invercargill	Active
Gore	Invercargill	Active
Invercargill	Invercargill	Active
Lumsden	Invercargill	Active
Otautau	Invercargill	Active
Riverton	Invercargill	Active
Te Anau	Invercargill	Active
Tokanui	Invercargill	Active
Winton	Invercargill	Active
Napier	Napier	Active
Waipukurau	Napier	Active
Wairoa	Napier	Active
Hawera	New Plymouth	Active
Mokau	New Plymouth	Active
New Plymouth	New Plymouth	Active
Opunake	New Plymouth	Active
Stratford	New Plymouth	Active
Dannevirke	Palmerston North	Active
Marton	Palmerston North	Active
Ohakune	Palmerston North	Active
Pahiatua	Palmerston North	Active
Palmerston North	Palmerston North	Active
Taihape	Palmerston North	Active
Waiouru	Palmerston North	Active
Tauranga	Tauranga	Active
Paraparaumu	Wellington	Active
Wellington	Wellington	Active
Wellington	Wellington	Active
Dargaville	Whangarei	Active
Kaikohe	Whangarei	Active
Kaitaia	Whangarei	Active
Kawakawa	Whangarei	Active
Maungaturoto	Whangarei	Active
Whangarei	Whangarei	Active

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maverick

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#49965 27-Oct-2006 11:56

coffeebaron:
maverick: However saying this we will be looking to support a more flexible service offering at a later stage that does not run on the MYVFX service, it will allow people like yourselves to connect your own devices as a straight SIP connection so you run your device how you want ,

Would be good if your tech support were aware of this more flexible option going to be available in the future (hope its not too far away). I can live with being locked out of my ATA in the sort term knowing that there will be more flexibility later on. One of the big advantages with VOIP is its portable nature, i.e. can make / receive a local phone call virtually anywhere that you're connected to the net. E.G. Drinking coffee in a London cafe with your WIFI phone.
Look forward to seeing this progress.

We actually try not to give this information out, as whilst it is still being developed there can be potential for mis understandings, how and when the service will be deployded etc, also as to being more flexable for roaming, there are options for this that will be coming out, primarily the the first cut of MyFX is a residential offering but there will be a lot more services to add to this for Mobility and SOHO / Buisness models ...hope that explains it a bit better

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hads

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#49966 27-Oct-2006 12:01

maverick, thanks for taking the time to respond to the questions and explain the service, I can understand where WxC are coming from.

Good to see that you already have a large coverage of numbers and I hear that this is ever-expanding (i.e. apparently Timaru is slated for early 2007).

It's great to see a friendly representative communicating with the community and it is definitely appreciated.

Cheers,

hads.

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grant_k

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#50266 30-Oct-2006 13:58

Having seen Maverick's table of Local Calling Areas above, I spoke just now to the VFX Help Desk to see what their policy is concerning the number allocated to customers.

It seems that they insist on allocating you a local number which is assigned to the area where you physically live. The reason given was so that emergency services could be provided with the correct address for any given caller.

This is at odds with iTalk's policy where you can choose a number assigned to whichever local calling area you prefer (so long as it is one of those currently available).

A subtle difference I suppose that may not matter to many people. However, it is important to us because most of our family are in one place whereas we live in another.

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#50272 30-Oct-2006 14:37

Grant17: Having seen Maverick's table of Local Calling Areas above, I spoke just now to the VFX Help Desk to see what their policy is concerning the number allocated to customers.

It seems that they insist on allocating you a local number which is assigned to the area where you physically live. The reason given was so that emergency services could be provided with the correct address for any given caller.

This is at odds with iTalk's policy where you can choose a number assigned to whichever local calling area you prefer (so long as it is one of those currently available).

A subtle difference I suppose that may not matter to many people. However, it is important to us because most of our family are in one place whereas we live in another.

Yes it is, we are actaully obligated to confirm to the New Zealand Number plan for geographicial areas, however this does not mean that you can't take your number with you when you travel we have to assign the numbers to a geographical location where primiarly the number will be used. Also we are preempting issues we will see for emergency services as we will have to supply this information to emegency services at a later date, 911 services for VOIP is a huge issue in the US at present due to a couple of Deaths due to Emergency services turning up to the wrong location.

We will be at odds with iTalk over this and believe they will have some major issues with this in the not to distant future. Number ranges in New Zealand are still based around geographicial locations there are number ranges that are listed as Non Geographical services but not in mainstream use right now.

I understand why people would want numbers in cetain regions , ie Business in ChCh does a lot of calling to Auckland so why not have a Auckland Number save the costs, My Parents are in ChCh and I'm in Auck so why not give them a Auck Number as well etc, sorry but this actually breaks the Rules for Number allocation...thats the reason for it.

Hope this makes sense to you all

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#50274 30-Oct-2006 14:53

It seems that they insist on allocating you a local number which is assigned to the area where you physically live. The reason given was so that emergency services could be provided with the correct address for any given caller.

Yes, this does seem to be an issue. I had a similar problem, in that I don't have a specific Telecom DSL account. I primarily use Vodafone for Internet, but share a range of friends / family / business Internet connections. After talking to their support team, they did let me sign up though. Maybe you should have another go at persuading them to sign you up. Alternatively, you could get another family member in the area you want the service to sign up. Then plug the box in at the location(s) you plan to use it.

I can see this becoming an issue for VFX, especially once you go down further down the technology track of WIFI phones etc. Perhaps VFX should consider an optional op-in for emergency service. Or being able to use a PO Box, that way the 111 service would be prompted to ask for you address, rather than run the risk of them getting it wrong.

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#50276 30-Oct-2006 15:03

I can see this becoming an issue for VFX, especially once you go down further down the technology track of WIFI phones etc. Perhaps VFX should consider an optional op-in for emergency service. /quote]

When it comes to 111 services we have have to be extremly vigilant and carefull, under no circumstances do we wish to put users lives at risk because of incorrect information and New Zealand will regulate this service so that we will be required to give true address information, there a number of models we are looking at to achieve this, however it does look as though it will be the users responsibility for keeping his details correct due to the nature of VOIP, having an opt in or out will not be option i'm afraid

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grant_k

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#50278 30-Oct-2006 15:16

maverick: When it comes to 111 services we have have to be extremly vigilant and carefull, under no circumstances do we wish to put users lives at risk because of incorrect information and New Zealand will regulate this service so that we will be required to give true address information, there a number of models we are looking at to achieve this, however it does look as though it will be the users responsibility for keeping his details correct due to the nature of VOIP, having an opt in or out will not be option i'm afraid

I think a better idea would be to let customers choose whether they want 111 support on their line or not.

If NOT, then it's no longer an issue because they cannot dial 111 from their phone. Those customers will need to use a Cell Phone as is currently the case for iTalk customers.

However, if the customer says YES, they do want 111 support, then the rules per geographical areas will apply.

Then you have both scenarios covered.

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#50279 30-Oct-2006 15:22

Changing the subject a bit...

I have a few clients who have two landlines, the reason being; the second line is a dedicated fax line.

This is one area where VOIP (or in this case Fax over IP), is still a stumbling block. I am yet to see a reliable solution with would enable dropping those dedicated fax lines in favour of a FOIP solution. Although it is in theory all possible, and there are success stories out there, it seems in practice there is still some way to go on this one.

Does VFX have (or plan to have) a fax service that would solve this dilemma?

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#50280 30-Oct-2006 15:22

Grant17:
maverick: When it comes to 111 services we have have to be extremly vigilant and carefull, under no circumstances do we wish to put users lives at risk because of incorrect information and New Zealand will regulate this service so that we will be required to give true address information, there a number of models we are looking at to achieve this, however it does look as though it will be the users responsibility for keeping his details correct due to the nature of VOIP, having an opt in or out will not be option i'm afraid

I think a better idea would be to let customers choose whether they want 111 support on their line or not.

If NOT, then it's no longer an issue because they cannot dial 111 from their phone. Those customers will need to use a Cell Phone as is currently the case for iTalk customers.

However, if the customer says YES, they do want 111 support, then the rules per geographical areas will apply.

Then you have both scenarios covered.

Honestly we don't believe that is going to be an option would be great if it was but we believe that it will be a legally regulated service and we will have to supply these details, we had already looked at this option, so we have planned on it being the regulated service first so that way if it does not it is easier to change backwards as appossed to doing it the other way round, but I like where your coming from

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grant_k

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#50281 30-Oct-2006 15:36

maverick: I like where your coming from

Thanks for your very prompt and detailed answers Maverick, it's great

I would like to have a more reliable alternative to iTalk but this issue of geographical allocation would be a stumbling block for me. Then again, I guess I could sign up using my Auckland property's address and later shift the box wherever I want, couldn't I?

I'm also not quite ready for the idea of surrendering my PAP2T to the control of VFX's provisioning server, but if you give me an assurance that I can revert to my current configuration (with iTalk) in the event that it all turns to custard, I would be prepared to give it a go. Let me know if that's possible.

Cheers,
Grant.

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#50282 30-Oct-2006 15:36

coffeebaron:
Changing the subject a bit...

I have a few clients who have two landlines, the reason being; the second line is a dedicated fax line.

This is one area where VOIP (or in this case Fax over IP), is still a stumbling block. I am yet to see a reliable solution with would enable dropping those dedicated fax lines in favour of a FOIP solution. Although it is in theory all possible, and there are success stories out there, it seems in practice there is still some way to go on this one.

Does VFX have (or plan to have) a fax service that would solve this dilemma?

Arghh the good old FAX issue, actaull yes and no, there is a couple of major issues here and I know for a Fact that some of our competiors have major Fax issues with IP and I know what these issues are and why they have them but I won't give any details here, Our whole switching Network is IP and generally we have a excellent Fax termination ASR for National faxing, International faxing can be an issue at times depends on which carriers we use for termination, as for the VFX service feel free to try National faxing out on your line and see what you think, at this stage I believe National faxing should be generally okay, The whole relaibilty issue actually comes done to the reliance of Acess conditions in New Zealand and unfortunatly we are reliant on Telecoms ADSL network and it's relability, Faxing I'm afraid is generally better over a traditional TDM network so keeping a Standard line as a Fax line / Disaster Recovery line may genearlly be a good planning idea

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grant_k

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#50284 30-Oct-2006 15:47

maverick: Faxing I'm afraid is generally better over a traditional TDM network so keeping a Standard line as a Fax line / Disaster Recovery line may genearlly be a good planning idea

I have a completely reliable FoIP setup but it has taken some experimenting to get it working reliably.

Basically:

1) In our Auckland office I have an Internet Telephony Gateway which supports T38 FoIP protocol. It connects to several PSTN lines.

2) At home I have an identical Internet Telephony Gateway which has 4 FXS ports. One of them is connected to my fax machine.

A couple of months ago I did try to send faxes via iTalk and it failed miserably, no matter what Codec I used. I also tried the MySky box via iTalk -- Nah, sorry, didn't work either.

So if you are saying that National faxes could be sent via VFX, that would be of interest. It would save me paying 15c/minute. Instead I would just pay 5c/minute to WorldxChange and faxes to the Auckland area would be free

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#50287 30-Oct-2006 15:52

prior to retiring I was heavily involved in number allocation rules and believe me they are many and varied. If you look at mobile phones which are all capable of dialing 111 and no one knows who owns them or where they are located you can see the problem. The onus is on the mobile service owner to assist/provide the info where the phone was located . In the case of WorldxChange I assume they have to provide physical location info or track and trace to emergency service providers for the number ranges they own.Early days yet but keeping numbers in the correct free calling area is a safe starting point. Cheers,George

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