[WXC/VFX] VFX Live Billing?

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ahmad

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Topic # 16375 6-Oct-2007 12:18

Have I been looking in all the wrong places or does this not actually exist?

Given the talk from Xnet about ensuring security and referring to examples where people have been misbilled for hundreds and thousands of dollars, I would have thought a live billing feature would be essential (and surely easy to implement)?

I know that iTalk (claim to) have it.

nate

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Reply # 89846 6-Oct-2007 17:55

I'm sure WxC has something in the pipeline - iTalk uses CallPlus' Visibill for billing.

I'd rather have a great service (we use DVX, the business VoIP service) and no billing than great billing and the mess that is iTalk.

maverick

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Reply # 89857 6-Oct-2007 20:44

ahmad: Have I been looking in all the wrong places or does this not actually exist?

Given the talk from Xnet about ensuring security and referring to examples where people have been misbilled for hundreds and thousands of dollars, I would have thought a live billing feature would be essential (and surely easy to implement)?

I know that iTalk (claim to) have it.

Yes we are very conscious of security but no where has anyone from WxC referred to people being mis billed Hundreds of thousand of dollars, opinions and thoughts a are fine but please be careful when saying things like this as this is absolutely not correct and misleading, this also has nothing to do with online billing which is on it's way btw, and yes actually it can be hard very hard to implement based on what billing platforms are used,

Yes I am a employee of WxC (My Profile) ... but I do have my own opinions as well

https://www.facebook.com/wxccommunications

freitasm

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Reply # 89864 6-Oct-2007 21:25

ahmad: ... referring to examples where people have been misbilled for hundreds and thousands of dollars, I would have thought a live billing feature would be essential (and surely easy to implement)?

Where did you read people have been billed hundreds and thousands of dollars wrongly?

If you don't have a reference, please don't invent things.

I've been following this thread from the beginning and so far I saw only complaints about WxC without reason.

First you complained about having bought an ATA device without reading about the plans - I know you admited being in the wrong, but it's one.

Then you complained about voice call quality, then we find out your broadband option is the cheapest possible and with not enough upload bandwidth for Voice over IP applications.

Then you complain about billing without pointing to something substantial.

I start to think you are here to spread wrong information. Or is this not the case?

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ahmad

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Reply # 90095 8-Oct-2007 14:00

Then you complain about billing without pointing to something substantial.

I don't know if I read it here or elsewhere, but there was something about calls (?to a mobile) which was not recorded as having hung up, and so the call continued to be billed (no provider mentioned but it specifically wasn't VFX). I recall it being near a comment about security as apparently VoIP can be hacked or something? If such things are possible then I see live billing as being essential to monitoring it and at least being aware earlier if it was to happen.

Then you complained about voice call quality, then we find out your broadband option is the cheapest possible and with not enough upload bandwidth for Voice over IP applications.

Quote from VFX FAQs:

Q:What happens to my calls if my DSL connection is throttled back?
A: Being throttled back should not affect the quality of your call. Xnet VFX requires less than half of the 64Kbps throttled speed. The Linksys equipment that we endorse provides for Quality of Service (QoS) so the phone call takes priority over any data you are sending or receiving. Other manufactures equipment may not facilitate QoS which means that if you download a large file while making a call when your DSL line speed has been throttled, there is the potential that it may degrade the audio quality of your conversation.

This would mean that 256/64 is actually more than enough.

freitasm

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Reply # 90108 8-Oct-2007 14:15

ahmad:
Then you complain about billing without pointing to something substantial.
I don't know if I read it here or elsewhere, but there was something about calls (?to a mobile) which was not recorded as having hung up, and so the call continued to be billed (no provider mentioned but it specifically wasn't VFX). I recall it being near a comment about security as apparently VoIP can be hacked or something? If such things are possible then I see live billing as being essential to monitoring it and at least being aware earlier if it was to happen.

You got it all wrong. Go back and read that again!

First the discussion was on why VFX does not provide connection settings to users so that they can use their own devices or SIP Clients.

The answer was that VFX wants to make sure the customer gets the correct settings. A lot of people would get the connection settings, enter into a SIP client and start "tweaking". One of the problems they pointed out was that by changing some settings the calls could end up being incorrectly handled, and one of the possible effect was a call continued to be billed even after the hang up.

This is not hacking and in no way this was discussed on that thread. This is what could happen if someone messe around with the signaling and other settings without knowing what they are doing.

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ahmad

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Reply # 90172 8-Oct-2007 20:42

Ok I didn't read it properly. But I can't find it to reread now... Please help.

bjhoogs

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Reply # 90186 8-Oct-2007 21:31

http://www.geekzone.co.nz/forums.asp?ForumId=65&TopicId=14608

ahmad

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Reply # 90196 8-Oct-2007 22:54

That post doesn't ring any bells. I think I read something else.

freitasm

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Reply # 90197 8-Oct-2007 23:17

What do you mean? The example of the mobile billing is there on Maverick's reply...

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freitasm

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Reply # 90211 9-Oct-2007 08:31

Back in font of my PC I can now reply properly...

Ahmad you wrote:

ahmad: I don't know if I read it here or elsewhere, but there was something about calls (?to a mobile) which was not recorded as having hung up, and so the call continued to be billed (no provider mentioned but it specifically wasn't VFX). I recall it being near a comment about security as apparently VoIP can be hacked or something? If such things are possible then I see live billing as being essential to monitoring it and at least being aware earlier if it was to happen.

And for which I explained earlier in this very own threa that you read it wrong. You asked for a link, which bjhoogs supplied. You then wrote:

ahmad: That post doesn't ring any bells. I think I read something else.

And which point I link to the specifc reply you should read in that link:

maverick: What we do is that we control a large number of the SIP settings through secure automated provisioning of the supported devices and they are locked down, this is done so that we can take responsibility for all services and workings with VFX,

Example
if we left all the SIP settings open and you changed a couple of things, you have a 3 Way Call between yourself and a couple of Mobile phones for 5 Minutes. If for some reason because of the way the call is hung up the SIP message is sent in a different way, or time it could result in a hung call to a Mobile for 3 hours, Now is this our fault or yours ? we have a 3 hour call to a Mobile we have to pay for (ever tried to get a credit out of Vodafone ), now because you have changed a setting or two on the device you may not think is important it actually may have been, but we have a 3 hour call to pay for so then would want to charge you for itl, now your not going to be too happy about that I'm sure. This is just an example here there a few others, so our strategy is that we control the SIP settings as we control the workings of our Network, if we do that then we own any issues and interop problems that may arise (hung calls etc).

Clear now? I think Phil mentions exactly what you read and pointed out at the beginning of this discussion.

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ahmad

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Reply # 90216 9-Oct-2007 09:01

Ok. What I meant was that I think I read a different post which also talks about security - not that specific post.